Organizers of ‘bootleg’ concerts accuse the government of events deemed a ‘total scam’

[ad_1]

The elusive promoters of a concert series that left concertgoers cringing and laughing have finally come forward.

In May, attendees were furious after paying up to $150 for tickets to orchestral performances of The Lord of the Rings and Hans Zimmers Hollywood soundtracks, which were described as a complete rip-off.

More than a month after an initial request for comment, Germany-based promotion company Star Entertainment GBH has finally responded in a lengthy statement, in which it denies receiving negative feedback and accuses the New Zealand government of crippling culture. and the arts.

We are pleased to have received such positive feedback with standing ovations across your country and support for our artists, a spokesperson said.

READ MORE:* Were These The Worst Gigs Ever?* Second ‘Bootleg’ Gig Leaves Crowds ‘Cringing Their Teeth And Laughing’* ‘Total Scam’: ‘Bad’ Orchestra Concert karaoke on a cruise ship” sees the crowd leaving in droves

However, as Stuff reported, audience reactions to two of Wellington’s tour dates were anything but positive.

The whole performance was a rip off, [there was] no original film music, but instead medleys or poorly played knockoff sounds, said concert-goer Fabrice Laroche.

Laroche attended the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit concert at the Wellington Opera House in May.

Were you able to get a refund for a Star Entertainment GBH show? Let us know at [email protected]

Attendees said they left the show early after an orchestra of just 25 performers took the stage at the Opera House, despite publicity of a cast of nearly 100 performers.

PROVIDED

Concerts based on orchestral music from The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Hans Zimmers held at the Wellington Opera House in May drew much criticism from attendees. (File photo)

Promoters said the largely Ukrainian orchestra was facing visa issues, in what they called an act of solidarity following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Despite these hurdles, we presented the complete program in its entirety, including all the most popular titles from the films with a high quality orchestra, great soloists and a special guest from the films, said the promoter.

The company accused the New Zealand government of crippling culture and the arts by not issuing visas to their performers in time for the tour.

Each artist must be welcomed in your country without delay or harassment in order to present their artistic performance to you. There is no reason for the visa process to take weeks in the digital age, and express visas should only be granted at an exorbitant price.

123RF

Star Entertainment Gmbh claims their undersized orchestra was due to their performers being refused entry to New Zealand in time for the tour. (File photo)

A spokesperson for Immigration NZ confirmed that Star Entertainment Gmbh had applied for 47 people eligible for entry as they were from visa-free countries, as well as five visitor visas on May 9, just three days before his first concert on May 12.

Of the NZeTA approved performers, only 44 have traveled to and from New Zealand. No visitor visa applicants have been to New Zealand.

Visitor visa applications usually take 9 business days to process, those requested by Star Entertainment were approved on May 12.

It is essential that promoters submit requests for their performers in a timely manner to ensure that they are processed on time and that performers have sufficient time to travel to New Zealand before their scheduled performances, said the door. -word.

Star Entertainment Gmbhs concerts have faced similar criticism in countries outside the European Union, with Irish newspaper The Journal reporting that concertgoers felt misled by the amateur production of an April show. at Dublin.

The Star Entertainment Gmbhs concerts have resulted in a lawsuit by Lord of the Rings soundtrack composer Howard Shore, who released a statement on his website condemning the concerts as substandard.

The majority of complaints received by Star Entertainment Gmbh were about the concerts not being authorized by the artists and movies they covered, which they strongly denied.

Most of the complaints refer to fake news that our concerts were not allowed. We suggest complaining directly to sources of misinformation — to the news media and on social media directly to trolls, the spokesperson said.

Promoters have accused anonymous market competitors of spreading false information about the legitimacy of their right to perform the music of Hans Zimmer and Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore.

The Consumer Guarantee Act requires goods and services to be fit for purpose, durable and free from defects.

While many viewers said they would be asking for refunds, several people interviewed by Stuff said they had only received radio silence from Star Entertainment GBH since complaining.

Consumer NZ communications and campaigns manager Jessica Walker said the refund disputes were likely to drag on for months.

Unfortunately, there is no set time limit for making refunds under the law. However, refunds must be made within a reasonable time.

Anyone still waiting for a refund can contact their bank to see if they can get a chargeback if they paid by debit or credit card, Walker said.

A man had to wait six months to receive a $470 refund after Elton Johns’ concert in Auckland was cut short in February 2020 after the superstar fell ill.

Spectators had the right to take their complaints to the Disputes Tribunal if they agreed to get their money back, she said.

If it continues to be a challenge to get a refund, there are other organizations that can help Dispute Tribunal and Consumer Protection. We recommend people keep records of all interactions with the ticket agent or promoter, it can be useful to have this as proof.

If spectators wanted to take their case to the Dispute Tribunal, ticket holders were asked to name both the seller and the promoter, Ticketmaster and Star Entertainment Gmbh, in any claim, Walker said.

[ad_2]