Garth Brooks concerts cancelled - **READ FIRST POST FOR MOD NOTES**

Dayor Knight

miss no stars wrote: »

I don't think any amount of brown envelopes would buy Owen Keegan! The man's a bollix.

Because he wouldn't be open to brown envelopes!? Really?

Johnny_Fontane

Muahahaha wrote: »

Yeah my fear would be that a lot of people used sites like hotels.com , they're handy for comparing prices and locations. But they're a re-seller of hotel rooms and the T&Cs can leave you in a right mess in the event of cancellation. Personally I'd never prepay 100% of my hotel costs but many people do not thinking that best laid plans might get disrupted.

I think there should be a name and shame policy in relation to this. If any of the hotels that are booked directly dont refund the money or at least some of it, they should be named and shamed.

Sir Arthur Daley

[QUOTE=Johnny_Fontane;91198801 If any of the hotels that are booked directly dont refund the money or at least some of it, they should be named and shamed.[/QUOTE]

Why should they?

miss no stars

Dayor Knight wrote: »

Because he wouldn't be open to brown envelopes!? Really?

Nope,

cos he's a bollix who's ruined Dun Laoghaire, ordered that monstrosity of a library to be built, wants to cause more traffic jams in the city centre and does whatever the f*ck he wants to do.


As I clarified above, the upside is that he can't be bought (except maybe by cyclist groups?).


But he's STILL a bollix.

Fred Swanson

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Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

An Oireachtas Committee hearing to be called.

The autopsy begins:

GAA, Aiken Promotions and Dublin City Council to be hauled in front of an Oireachtas Committee

Aiken Promotions said it has accepted the invitation from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications. It said it is awaiting confirmation of the date.

Members of the committee on Transport and Communications today agreed in private session to invite the stakeholders to discuss the matter tomorrow.

Fine Gael TD for Limerick Patrick O'Donovan told independent.ie that the public deserve the know "who is responsible for this disaster".

"The public need to be told the full sequence of events that led to five concerts going to three and then to zero," Mr O'Donovan said.

"This has done serious damage to this country's reputation and representatives from Dublin City Council, the GAA and Aiken Promotions have a lot to answer," he added.

Meanwhile, Cllr Nial Ring from Ballybough, near Croke Park, has said that Garth Books should be “flown over” to Ireland to explain why he cancelled his concerts at Croke Park.

“Someone else who should be asked to appear before that committee meeting is Garth brooks.”

“He should be flown over and asked to say why if he loves the Irish fans so much why he decided to cancel these concerts”

“He was prepared to do two concerts and make a profit. And suddenly he didn’t want to do three.”

In the Dail today, the cancelled concerts dominated leader's question time, with opposition Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin appealing for emergency legislation to be passed to rescue the comeback special.

"Surely the Government should have intervened at some stage in this debacle," he said.

"Many hoteliers, restaurant owners, publicans, young people looking for work, simply can't believe that the country can almost nonchalantly say we don't need that."

Mr Martin said there is an air of disbelief across the country that a major economic project in its own right has been allowed to be cancelled.

It was not beyond the parliament to pass emergency legislation to give a clear signal that Ireland deals hands-on with events that have such an economic impact, he said, adding that his party would back such legislation.

"Is anybody going to do anything about it? Can it be retrieved and can it be rescued?" he asked.

But Mr Kenny said the Government risked being accused of "doing down" the rights of residents around Croke Park and interfering with the planning process if it intervened.

Describing the fall-out as a "bitter economic lesson to have learned", the Taoiseach said he has ordered a review of the planning process for major events.

"It's a major loss to the country, to the goodwill and good feeling of all those fans of Garth Brooks that this is lost, not to mention the hard economic loss to people here," he said.

"It's a mess."

Meanwhile, promoter Peter Aiken has said there is no possibility of Garth Brooks coming to Ireland – it is effectively “game over”.

Mr Aiken said he is personally “shell shocked” and “devastated” that all five Garth Brooks gigs have been cancelled, and the whole debacle has taken its toll “personally” and “financially”.

“It’s game over,” Mr Brooks told RTE’s Morning Ireland.

“We couldn’t have done a scaled down version. He didn’t want to leave 60,000 people without tickets... and I think he made the right decision. All along I told him it was going to be OK.”

“It was a comeback special. We all got caught up in it, it would have been special. It certainly wasn’t driven by greed.”

“If it was greed, Garth Brooks would come back and do the three shows. He’s into this for millions,” Mr Aiken said.

The concert promoter said he is living in a “nightmare”, and he blamed Dublin City Council for its “ludicrous” change of mind.

“You presume you’re going to get the license. They did tell us that it was a big ask to get the five shows. But I never got the inclination that five would have been too much.”

“They did say that it was going to have an impact and that we would have to have additionality, more stewards etc, and we did have that.”

“How can they turn around and say to ‘you can have three’, and then come back and say ‘you can have four’, and then ‘three’, how silly does that sound?”

“That’s what made the whole thing so ludicrous. They should have said none, and that would have been a lot easier.”

The country and western singer is “frustrated” by what happened, Mr Aiken said.

“It’s like living in a nightmare... I’m facing up to it and it’s not easy.”

“When I spoke to Garth and his manager they just made it quite clear that he was [only] going to do five shows.”

“I’ve only spoken to him briefly... I think he feels frustrated that I’m offered three, and then four, and then back to three, and then he says I’m only doing five.”

“It’s dreadful. It would have been five days, of a lot more than five concerts, it would have been a celebration.”

“This would have been a spectacular show... it couldn’t have gone anywhere else (to another stadium).”

Mr Aiken said neither he nor Garth Brooks predicted the demand for the concerts.

“It started at two (shows) because he’d been away for 17 years and we were coming back... even then we thought it was a risk.”

“It’s a huge blow to me personally, it’s a huge blow to the company, we’re 53 years on the go.”

rossie1977

muddypaws wrote: »

Complete bollix. An Irishman who goes by the rules and won't be bought, we're fecked.

there was no rules applied in this situation. he applied his own personal judgement to determine that 3 concerts not 5 would take place.

the original agreement called for 3 concerts a year in croke park which had already taken place.

the whole system must now be looked at and something new put in its place to make sure a fiasco like this doesn't happen in the future. its going to take years for any major musical or sporting organisation to trust ireland with hosting its events.

ebbsy

The Germans must have left the country, we are back to making a balls out of everything again.

Fred Swanson

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VinLieger

miss no stars wrote: »

Nope,

cos he's a bollix who's ruined Dun Laoghaire, ordered that monstrosity of a library to be built, wants to cause more traffic jams in the city centre and does whatever the f*ck he wants to do.


As I clarified above, the upside is that he can't be bought (except maybe by cyclist groups?).


But he's STILL a bollix.

Keegan is an absolute ****! he ****ed up Dun Laoighaire which is a ghost town now. He simply cannot get his head around the fact that some people might want to drive to do their shopping as its more convenient.

He also will never back down from a decision he's made even if he is smacked repeatedly in the face with irrefutable evidence he was in the wrong.

jellyboy

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

dy


Quick somebody show them the 1916 proclamation

Permabear

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Fred Swanson

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muddypaws

rossie1977 wrote: »

there was no rules applied in this situation. he applied his own personal judgement to determine that 3 concerts not 5 would take place.

the original agreement called for 3 concerts a year in croke park which had already taken place.

the whole system must now be looked at and something new put in its place to make sure a fiasco like this doesn't happen in the future. its going to take years for any major musical or sporting organisation to trust ireland with hosting its events.

Yes, and that is his job, and the rules dictate that once a decision is made, it cannot be appealed, or changed, no matter how many brown envelopes are thrown at it.

I do find it comical how so many people honestly think this will have an effect on other events being held here. Why would Croke Park not negotiate about the possiblity of holding these extra concerts and not have any next year? Because they already have bookings in place for next year. Again the point about Hyde Park and Springsteen, they are in the middle of a series of concerts there at the moment, it didn't stop artists performing. Things like this do actually happen elsewhere, with licenses refused etc, but guess what, it doesn't make the news because its not actually that important.

vitani

If one more politician bleats on about the 'damage' to our 'international reputation', I'll scream.

Things that could cause damage to our 'international reputation':
1) Uncovering a mass graves of children and babies
2) Widespread institutional abuse
3) Drunken Irish people who 'emigrate' Down Under and cause havoc
4) The bank bailout
5) The death of Savita Halappanavar

Things that will blow over in a matter of weeks:
1) Concerts being cancelled

Honestly, their priorities are so screwed up, it's ridiculous.

jd007

“You presume you’re going to get the license. They did tell us that it was a big ask to get the five shows. But I never got the inclination that five would have been too much.”

Surely if DCC said it was a big ask, that should have been an inclination that it was too much?

AlekSmart

cml387 wrote: »

Why can't we send Tommy Gorman over to Las Vegas to intercede.

"Think of the children Gareth"

I reckon Tommy's half-brother,Paddy O'Gorman would make a better fist of it......particularly when there are poor downtrodden,discriminated against,folk (and their children) to consider...;)

slimjimmc

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Steam Roller wrote: »

Do you have to have the receipt also

Any Ticketmaster centre will do, and there's no mention of a receipt needed which makes sense since if the ticket is genuine it's hard to deny it's a Ticketmaster ticket.

http://www.ticketmaster.ie/legal/gbrefunds.html

2. Question - I bought my tickets at a Ticketmaster ticket centre. How will I get my refund?
Answer - Customers are required to complete a refund form and either post this to Ticketmaster or hand the completed refund form to a Ticketmaster Ticket Centre. In both cases, customers will need to return the form WITH your GARTH BROOKS tickets. Please make a note of the show date and your seat details and retain the left hand portion of the refund form for your
records

Dayor Knight

miss no stars wrote: »

Nope,

cos he's a bollix who's ruined Dun Laoghaire, ordered that monstrosity of a library to be built, wants to cause more traffic jams in the city centre and does whatever the f*ck he wants to do.


As I clarified above, the upside is that he can't be bought (except maybe by cyclist groups?).


But he's STILL a bollix.

That's alright then. Glad you clarified that.

miss no stars

Btw, those looking for a refund

or those who bought from touts who had paid cash....

3. Question - I want to get my refund by returning the form and tickets by post. What should I do?
Answer - A refund form is available by clicking here. Please print, complete and return this form along WITH your GARTH BROOKS TICKETS to PO Box 4695, Dublin 2. Please make a note of the show date and your seat details and retain the left hand portion of the refund form for your records. A full refund including service charges will be processed by bank transfer within 21 days of receiving the form and tickets.

Rasheed

vitani wrote: »

If one more politician bleats on about the 'damage' to our 'international reputation', I'll scream.

Things that could cause damage to our 'international reputation':
1) Uncovering a mass graves of children and babies
2) Widespread institutional abuse
3) Drunken Irish people who 'emigrate' Down Under and cause havoc
4) The bank bailout
5) The death of Savita Halappanavar

Things that will blow over in a matter of weeks:
1) Concerts being cancelled

Honestly, their priorities are so screwed up, it's ridiculous.

Well now it doesn't look hectic in all honesty. Of course it's not even on the same page as the list you've mentioned but it doesn't paint the country/ officials in the greatest light. It looks shoddy and unprofessionally organised.

I hope it doesn't affect the chances of the Rugby World Cup being considered for Ireland.

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

jd007 wrote: »

Surely if DCC said it was a big ask, that should have been an inclination that it was too much?

Why wait 12 weeks to make the decision?

Keegan knew the tickets for the concerts were sold and so should have not left it so late to let 160,000 ticketholders know that the concerts they have tickets for, won't be going ahead. It's a nonsense to start trying to negotiate with artists and promoters so late in the game.

Aiken applied for the licences four weeks before he had to and so there is no excuse for how the DCC acted here. None.

Tarzana

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

I understand all of that thank you. And I do agree with it.

I'm simply saying that based on the things I mentioned in my post I don't believe that regulations and laws had anything to do with the residents objecting.

Again maybe I'm overly cynical but I've seen too many example of our 'Compo Culture' attitude to believe that money didn't come into somehow.

Oh FFS.

VinLieger

Rasheed wrote: »

Well now it doesn't look hectic in all honesty. Of course it's not even on the same page as the list you've mentioned but it doesn't paint the country/ officials in the greatest light. It looks shoddy and unprofessionally organised.

I hope it doesn't affect the chances of the Rugby World Cup being considered for Ireland.

Exactly and people saying it will have no affect are blind to how this will look to decision makers that might bring events to Ireland in the future.

I am hoping so hard it doesn't affect the rugby world cup

Johnny_Fontane

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Why should they?

because these are the same retards (irish hotel federation) who have been mouthing off all week saying that its a disaster for business that GB has cancelled.

You cant have it both ways.

Tarzana

nm wrote: »

Without the 350~ residents complaints the 5 would've sailed through

Then it's good they complained, isn't it?

Maximus Alexander

When this pops up on Reeling in the Years in 2034 we'll all be rolling our eyes and laughing about how quaint and ridiculous Ireland was back in the old days when people got their nickers in a twist over a poor country music singer and same sex marriage wasn't even legal.

Muahahaha

:

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller wrote: »

You may be right but the only person in a position to sue is Aiken, as he could claim loss of earnings but I don't see that happening as they seem to have been friends since '97 but you never know. Aiken wasn't insured though, as you need a licence to get event insurance, apparently.

MCD sued Prince though, when he pulled out of his Croke Park concert:

Yeah I just hope for Aikens sake that he doesn't fall out with Brooks on this. Both of them are seriously out of pocket here so if Brooks launches a legal action for his costs of assembling the show and stage, pyrotechnics, etc then it could put Aiken in a real spot of bother. From what I'm reading. Brooks had employed the services of a production company who had worked on a few Super Bowl shows and other large scale razzmatazz events. By all accounts it sounds like what Brooks had planned for his comeback special was indeed massive.
I doubt Brooks will sue Aiken for non performance of 5 dates but still things are on shaky ground. If Brooks announces a World Tour tomorrow and there is no mention of Ireland or Irish dates then I'd be fearful for what the fallout between them could be.

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

I think there should be a name and shame policy in relation to this. If any of the hotels that are booked directly dont refund the money or at least some of it, they should be named and shamed.

True. But I'm guessing many of them won't care. They'll easily take the money for double or triple times the room rate and then watch people cancel so they can re-sell the room again. Not all hotels will do this but some will, enough to leave a very sour taste in the mouth for many.

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller wrote: »

An Oireachtas Committee hearing to be called.

The autopsy begins:

It's getting farcical at this stage. Especially as Timmy Doorley of FF is on the Oireachtas Committee for Tourism. Timmy already nailed his colours to the mast on this issue when he appeared alongside the publicans and hoteliers bodies calling for the planning law not to be upheld. This gombeen then went and published his 'Garth Brooks Emergency Bill' so he could ride roughshot over both the residents AND the City Manager.

I can't wait to see this Oirechtas Committee tomorrow. Apparently Owen Keegan take no sh1t from anyone, Timmy Doorley will be out to dish it so hopefully Keegan gives him a few nice reminders of the history of Fianna Fáil and planning in this country.

ankaragucu

I still dont know WHY the 3 concerts that were granted licences are not going ahead?
Aiken, GAA and DCC all showed either greed, ineptitude or both.But why arent people asking GARTH BROOKS why he is not playing 3 concerts for which 240,000 tickets have been sold???
No one has given a straight answer to this.
His 5 concerts or none at all threat doesnt wash.Is he insisting on playing 5 shows or non at all in all the cities on his world tour.
The whole thing has been a croc of sh1te.

Red Nissan

ankaragucu wrote: »

I still dont know WHY the 3 concerts that were granted licences are not going ahead? .

Garth made the decision himself. Hes has many interviews answering that question.