Costello Refuses To Reimburse Fans For Late Gig

[imnoangel1975]

British musician Elvis Costello has refused to reimburse fans for tickets to his gig last Wednesday, despite complaints he kept them waiting for two hours by watching his favorite soccer team Liverpool win the Champion's League Final.
The singer was due to perform at Britain's University of East Anglia, but upset his audience by turning up late after watching the match.

Costello further angered fans by swearing at them for booing him when he finally took to the stage, prompting many audience members to walk out.

But he has hit out at their requests for refunds, insisting, "Those who've asked for their money back should stay at home reading their cookbooks over a nice cup of Horlicks, while listening to their K-TEL collection of punk rock classics."

http://www.sfgate.com/columnists/dailydish/

[Bud]

There's no way Diana would condone this, is there? I sure hope she turns him around - a refund is clearly in order, unless there is something else to the story we haven't been told.

Here's another link: http://www.nme.com/news/112548.htm

[Coda]

Call me old-fashioned, but I think a refund AND apology are in order.

[johnfoyle]

Elvis has written a long account of this -

see

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 56,00.html

along with this -


Elvis Costello statement

"I suppose there might have been a handful of people who didn't get the message that it was going to be a late show but after the audience had been treated to an excellent performance by a fine young local band – David K and The Defendants. The Imposters and I took the stage just after 9.30pm and played a non-stop two-hour set that seemed to be enjoyed by almost one and all.

The laughable expression of hostility from a cowardly drink-hurling drunk was countered with some comedic banter that a few timid souls seem to have mistaken for genuine aggression. They have clearly never witnessed a serious confrontation. This disruptive twerp was rightly and forcefully ejected from the premises although it may not have escaped his notice that the singer was holding a large plank of wood in his hand throughout the show.

Far from resenting the sporting background to the evening, the majority of the audience happily joined in an emotional and enthusiastic rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone, saluting the Liverpool victory with the massed illumination of their mobile phones.

Perhaps the 14 people who did ask for their money back are not allowed to stay out late at rock and roll shows. Or maybe they would be better suited to staying at home, reading their Delia Smith cookbooks over a nice cup of Horlicks while listening to their K-Tel collection of a Punk Rock Classic.

Obviously, if some of those asking for refunds simply had a late bus to catch then we extend our apologies for any confusion and inconvenience. They should contact us with adequate proof of purchase and we will arrange for them to receive guest tickets for our next Norfolk appearance.

Up The Reds and good luck to the Canaries with their push for promotion."

[Coda]

Well, it sounds as if there's an apology...of sorts...in there somewhere. But with the way Elvis loves soccer/football, I thought if he ever changes careers, he might consider sportscasting!

[Bud]

Nice to hear that there was more to the story after all.

Why does the press have to put on the most negative possible spin? The story led us to believe that Elvis just let everyone cool their heels for two hours while he kicked back and watched the match. It was only right that he found a band to play during the delay, and then performed what sounds like a full length concert. I don't know how long his band typically plays, but 2 hours beats the average Diana concert by half an hour...

[Coda]

I have a couple more thoughts to add to this, from what I've been reading about from various sources. First, it's very nonstandard to postpone playing a concert within a reasonable time from the time listed on the ticket...even for a soccer game...even if the local media were supposed to get the word out about a change of plans...even if another band filled in -- unless the performer was sick or there was a so-called "Act of God" or a technical problem, such as a missed flight.

The ticket did not say that another band would be playing first, so audience members could reasonably expect that Elvis would be playing at the stated time on the ticket. And as someone quoted in an article mentioned, some people in the audience were soccer fans as well. They would like to have seen the game, too, but thought that seeing EC would be better. That's quite a compliment to Elvis, I think. So imagine when they have the worst of both worlds: no watching the soccer game, and no Elvis.

I don't like when performers presume that people don't want to stay out late because they are "old fogies" (if I'm understanding correctly all the references that Elvis mentioned, like Horlick's and the cook book). Some of us have to get up early whether we want to or not. And around the Detroit area, retrieving a car from a parking lot by a certain time can be a consideration. For others, babysitting arrangements are another consideration. There may be a myriad of reasons why people expect a concert to start roughly when the ticket says it will start. But I think that all is beside the point. If "old fogies" want to come to one of EC's concerts, shouldn't they be welcome, too?

I don't think it's good policy to insult one's audience when you're the one who changed the rules of the game and they don't want to play along. However, I did catch an apology in there somewhere in Elvis' reply. It's obvious that he loves soccer, and it must be difficult being on the road so much and not always able to sit down and watch a game. Just because you're a fan doesn't mean you have to like everything someone does.

[imnoangel1975]

Coda, I couldn't agree more. I thought it was rude all the way across the board.

[jazzanddianafan]

Just because you're a fan doesn't mean you have to like everything someone does.

I think that perfectly sums up my thoughts..... I think Elvis has great talent, i enjoy some - certainly not all - of his work...... but saying that doesn't mean I also have to like all of his actions or reactions to his fans...

By way of comparison, the UCLA gig that I went to last week. I did not know that it was anything other than a Diana Krall concert. Diana's website simply listed it like any other event. I never actually saw any info. about it on the UCLA website. So I was rather surprised when several performers were there - all before Diana - and although it turned out to be a wonderful evening, I was also hoping that Diana would be on stage for her standard set - not just 4 or 5 songs. I know some of the people I met in line were there exclusively because of Diana and the fact that this was the only scheduled appearance for her in this area. I don't think anyone went away disapointed. On the other hand, I think the promoters should be up front with the public so that we all know what we are getting into.

Coda, your comment about soccer fans in the crowd having made the choice to miss the same game in order to see Elvis is a very valid point. Surely Elvis doesn't think he is the only soccer fan of importance ?...

[verena]

As far as I am concerned, I have not understood the whole story yet.

Perhaps I am retarded here, and in this respect I appreciate your quote Noangel. It suits me well, although only in certain specific situations. Usually I am just too smart for my own good ! But I would not want to be otherwise in this respect. However, I have become too much of an angel over the past years, and this certainly is a serious problem for a human being. But I have been working like hell on this, actually with some success (in spite of finding myself in rather difficult circumstances recently). Needless to say, I almost died ! Mind and body. But fortunately, the soul is fine. So there is hope.

Anyway, on the subject of this thread (Elvis Costello late because watching a major soccer game) :

In the circumstances, I would have waited. When I go and attend a performance, it usually means that I like/am interested in the artist concerned. So I let such artist “get away” with whatever may displease me, unless it reveals such artist to be a disrespectful person, particularly to the audience.
If for some reason I cannot put up with a performance I just leave. I do not bother with asking for a refund, this may be stupid, I am aware of that (I just hate to ask for money, bother to do so only if I cannot act otherwise, or if the interests of another person are at stake).

Last, but not least : Please pardon me, if my English and myself went over the top in the Diana Krall (and the Elvis Costello) fan forum. I am a decent person. I like to joke at times, even with bad language, but I never want to be offensive. If this happens, it is by accident, or by lack of knowledge, or else the result of a loss of control (as may happen when one falls under heavy attack, or unfair treatment, for exemple).

[Rémi]

Last, but not least : Please pardon me, if my English and myself went over the top in the Diana Krall (and the Elvis Costello) fan forum. I am a decent person. I like to joke at times, even with bad language, but I never want to be offensive. If this happens, it is by accident, or by lack of knowledge, or else the result of a loss of control (as may happen when one falls under heavy attack, or unfair treatment, for exemple).

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with your messages Verena.

[imnoangel1975]

I appreciate your quote Noangel

Thanks!

It's a quote from a television show I enjoyed watching (until its recent cancellation), "Dead Like Me" on Showtime. One of my favorite characters, Mason, was a crazy drug obsessed lunatic and one of his best lines was, "I'm so smart, I'm practically retarded". You'd have to understand the character to find the humor in this quote.

Anyone else a "Dead Like Me" fan?

[SaxLix]

Anyone else a "Dead Like Me" fan?

(dead silence across the room......)

I am.....now that makes how many people who watch it...lets see...4?

[imnoangel1975]

(dead silence across the room......)

Nice pun, honey.

[Coda]

Sorry, I don't watch much TV. But keep the puns coming!

[TRX-C]

Ahhh! It's Berklee! She looks so intellectual. Maybe she can teach a few things to her owner. JK, Kel. You know I love ya!!!

[imnoangel1975]

It's Berklee! She looks so intellectual.

That's Berklee wearing my glasses. She looks more sophisticated in them than I do.

[Eric in Long Beach]

If people attending couldn't understand that EC would delay his performance because Liverpool was playing for the club championship of Europe, they don't deserve an apology. That was an historical evening, most definitely for Liverpool supporters. I can't fault him for not being able to leave the game, and he played a complete show anyway, so what are they complaining about?

[SaxLix]

I can't fault him for not being able to leave the game, and he played a complete show anyway, so what are they complaining about?

Not everyone is a soccer fan, and apparently after that night a lot of people are not EC fans either.

As a musician, I know that it's just common courtesy to your fans to show up to your gig on time, and not 2 hours later. It is afterall a JOB. Of course it's normal for a concert to start 5 maybe even 10 min. late. But 2 hours late for a bloody soccer game?? Give me a break.

[Coda]

What if the soccer game fans had to wait two hours for the game to start because the soccer players were attending a concert instead?