Morrissey has canceled two scheduled concerts this weekend after what his team described as a “credible threat” against his life, prompting heightened concerns for the safety of both the singer and his audience.

The English singer-songwriter, who rose to fame as frontman of the Smiths before embarking on a decades-long solo career, was set to perform at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut on Friday night and Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway on Saturday. Both venues announced cancellations on social media, citing the same alarming reason.

“In recent days, there has been a credible threat on Morrissey’s life,” read a post shared to Morrissey’s official Instagram. “Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of both the artist and audience, tonight’s engagement at Foxwoods has been canceled. We appreciate your understanding.”

The MGM Music Hall echoed that message almost verbatim, noting the decision had been made with safety as the priority. Ticket holders were told they will receive refunds at their original points of purchase.

The cancellation comes less than three weeks after Canadian authorities charged 26-year-old Noah Castellano of Ottawa with making threats to cause death or bodily harm. On Sept. 4, Castellano allegedly used the social media platform Blue Sky to post a detailed message threatening to shoot Morrissey during his scheduled Sept. 12 appearance at Ottawa’s TD Place arena.

Posting under the name “guy who gets shot in the head one hundred thousand times a day,” Castellano reportedly claimed he owned “a very large gun” illegally and would “attempt to shoot many times and kill you.”

Despite the post, Morrissey went on to perform at Ottawa’s CityFolk festival without incident. Canadian police later arrested Castellano, who was released on $5,000 bail and ordered to reside at his father’s home in the Washington, D.C., area. When approached by local reporters, he declined to comment on the charges, telling the Ottawa Citizen, “I’m not interested.”

Morrissey’s decision to call off this weekend’s U.S. shows appears to reflect a shift in the perceived seriousness of the threat, though it remains unclear whether new information has emerged. Neither Morrissey’s representatives nor law enforcement have confirmed if additional threats were made since Castellano’s arrest.

The singer, 65, is in the early stages of his Nude Tour, which opened earlier this month and included a performance at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on Sept. 16 that reportedly went ahead without disruption. The tour was expected to cover multiple North American stops before moving on to international dates.

For fans, the abrupt cancellations highlight the growing challenges artists face in balancing performance commitments with safety risks in the era of online threats. While security measures are standard for high-profile performers, the specificity of Castellano’s alleged threat, combined with his arrest and subsequent release, has placed added pressure on Morrissey’s team to prioritize caution.

Whether the cancellations will affect other upcoming tour dates is not yet known. Neither Morrissey’s camp nor the venues involved have provided updates on the status of future shows, leaving fans waiting for clarity.

In the meantime, promoters emphasized their commitment to protecting audiences as well as the artist. “Out of an abundance of caution” has become the refrain in official statements, underscoring that the cancellations, while disappointing, were made with safety as the paramount concern.