Complaints about a concert promoter who did not issue refunds after a canceled Bret Michaels concert spurred state officials to take action in response to a rock show gone wrong.
"My office will always stand up for consumers who do not receive the products they paid for -- whether it be a concert or a major home renovation project," said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a statement.
Michaels, lead singer of glam-metal band Poison -- and now also frequently touring solo and appearing on TV as a reality-show star -- was hired by Aloha Events of New York to play Syracuse last August.
Tickets for the show, booked as part of a regional market, were sold online via PayPal, and also at local businesses by the local opening bands, and by the friends and family of Michael Banks, Aloha's owner.
The concert was canceled, however, when the promoter's promised pre-payments of Michael's fee never arrived, and then a day-of payment fell through.
Still, according to the AG's office, ticket sales continued right up until the day before the show, even after Aloha failed to make the advance payments to Michaels.
In the wake of the cancellation, more than 100 ticket buyers called Schneiderman's staff, saying they couldn't get their money back. Now, the state says, the promoter has to pay up.
"Aloha Events failed to live up to its repeated promises to refund ticket-holders and now it's time to face the music," said Schneiderman in his statement.
In a settlement agreement, Aloha Events will make monthly payments to the AG's office until sufficient funds can be used to repay ticketholders who paid cash. Online purchases are being credited back to buyers' PayPal accounts.
To get a refund, buyers must file a complaint with Schneiderman's office by April 29. His office also issued the following tips about buying tickets to shows and events:
- Check the name of the promoter. Look for an established and reputable company before you commit to a ticket, especially as a cash purchase. Promoters without a solid, longstanding reputation might be the kind of companies that lack the financial ability to refund ticketholders.
- Get any refund policy in writing, and make certain it specifies payback for show delays and cancellations.
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