Summer in Canada is a lot of things to a lot of people. One of the things summer means to me is the opportunity to attend music festivals. So late last December, when my friend CJ let me know that her family was buying VIP tickets to Roxodus (July 11-13, 2019) and that I was welcome to stay at her place nearby for the duration of the festival, I jumped on board too despite gagging a bit at the price – at $600+, by far the most money I have ever paid for a single event. For comparison, I plunked down $99 for another 3 day festival happening in August of this year: Riverfest Elora.
Initially the festival was running for 3 days but this spring they added a 4th day (Sunday) at no extra charge (with headliner, Aerosmith, one of my all-time favourite bands!!!!) so this got even better and I was beyond thrilled to be going. I had taken advantage of the early bird pricing; got onto the easier-to-swallow payment plan; it’s all good, right?
Wrong. With a week to go, the organizers pulled the plug on the festival, citing wet grounds as the absolutely bullshit reason. The first day of the announcement, there was a statement on the website that information on refunds would be available soon. The next day this statement disappeared. And I got pissed. And I (and 20,000+ other ticket holders, vendors etc.) had no direct means to contact the organizers, who were incommunicado. With no other outlet for my frustration, I took to social media with this meme, as this particular moment in this particular film represented my mood:
For those of you not familiar with the film, The Big Lebowski, it refers to this scene:
And if you’re not familiar with this cult-classic movie, I urge you to immediately get your hands on a copy and watch it. It’s a great movie that has launched a thousand t-shirts, memes, bumper stickers, social media groups, and even a religion, based on the character of The Dude (the victim of the toilet dunking) as well as other characters in the film.
There are developments happening every day with this Canadian “Fyre Festival”. And the story is still unfolding. I won’t go into the details here – if you are interested, just google Roxodus and you will see it all as it is happening.
On the urging of Mimi (another blogger friend to the rescue – goddess, how I love this community!), I had contacted my credit card company to report my purchase as fraudulent and to see if they could do anything for me. I was told they would start a file with my details, and to call back after 15 days (once the festival dates had passed and the slimeball jerkface promoters had been given every opportunity to make restitution).
Then this morning I received an email from the wonderful amazing good people at Eventbrite (who handled ticket sales), saying that they “set up an Eventbrite-funded Fan Relief Program to make all Roxodus ticket holders whole while we continue to aggressively pursue the return of funds from the festival’s creators.”
And also in the email they let me know how much they were refunding. One teensky weensky problemo: in the email I noticed that they were refunding me the money only from my second-to-last payment on the payment plan. No mention of the rest of the money owing to me.
I emailed them back to let them know that there were still 3 other outstanding transactions that also require repayment before I would be “whole”. And now I wait, confident that Eventbrite will continue to step up, and make good on their promise.
I still hurt for those that invested much more than me into this event – people who booked flights, campsites, hotels, arranged their summer vacations around this event…I hurt for all the businesses small and large that also invested heavily into Roxodus happening.
The only people who aren’t hurting are the bands that were scheduled to play – apparently they were paid 100% upfront.
I used to take certain things for granted. One: that when I bought a ticket to an event, it was most likely going to happen. Two: that if it didn’t happen, I would get my money refunded immediately. I don’t think it is unreasonable or naive to think either of these two things when plunking down hard-earned $$$ for a show. I (and other concert-goers) deal in good faith and expect the same in return.
I will never think this way again. Thanks shitheads Roxodus.
If you’re still reading, thanks for letting me rant. Has something like this ever happened to you? Do tell, in the comments.
Rock on,
The WB
This actually did happen to me. Bought the kids tickets to some country music festival as a Christmas present a few years back. Event cancelled. Promoters vanished. No refund. Is this a new type of scam people are pulling off?
I am really sorry to hear this happened to you, Carol. I don’t know how new this scam is, but it’s definitely being pulled off again and again.
Yikes! That is horrible that your refund was not returned as soon as the promoters cancelled the festival! I can’t say I blame you for being totally pissed. Only time this ever happened to me was years ago when we bought tickets to see Elton John & Billy Joel. They cancelled because of the SARS outbreak but all of our money was refunded. Sure hope Eventbrite/Roxodus come good for your funds!
Thank you Lyn!
I’m so sorry you were burned in this scam! I wanted to attend SO badly, but work prevented it. Good thing! I feel terrible for all of you who are now scrambling to get your hard-earned money back, though. 🙁 What a dream line-up it would have been! Sigh…
I’ve been keeping up with Roxodus news and apparently, these are the same slimeballs who organized and cancelled the motorcycle festival in Wasaga Beach recently. Must be their modus operandi. Here’s hoping they get nailed to the wall!
Thanks Debbie! Yeah, I’m not evolved enough to not want these two scoundrels absolutely ruined for doing this to so many people. Sorry (not sorry) 🤬🤬🤬
No, this hasn’t happened to me although I’ve been rescheduled and refunded. That’s a lot of $$ to not be made whole. Yikes!
Thanks Kate. Yep, ~ equivalent to the cost of a return flight to see my kiddo on the west coast!
I can’t like this post one little bit 😡
That’s a lot of money to be out of pocket for services not rendered. If it looks like fraud and talks like fraud … 😡😡😡
…It IS fraud. And companies like VISA, MasterCard, and Eventbrite are reading it that way too. Kudos to them for standing up for the little people!💕💕💕
That is such good news. There have been stories of the credit card companies leaving it to the consumer to work out with the supplier. There must be so much noise around this one that they had to intervene.
I think you are right. When I called my credit card company to start the dispute process they knew right away what event I was talking about. I was told they started a file for me, but I had to wait until 15 days passed to allow the vendor time to make things right so I was going to call back on July 19. Now looks like things might be resolved before then!
I’m experiencing a similar cancelled experience after coordinating the time and putting money into it. Not the amount you’ve invested, but I’m extremely angry and trying to get to the “why”! I just found out mid-day Friday and the office closed early (summer hours apparently) so I have a whole weekend to be pissed off. Your post has actually helped me realize my situation could be worse. Thanks for that at least!
You’re welcome, Pat! Yup, there’s the coordination effort AND all the concerts I took a pass on because I spent so much on this one event. 😩 Good luck with your event and getting refunded.
This is outrageous as hell. I think I’m going to stay away from music festivals. Not my bag, anyway. So, the bands got paid up front, huh? Sounds like a likely story to excuse not refunding the tickets. I wouldn’t believe a damn word the Roxadus folks say. And has it really been raining all that hard? Besides, didn’t Woodstock have muddy conditions?
Well, I hope you get all your money back. Too bad you have to go through this aggravation.
Thanks TG! Everyone knows the wet ground excuse is…ahem…all wet. And even if it was, still no excuse not to return the money.
I am with Joanne. I totally can’t press “like” on this post — even though it is brilliantly written….and had me at every word. I am far too naive to see anything like this coming– especially with such a major concert. I am glad that Visa, MC and Everbrite our standing up. I can only hope that they stand up FULLY and that your money is completely returned.
Thanks Donna! I have had my faith in corporate humanity restored by Eventbrite and feel I will get the full ticket price back.
Keep up the battle Deb. Try CBC’s Go Public. Then there’s the provincial Consumer and Corporate Affairs. This shouldn’t happen and don’t let them get away with it.
Leslie
Thanks Leslie! The battle goes on and it looks like ticket holders might come out OK.
I did hear about it on the radio. I’d be hopping mad if it happened to me.
Hopping mad is one good way to describe it! 😜
🙂
I read about this and I’m so sorry that you were one of the victims. It will be interesting to see (when all the dust settles, as I’m sure it will at some point) whether the promoters actually planned this as a scam or maybe just got in over their heads and now are hiding since they can’t repay the ticket holders… wait, I thought Canadians were supposed to be polite. Interesting that the talent was paid but, apparently aren’t giving any of their money back. I hope that you are made whole again. The Dude abides.
Thank you Janis! Yes indeed, The Dude abides, man. ✌️#notallCanadians 🇨🇦
Bugger. Sorry to hear you were affected so badly, Deb. I hope Eventbrite do rectify … and then turn their focus on the perpetrators. Seems to happen a bit with music festivals. I have a vague memory that after the same thing happening a number of times here in Oz they changed laws so it couldn’t happen again (I never get to music festivals so didn’t follow it too closely).
Thanks AJ! It will be interesting to see what comes of this – the only entertainment value left of this shmozzle…
That’s a lot of money to have hanging in the wind! I hope it all gets restored to you soon. What a lot of stress for a lot of people it’s causing.
Thanks Jean! A lot of people are left hurting way worse than me. It’s not good, what happened, even if ticket monies are returned.
Not hitting the “like” button, as this is crap. Why would legit bands work with fraudulent promoters?
Because the promoters paid them 100% upfront to get them to sign on. Who does that?
Wouldn’t think legit bands would want to be associated with that.
I think they believed in Roxodus happening along with the rest of us.
Frustrating and suspicious! Aerosmith would have been amazing, yet, like you say they have already been paid. I have heard where the Credit Card companies do follow through and hopefully Eventbrite will reimburse all of the payments.
Yeah, WOULD have been amazing. It would have been my 5th time seeing Aerosmith 😫 Thanks Erica!
This is horrible, but what a great blog it turned into. I love the last photo! I was scammed recently by a third party ticket supplier that actually linked into the venue’s website. My tickets weren’t honored and had to buy tickets at the door! Good luck with your investment recovery!
That’s terrible, Tracey! So sorry to hear this.
Please keep us updated on this Deb. It is absolutely criminal and if those morons have any kind of licensing it should be pulled immediately not to be issued again. Assholes…
Thanks Mimi! And thanks again for the nudge to contact my credit card company💕
Well, now it looks like a whole bunch of finger-pointing is going on, between the 2 principals at
Roxodus. At least one is being investigated by the Ontario Provincial Police. So there’s some entertainment value to be gained from all of this. Not $600 worth, but it’s something. 😉
This will not stand. Vent approved, the Dude abides!
Thanks Don! This is a turning into quite the show, in the media… “You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you’s. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man.” And I am loving watching the organizers, former best buds, slag each other in public. Lotsa big talk yet still no refunds from Roxodus. Thank heaven for other companies like Eventbrite who are stepping up!
What a lousy thing to happen. I mean, I know that concerts get cancelled but the performers still were paid? I hope Eventbrite makes you whole again. But really, what a cluster.
Thank you Ally! Just checked my credit card online and all the money has been returned, as promised by Eventbrite. Follow up post soon…
*yay*
That sucks, sorry that happened to you. No, it’s never happened to me, Deb. Mainly because I don’t like crowds, and when I do have any time off I tend to go into seclusion. Call me a loner. I’m going to grow my hair long and grey when I get old so that I look like a witch, then scream at all the neighbourhood kids to get off my lawn. lol
I’m already growing my hair long and white! You and I have the same plan, GW. Thanks for commenting!
OMG ! You’ve got me roaring here! The WBA is not to be messed with!
Hehehe! Thanks Lisa.