A music festival has frustrated the hell out of would-be punters after cancelling the entire event a mere 30 minutes before it was set to begin.
Thirst 2015: We Are All Stardust, a dance party held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur on Saturday 25 April, was canned at the 11th hour by local authorities, leaving many who had paid for accommodation and tickets in the lurch, as The Rakyat Post reports.
Organisers, Future Sound Asia, seemed equally as puzzled and upset by the cancellation of Thirst, commenting “All prior approvals were fully obtained. We have worked tirelessly throughout last night and all of today trying to resolve these issues,” continuing “despite all efforts taken to make sure it is a suitable and safe environment for everyone, the authorities have decided to cancel the event and we are obliged to follow their decision.”
Disappointed, they closed, “the team has relentlessly spent the last one year organising Thirst 2015, along with our partners and international experts to put together a full-fledged security issue and communication plan in order to provide dance music lovers a safe and secure platform to share their passion and come together, we are extremely upset at this outcome.”
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Festival goers were given no reasoning as to why the event was shut down, many voicing their fury that they’d not only paid for tickets, but flights and hotel accommodation, however the week following it was revealed via The Malay Mail Online that it was local authorities who shut down the festival, as they felt it was their duty to do so.
After submitting an official complaint letter on Friday 24 April, Seri Serdang assemblyman Noor Hanim Ismail stated that “It was the local authority’s decision. It is my responsibility as a Muslim and assemblyman to oppose it [festival]”, citing the fatal case of Future Music Festival 2014 which tragically saw six drug related deaths, authorities wanting to avoid another terrible incident like that at all costs.
Future Sound Asia have taken to their Facebook to issue a full apology to all those that were hoping to get down at this year’s Thirst music festival, detailing that they’ll be providing all ticket holders with a full refund.
Amazingly, the vast majority of fans responding online have been extremely understanding, writing that they don’t care for a refund – they just want the music, whilst many more have voiced fears that actions like this are the final nails in Malaysia’s electronic and dance scene’s coffin.
