Spears Abruptly Walks Off Mexico Stage, Ending Tour
Britney Spears ended her world tour on a controversial note as rain showers cut short her final show in Mexico City on Sunday night, adding insult to injury after she made an obscene gesture upon arrival here last week.
Concert organizers OCESA said in a statement on Monday that Sunday night’s thunderstorm and lightning posed a significant enough safety concern to call off the show after less than five songs.
The 20-year-old pop princess sang four songs in the last show of her Pepsi-sponsored world tour, but during the set’s fifth song, “Stronger,” left the stage, saying only “I’m sorry Mexico. I love you. Bye,” according to a report in local daily Milenio.
Boos and jeers rained down on the stage when a public announcement asked fans to leave the Foro Sol stadium. Some concert-goers began throwing pop diva paraphernalia and chanting “fraud, fraud,” the newspaper reported.
OCESA also announced in its statement that beginning Thursday fans, who paid anywhere from $14 to $190 for tickets to Sunday night’s show, could get a full refund.
In the organizers’ statement, Spears said she was sorry the show was canceled. “The Mexican fans are some of the best in the world. However, for the security of my company and the audience, as well as for the show’s quality, I had to suspend my performance,” she said.
Mexico City was the last leg of a “world tour” that began in the United States and Canada.
Spears, who rocketed to fame with her 1998 hit “Baby, one more time,” spent less than a week in Mexico City, but attracted plenty of attention during her visit.
The pop star was caught by cameras extending her middle finger in a universally recognized insult after she arrived last Tuesday night at an airport in Toluca, some 40 miles from Mexico City.
Spears later said the gesture was an angry response to paparazzi, who she said nearly caused a wreck with the vehicle in which she was riding.
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