URGENT: LONDON AND LEEDS RE-SCHEDULED

[holydove]

Very nice post Rachel.
The email address for queries about all this is , i'm pretty sure
supportuk@axs.com

David

Thank you, David. That email address makes sense; when I called the U.S. AXS number, they couldn't do anything. It had to be AXS London. So the email most likely should also be sent to the UK AXS.

[jann-35@online.no]

This sounds like a complete mess to me-causing such amount of trouble for so many people. Clearly this could have been avoided. It doesn't sound like the arranger is going to sort anything out at all. The lest expected is to receive information promptly without having to learn of it here. I haven't received any information yet about this-luckily I haven't bought any airline-tickets yet, but I've been close on several occasions.
I'm definately not going to spend money and time to try to get in touch with people that clearly have a responsibility to sort this out themselves. My reason for buying London was the day-Sunday is definately off. Maybe this is an eye-opener when it comes to cynical conertarrangers..Cut your losses and leave the O2 empty!

[mnkyface]

Several years ago I’d presume the majority of this forum would just be grateful that Leonard was on tour at all, even more so now he’s financially solvent and so not forced to. Yet I hear people complaining now if their seat isn’t in the front rows, or if he doesn’t play a certain song, or if a date is moved for good reason. The tickets have only been on general sale (not pre-sale – another things fans take for granted) for a week or two. Therefore a date change doesn’t affect the majority as it’s been announced far in advance of the gig.

I am sorry that some people have flight and hotel bookings intertwined with the original dates. Perhaps write to the airlines and hotels involved and ask for leeway. But for most of you – frankly, I don’t like your tone.

Gina

Great post, Gina. I hate seeing the anger directed at Leonard as well. A MISTAKE was made. An avoidable one for sure. But no one is asking people to TRAVEL to shows. That is a choice on the part of the concert-goer, and a risky one at that. I'm sure I'll be attacked for this, but personally, I don't understand all the travelling to shows, unless you live in Asia or somewhere he doesn't tour. For the majority, Leonard's tours are so extensive that you are likely to catch him near you. If the show is cancelled, your ticket is refunded and no harm done (no travel costs). It's amazing that he's coming back to London at all so soon, since he was just there ...errr...last week?

Someday we'll be longing for these days. "Remember when Leonard Cohen did hundreds of 3-hour concerts in his late 70s and only cancelled a half dozen of them? That was awesome."

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/1296403

[clive cass]

Gina and mnkyface I could not agree with your appalling, selfish and frankly insulting opinions any less

[Zimmy66]

I'm sure I'll be attacked for this, but personally, I don't understand all the travelling to shows, unless you live in Asia or somewhere he doesn't tour. For the majority, Leonard's tours are so extensive that you are likely to catch him near you. If the show is cancelled, your ticket is refunded and no harm done (no travel costs). It's amazing that he's coming back to London at all so soon, since he was just there ...errr...last week?

Suggest you invest in a map. No need to travel? No travel costs? How the Hell else am I meant to get to London or anywhere else in England/Wales/Ireland or mainland Europe?

[Zimmy66]

Gina and mnkyface I could not agree with your appalling, selfish and frankly insulting opinions any less

Seconded Clive. Pompous, arrogant and ignorant posts. Both of them.

[clive cass]

What's happened is wrong, period. There has not been a bad tone on this forum so far albeit A lot of well placed frustrastion and even justified frustration. I note that no comments have been directed at Leonard and on the contrary he has been widy absolved of blame without any proof of who is actually to blame. This is 2013 and the tickets and booking fees are high so we can expect an excellent service for our hard earned cash

[SylviaB]

It fills me with deep sadness that the majority of people don t hear what Caren and Gina (and one else, can t recall the name, sorry) have to say and blame Leonard for this unfortunate happening.
At the same time I truely understand the sadness and the anger of people who can t attend the show and/or loosing a lot of money, but direct the anger and the sadness to the organizers.
And I feel so unhappy that Leonard has been put into this situation, he as a gentleman of course did sign the explanation as it his wish (and obligation) to observe the holidays. I feel it is not right to make Leonard responsible for mismanagement. I don t need to repeat what Gina and Caren said - but I clearly see the repetetive mistake by AEG/management. I am an organizer as well (much smaller venues and not sooo known artists yet) - it is purely my mistake if something goes wrong with the organisation of the event and it is my obligation to double-check anything with the performing artist. Sole my obligation. The artist is only responsible for his/her performance.
Fullstop.
If it would have been Christmas eve maybe everybody would have said, well - this is not a good date. And this mistake had already been made! AEG/Management shouldn t be surprised that their source of income is an observing jew. And I feel personally very uncomfortable. Nobody would expect anybody to perform on Christmas eve! Everybody would double-check. After the error of last year they should have double-and triple-checked! Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are the two holidays were even relatively secular jews celebrate and he or she should never been put in a situation to "apologize" to celebrate.
I am very happy, that Leonard asked to reschedule and yes, even if I would have bought tickets, what I don t have as I spent a lot of money on concert-travels this year already, I am glad that Leonard celebrates the high holidays. I would never blame Leonard (or any other artist) if it is clearly the mistake of the organizers and I feel miserable, that - I repeat myself - has been put into this situation.

[gingermop]

.

[cohenadmirer]

Someday we'll be longing for these days. "Remember when Leonard Cohen did hundreds of 3-hour concerts in his late 70s and only cancelled a half dozen of them? That was awesome."

True , but the time for that 'nostalgia' is some time off . Let's not dismiss the major inconvenience to many people in the present and near future .. i don't think anyone is blaming Leonard but if corporate AEG is reading this thread maybe the strength of feeling being expressed will ensure lessons are learned and avoidable mistakes aren't made in the future ..... assuming there is a future !

[UrPal]

I find this announcement a bit mystifying. Had I known, I'd have suggested they consider re-scheduling for Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. That way a clash with any religious holidays could have been avoided and nobody would have had to take an extra day off work

[HelenOE]

Actually, a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day concert would have been a LOT less troublesome.

[jim devlin]

Gina and Caren and holydove have nailed this for me: thankyou.
Leonard has a manager, fact, maybe even several - it is his/their job to manage, not to perform, fact; Leonard's is to perform, not to manage!
Jarkko - thanks for all your ongoing help on this.
and i did receive the e-mail from AXS this morning at 09.01.
and wouldn't it be nice that with the date having been moved, the venue itself could also be transferred to ... say, the Royal Festival Hall, or ... Royal Albert Hall; even Sheffield City Hall would do!

[BrokenBanjo]

mnkyface: Actually, if you don't live within walking distance of a venue and can't or choose not to drive, it's difficult for most people to go to a Leonard concert without travelling or staying the night as the concerts are a welcomely decent length and stop after public transport in most cities. I can't work out how you think "most people" can get to a concert without travelling or accommodation. In fact, I've just discovered I'll have to take a train down to Birmingham at twice the price because the first coach on a Sunday leaves too early to get a connection from home, and the second coach leaves too late for me to get to the concert.

It isn't unusual hereabouts to have Christmas shows/concerts/pantomimes on Christmas Eve, though public transport tends to stop rather early in the evening. Christmas Day is more problematic as virtually no public transport runs that day.

[hydriot]

Ill-health is a legitimate reason to break a contract, but, in our predominantly secular nation, religious observance is not. Can you imagine a business failing to deliver goods on a contracted date merely because the CEO suddenly remembered it was a day for religious observance? I think not.

I am not affected by these cancellations, so I can write impartially. Very many of his fans cannot really afford these ticket prices, but come anyway. Transport and accommodation is so expensive these days that most buy the cheapest well in advance ... and cheapest means non-refundable. Many (including me) organise the family holiday one side or the other of a concert. So a cancellation like this can mean hundreds of pounds/euros/dollars spent for nothing, and sizeable inconvenience.

AEG is certainly liable not just for seat-costs but for ancillary expenses (travel, hotel) if those costs cannot be recouped (but the consumer, in turn, has a duty to "mitigate the loss", i.e. try his best to limit the cost to AEG, by making an effort to get a refund elsewhere or selling-on). I agree with Rodin at the start of this thread that if AEG fails to compensate all non-refundable costs, then the solution is to summons AEG via the Small Claims Court in Nottingham, which can be done for about £120 (added to the debt) and doesn't need lawyers.

This rubbish being circulated that refunds must be claimed before 12 July is outrageous. There is no Statute of Limitations in British law and people may demand a refund for breach of contract any time they wish, even after the date of the cancelled event. It is very wrong of AEG to pressure people like this, people who may not be aware of their consumer rights and, if on holiday, may very likely not even hear of the problem before 12 July.