NEWS BRIEF: Georgia gun laws force Music Midtown cancellation

The Music Midtown festival in September has been scrapped by its promoter after getting tangled in a Georgia law that allows weapons to be carried in public parks. The weekend concerts were supposed to happen in Piedmont Park with performances by My Chemical Romance, Jack White, Fall Out Boy, and Future among many others. Ticket holders will be refunded.

“Due to circumstances beyond our control, Music Midtown will no longer be taking place this year,” Live Nation said in a statement issued on Monday. “We were looking forward to reuniting in September and hope we can all get back to enjoying the festival together again soon.” The organization did not specify the reason for canceling the event, but sources close to the festival confirmed to Rolling Stone that permissive gun laws were the culprit. The Music Midtown website prohibits “weapons or explosives of any kind” on festival grounds but the mandate clashed with a state law signed by then-Governor Nathan Deal in 2014 that expanded where firearms could be taken throughout the state. Details: rollingstone.com