Following the cancellation of Aussie music festival Whitsunday Calling, the two-day music festival that cancelled 48 hours before its first act was set to take the stage this Saturday 6th October, a vicious war of words has erupted between angry festival-goers and the event’s promoters amidst allegations of foul play and demands for refunds.
Campers for the event began turning up yesterday afternoon, only to arrive to the news that the festival – featuring Ash Grunwald, Rose Tattoo, Daryl Braithwaite, and more – had been cancelled, with the festival’s organisers, Live Events And Promotions (LEAP), notifying punters at the eleventh hour via an announcement on the event’s Facebook page.
“This is the post we hoped we would never have to do: it is with deep sadness and regret that we have to announce that the Whitsunday Calling Music Festival has been cancelled as of 5.30 this evening,” read the Facebook post, which was subsequently deleted from the social media site, presumably because of the string of angry comments from ticket-holders who had travelled to the event in preparation for the weekend.
LEAP posted a replacement message on Facebook this morning explaining that promoters “were let down by the company supplying the P.A. system and despite our best efforts to source a replacement supplier, no equipment was available to the standard expected by these international bands at such short notice.”
It wasn’t long before a surfeit of angered patrons began slamming promoters on the thread furious over the late notice of cancellation and the lack of communication about ticket refunds.
Meanwhile, the Whitsundays Online blog has been tracking the whole cancellation blow by blow, including the removed posts, pointing towards comments from artists headed to play the event unaware of its cancellation, previous articles about LEAP event promoter John ‘Scratch’ Grey, and concerns over refunds for the cancelled event.
More alarming was the following image, allegedly showing the Whitsundays Calling festival site just five hours ahead of the cancellation announcement.
After being called out by one Facebook commenter that he “had a lot to answer for” over the cancelled event, LEAP promoter John ‘Scratch’ Grey, using the Whitsunday Calling profile, took a few swings back in a series of comments.
Initially Grey explained the reasons behind the cancellation: “The logistics for the sound and lighting did not happen within the deadline of when it was required and was not from bad planning as we had everything in place. A lot of people have supported us through the whole nine yards and they know just as much as me and were their with all the conversations. I do know what i am doing and enjoyed the whole business side of this event.”
But Grey’s responses became less measured as he faced down further attacks, replying: “you have no idea of the logistics required to organise an event. We did not fail with this event. Fess up? to what. I don’t need to confess to you about why this event didn’t cross the line. Thats for people that had faith in this and they are the ones that will get the answer to why at the last minute the logistics weren’t their[sic].” Then later: “Really . . all the years you and the others have been in this town, what have you done or even attempted to do for this town. absolutely nothing. Get a life.”
Mr Grey has assured The Music that punters will be receiving a full refund in light of the Whitsundays Calling cancellation. “We want to make sure ticket holders do get a refund so we will do our utmost to achieve this,” says Grey.
Whitsunday Tickets are the company handling the refunds for the cancelled festival, who proclaim they have no connection to Mr Grey or LEAP, and issued a statement on their own Facebook page noting that refunds were pending, but would take time considering the large volume of refunds to be processed.
There is no mention however of the terms and conditions on the Whitsunday Tickets page regarding “a $100.00 refund processing fee will apply and will only be considered if an event is cancelled, rescheduled, or if the major drawcard is cancelled.” The statement reads:
Whitsunday Calling ticket purchasers – please be advised we will commence the ticket refunding process from Wednesday. We have a high volume to complete so please allow 7 working days. We will confirm each refund once completed. Thanks for your ongoing support.”
Speaking to the Whitsunday Times in August, Mr Grey described the ongoing battle to host the event, originally slated for September 2012; “Then the election came and there was a complete new line-up of state and local government,” he recounts, including finding a new festival site and reshuffling the lineup. “We had to start all over again.”
