Bowie show cancelled because of slow sales

David Bowie. Photo by Reuters.
David Bowie. Photo by Reuters.
The Arts Festival Dunedin show Bowie: Waiting in the Sky has been cancelled  because of  low ticket sales.

Festival director Nicholas McBryde said Auckland-based promotor Liberty Stage  had cancelled the David Bowie tribute show at the 1600-seat Regent Theatre on October 8.

Tickets  went on sale nine weeks ago  but the total sold so far  was insufficient to cover the cost of bringing the show to the city.

The show included 20 performers and an "enormous" light show.

"Dunedin’s response to the show has been too slow for the promoter," Mr McBryde said.

He said promoters needed an early indication of strong ticket sales to be confident of a show’s success.

People who had bought  tickets would be contacted by TicketDirect and given refunds.

The Bowie show attracted "full houses" in  similar-sized venues in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

He declined to comment if the  ticket prices, between $80 and $100,  were too expensive for the Dunedin market.

"I had no say whatsoever in the [ticket] prices for Bowie but I did tell them [the promoter] what the ceiling is in our market for our shows. Our top ticket price is $50."

The cancellation was "disappointing for the punters who had purchased" but the festival had scores of other  good shows on offer. 

As many of the shows were in smaller venues, it was important to buy tickets to avoid disappointment, he said.

Some shows had already sold out, including the three recitals at Olveston Historic Home and Under Milk Wood at Fortune Theatre.

The festival show Sonic Psalms II at St Paul’s Cathedral on October 9 has  also been cancelled.

"With the departure of St Paul’s musical director George Chittenden, the curatorial overview of the planned event became too difficult for St Paul’s and the festival," Mr McBryde said.

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement