mid-seventies in Wellington NZ

I was never going to go cos I can't stand him but I remember he cancelled at the last minute "we can't tell you how much this means to him" etc from management - I mean the guy had OD'd - he did the gig the following night, all the stupid fans went yeah yeah yeah.

Ryde Theatre management said promoters took the decision to cancel a forthcoming concert by tribute band Whole Lotta Led because only 15 tickets had been sold."

That's only 30 less than Bob Geldof managed to sell for that gig in Milan.

Rumour has it that Gladys Knight/Tito Jackson managed to sell a mere 2,000 tickets at the MEN Arena. It certainly looked a bit embarassing with all of the upper tier and 2/3rds of the lower tier shut down.

I never know how these things work. Does the venue hire the artist for a fixed sum and then try to flog tickets or does the artist rent the venue and hold them responsible for promotion and sales? Is it a combination? If the venue cancels the gig because of poor sales, does the artist get owt, and vice-versa?

http://www.nme.com/news/marilyn-manson/47549

I remember Mark Ellen saying in the Zepcast that he ended up sharing a lift with the Antichrist Superstar hitmaker and how wor Brian needed help from his minders to remain in an upright position.

It's not a big college town.

the Bass Enforcer, his FPO and I went to UEA in Norwich to see Gregory Isaacs. Things were distinctly late getting under way, and then came an announcement that the Cool Ruler had been delayed, and that his backing band would play a set while we waited for him to arrive.

Damn good band they were, too, but it was to general disappointment that, half an hour in, a further announcement was made to the effect that Gregory was still in London,and would not be gracing us with his presence after all. No excuse was given, although I had a sneaking suspicion that it was on account of not a lack of snow in the capital...

We were assured that a full refund would be given, at which point the quick-witted Enforcer called out: "Yeah, but what about the taxi fare, the babysitter and the drugs?" To James's chagrin, it transpired that all Mr Rayns meant was the ticket price.

Remember when the last few dates of their tour were cancelled in 2008? It was a couple of months after the less than stellar chart performance of their comeback single "Headlines".

If memory serves, I think it was the Word podcast that cast what was - for me - the funniest reaction to the official explanation of "family and personal commitments": "What was it, had they forgotten an appointment with their probation officer?"

too soon?

Back in 1983 as my college's social sec, I booked them for our Christmas ball. Their agent told me they had a new single out and they were optimistic that it would do well in the charts.

A week before the event, with their cover of 'Only You' heading for the number 1 spot, their agent rang to say they were cancelling because one of the band was recovering from a throat operation. They hadn't returned their contract, we were stuffed. I managed to bag an emergency Alvin Stardust as a last-minute replacement.

That same week some students from the college went to the recording of TOTP and spoke to the Flying Pickets. "So which one of you had the throat op?" they asked. "What are you on about?" came the baffled reply...

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2009/09/23/the-aerosmith-lawsuit-settlement-giv...

These lovable bastards cancelled a gig at Leeds Poly so they could go and record a Top Of The Pops appearance. Whilst cavorting around and miming to whatever hit they had in the studio their van containing tour equipment was being nicked. Poetic justice I say.

went to see The Bravery many moons ago... they were playing the smaller Wulfrun Hall in Wolverhampton Civic... as we arrived there was a lot of frantic stewarding outside, as Busted(who had been playing the bigger hall), had been relegated to the smaller venue(due to The Bravery's brief rise to stardom and Busted's demise into post-pop Hell), so cue hundreds of disgruntled teenage girls bedecked in merchandise clothing, tinsel and streamers having to do the "walk of shame" out the venue... much to the amusement of the people who had turned-up to see Teh Bravery.
i admit i did allow myself a "Losers, move out..!"