Under The Gun – August 31st – September 14th, 2000
by Bing Futch
The circus is moving to O-Town, this one should be interesting to say the least.
The Stop The Violence Benefit Concert has been rescheduled and confirmed to take place at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, November 11th and 12th, according to a press release via Buena Vista Marketing and Promotions. This, after attempting to secure September 23rd and 24th as possible re-schedule days for the event.
Keep in mind that there were bands from remote places like Italy who had made very real air travel plans. The cancellation was announced four days before the event was supposed to begin, but dozens of bands were left to find out through news reports, if they were local. Once an official e-mail was sent, some bands allegedly raised concerns about the quick re-bound. Buena Vista President Barry Cunningham explained his rationale in the press release.
“The reason for the prompt attempt to reschedule is to capitalize on the amount of press exposure and to recoup the investment lost on the previous cancellation.” The schedules of musicians are twisted, psychotic things and aren’t easily zigged for zag’s sake. Cunningham acknowledged this by stating, “if you can not make it to the rescheduled show, please understand that we will be taking this thing on the road and initiating a 20-30 market tour commencing in late May and there will be ample opportunity for you to participate. I can assure you that none of you will be forgotten in this endeavor.”
As it turns out, the show will have plenty of time to build promotional steam before its mid-November bow. WJRR and Real Radio 104.1 FM have added particular muscle to the effort and Cunningham has also offered to “attempt to accomodate the bands with theme park requests as well.”
That’s backline, ground transportation, hotel accomodations and perhaps some rock ‘n’ rollers on the Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster.
It’s just kooky enough for O-Town.
Meanwhile, Cunningham also opted to defer any further spokesman duties to Buena Vista Marketing and Promotions Vice President Barry Johnson and Joyce Cole of ZWorld Entertainment, citing “a somewhat lengthy court battle with the Town of Lake Park” as the inspiration. Stay tuned–it’s off the hook over here.
Into The Fire – September 5th, 2000
When Lake Park city officials put the brakes on the Subway Stop The Violence Benefit, it was a first-round blow. Now, the other camp is swinging back. Dig this. Barry Cunningham, President of Buena Vista Marketing & Promotions Inc., is filing a multi-million dollar class-action lawsuit against the city of Lake Park alleging “breach Of contract
And violation of civil rights” ensuing from the cancellation of the show. According to a story in the Palm Beach Post, Cunningham was arrested on a warrant for a “felony bad-check charge in Volusia County and a delinquent child-support payment charge in Leon County.” Town Manager Terry Leary said that the town’s decision to cancel the show was based on crowd control, not the arrest. Cunningham disagrees loudly in the release. “Ms. Leary, on more than a few different occasions in the meeting
stated that she indeed was canceling the concert based upon personal
allegations and charges against me.”<p>And what about the abuse of civil rights?
“there shall be made no law…abridging the freedom of speech, … or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government
for a redress of grievances.” – The First Amendment
Cunningham lays it out in one paragraph: “Simply put, with plenty of malice aforethought, the Town of Lake Park
breached our contract, violated the First Amendment, and the Civil Rights of
those involved. I believe their actions to be racially and culturally
discriminatory and extremely politically motivated. With out a shred of
doubt the Town of Lake Park defamed prospective concert-goers as ‘those kind
of people’ and stated how they ‘did not want that type of music and element
in their town’”.
Cunningham cries foul, saying that the town knew exactly what they were getting into. “Buena Vista has copies of many
documents dating back to June 7, 2000 that were submitted to the Town. The
Town subsequently, summarily and unanimously approved the event and actually
executed a full contract with Buena Vista to actually ‘sponsor’ the event.
Additionally, the Town of Lake Park was submitted with each press release
issued by Buena Vista concerning the event.”
Cries of “scam!” fly from both sides, but who really knows except for the people who made the deals in the first place? They’re the ones telling this story and there are several hundred sub-stories revolving around the involvement in the actual event. From the sponsors and vendors to musicians and the folks that actually bought tickets to those in the halls of civil office and anyone associated with Buena Vista Marketing. Lotsa little dramas.
There are snafus and then there are super-nova snafus. Take your pick on this one, either will apply. This body isn’t dead yet, the phone’s ringing.
Out Of The Frying Pan – August 31st, 2000
Greetings readers–
In case you were getting super-tired of reading about Cocofest 2000 from July, we’ve got you covered now…….
Freshly back from this year’s Coast-2-Coast Coaster Tour, the first order of business was to get down to West Palm Beach for the Subway Stop The Violence Benefit featuring an insane number of bands from not only the state of Florida but all across the country and even around the world.
But as MOHAVE discovered yesterday while recording pre-production for the “Get A Life!” show, the event has been cancelled and there are rumours of another venue being chosen at this time.
What’s the scoop anyway? Hell, I don’t know–all I’m aware of is there was to be a chance to make a little money as a stagehand on Saturday before the band’s slot in front of an estimated “10,000 or more” people on Sunday–it doesn’t look like either is going to happen.
Check out this link: http://www.gopbi.com/partners/pbpost/epaper/editions/wednesday/local_news_1.html
Stay tuned, the phone’s are ringing….
“bfsig”