Mumford & Sons Wrigley show on hold as storms loom

Weather worries forced a last-minute delay for the Mumford & Sons gig at Wrigley Field. Instead of letting fans in at 5 p. m. for a 6:30 p. m. start, the gates stayed shut while organisers kept an eye on incoming storms. The National Weather Service had flagged 51 counties in northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, as possible tornado zones through Thursday evening. Forecasters also warned of tennis-ball-sized hail and winds that could gust up to 80 mph—enough to turn outdoor gear into dangerous projectiles.

A rival show on Northerly Island was left untouched, at least for now. Jimmy Eat World still plans to open its doors at 5:30 p. m. and kick off two hours later, but staff are watching the same radar screens as everyone else. The venue promised updates if anything shifts, leaving fans to weigh the risk of crossing the lake in rough conditions. Back at Wrigley, organisers posted the delay without a firm new time. They told ticket holders to keep checking for news rather than guessing when they might get in. For Mumford & Sons, the postponement was a setback in their “Prizefighter” tour run-through at a venue they clearly wanted to impress. Lead singer Marcus Mumford once mentioned growing up in the U. K. watching Chicago sports, so the band’s first-ever Wrigley show carried extra meaning for the band, even if the weather had other plans.

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