Earlier this month, Tone Deaf wrote about a groundbreaking legal decision that made headlines in Finland. Answering the dreams of irate punters everywhere, the country’s Consumer Disputes Board ordered the organisers of a 2013 Helsinki concert by Chuck Berry to pay attendees a 50 percent refund on their ticket purchases.
Apparently, the legendary guitarist was feeling a little under the weather on the evening of the show, even apologising to the crowd for his crook state. The resulting performance was deemed “well below reasonably expected standards” and the CDB decided a refund was in order.
While it remains to be seen whether the case will have ramifications throughout the world, one venue in Gloucester, England will do you one better and actually stop the performance if they think it’s subpar and offer you a refund while the band is still on the stage.
As NME reports, footage of Scottish singer Finley Quaye, best known for hits like ‘Sunday Shining’, ‘Dice’, and ‘Even After All’, getting kicked offstage by the promoter of his own gig has surfaced online and is attracting a lot of discussion.
The troubled singer, who has a history of trouble with the law, was recently scheduled to perform at the Convent Club in Woodchester, Gloucestershire, but the shambolic performance ended in disaster when promoter Matt Roberts called time on the gig.
“I am so sorry guys, I have worked in the industry 28 years, I have a reputation,” Roberts told the crowd after taking the stage and motioning to the band to cut it out. “You guys, go home,” he then told the Brit and MOBO Award-winning singer’s band.
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“We will refund the tickets, and I can only say that I am so sorry because the music industry and live music is beautiful. I am sorry, I will not sit here and pollute my venue with bullshit, and I can only apologise for you who were getting some of it because there is some magic there.”
“All I can say is this is my house and I have acted how I feel is appropriate.” According to Roberts, Quaye and his band failed to attend a soundcheck earlier in the day. Readers can check out the video of the incident below.
According to the SWNS TV YouTube page, Quaye turned up on stage an hour later and failed to address the crowd when he finally arrived.
He then began to stumble around the stage, keeping his back to the crowd and randomly strumming his guitar, as the audience, who paid £20 a ticket, quickly lost interest and started talking amongst themselves.
