Where’d the money go?
That’s what officials in New Hampshire want to know from the organizers of Laconiafest, an ill-fated music festival that ended abruptly this month when crowds failed to show up for concerts by the likes of Steven Tyler, Bret Michaels, and Ted Nugent.
Despite the paltry turnout— a performance by Tyler, for example, drew barely 4,000 fans — the city of Laconia is owed more than $60,000 for police, fire, and EMT coverage, and local vendors and a few of the bands say they were stiffed as well.
“We’ve not been able to establish communication with the promoters since June 16,’’ Laconia City Manager Scott Myers said Monday. “It’s not been for a lack of trying.’’
This was the first Laconiafest and likely the last. Promoter Tyler Glover, who’s been MIA since canceling the final two days of the festival and leaving town, told city officials that more than 30,000 people might attend the nine-day fest. He was optimistic that some of the motorcyclists attending Laconia Bike Week, which was going on at the same time, might come to Laconiafest to drink beer and listen to Buckcherry. They didn’t.
Attempts to reach Glover were unsuccessful Monday and the festival website and Facebook page have been taken down.
Some bands, including Enemy Remains, actually paid festival organizers to perform only to have the gig canceled. Enemy Remains now wants its money back. Even established acts, like Nugent, had difficulty drawing a crowd. Advance tickets to the Motor City Madman’s concert cost $45, but were sold for $5 on the day of the show.
“You don’t know what kind of crowd you’re going to get when you charge five dollars,’’ said Myers, explaining the city’s dilemma in determining the appropriate police presence. “You pay more than that to hear a cover band in a local bar.’’
James Boffetti, a senior assistant in the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office and head of consumer protection bureau, said he assigned an investigator to look into Laconiafest, but he’s not recieved complaints or refund requests from ticketholders.
