URGENT: LONDON AND LEEDS RE-SCHEDULED

[mickjaggerscat]

mickjaggerscat - may i ask you to nail the date of the show you missed out on in Athens June 88 because of the thunderstorm/weather problems you mention. was it the 19th? or 20th? i'm just trying to ensure my tour dates/venues lists are kept up-to-date. thanks.

After all these years it's a bit hazy, but I'm pretty sure it was the one on the 19th -- the storm flooded Lycabettos and wiped out the sound system, and they put it back together the next day for the second concert.

[confetti]

what a man, Mr Leonard Cohen is, he is definitely one of life's true gentlemen.

[FOXWOOD]

It is evident that a mistake was made. It shouldn't have happened - but it did.
But I think we have to remember though, that the company who has made this mistake are the same company that have been good enough to give us presales to every concert.
It wasn't long ago that we were all thanking everyone involved for a smooth presale and fantastic seats.

For most people the change of date at Leeds will make things easier as the concert now moves from Thursday to a Saturday.
(The change of date in London however will make things a lot harder.)

I feel morally that AEG should compensate those who will lose most money due to airfares and hotel bookings that can't be used.
I would hope ( but have no reason to believe that this will happen) that they would consider reimbursing some forum members losses on an individual basis.

I don't know if it is the done thing to quote your own posts - but I have anyway.

I think by contacting individual forum members AEG have done the right thing and should be congratulated.
I think that we all felt that the relationship that the forum members had with Leonard and his management was something special and now we can be reassured that this really is the case.


***Just want to add that AEG has nothing to do with Leonard's generous gesture; this has been organized directly - between him, his own management, and us, the Forum / Jarkko***

[ScottM]

For anyone who is concerned about getting a refund from AXS.com. My experience was quite straight forward.

Due to the change of date for the London concert we, reluctantly, asked for a refund via the supplied e-mail address:

supportuk@axs.com

I requested and received confirmation of tickets cancellation, with full reimbursement of all costs, in just over an hour of my request being submitted by e-mail to AXS.com.

I do feel really sorry for those who had already made non-refundable travel and accommodation commitments. We were lucky, as, unusually, we had not, yet, booked accommodation to coincide.

Disappointing to miss this one, however we will probably try for tickets for Leeds, as the concert is on a Saturday now. Although it will entail additional travel arrangements and hotel costs, it will not require taking any time off from work.

Actually, quite looking forward to a concert in Leeds! Hope to see some of you there, if we make it.

[lizzytysh]

***Just want to add that AEG has nothing to do with Leonard's generous gesture; this has been organized directly - between him, his own management, and us, the Forum / Jarkko***

And KUDOS to all of you, beginning with the kind and generous-hearted Leonard.
I'm not surprised that AEG is not involved with this action.

[FOXWOOD]

I am devastated.
I have just received confirmation that my suite at the Ritz is non refundable nor is
my private helicopter flight to the 02.
Are there any other forum members experiencing the same problems?

[HelenOE]

Are there any other forum members experiencing the same problems?

No, seems to just be you, Baron Munchausen. My sympathies.

[NEW_IDEAS]

Foxwood:

I´m having the same problems with the prepaid submarine from Sweden to Harwich, never mind the 3 wild horses, now tamed just for the occasion, to take me in a golden wagon to the O2... Well, never mind, just take me to the BRIDGE! (deep one... )
Well done Leo, but it never should´ve come to this.
Go see Roger Waters at Wembley (THE WALL) on the saturday and Leo the day after. I would go if I´d known the Leo show was gonna be on the sunday in the 1st place, but 2 Waters shows will do this year...!
Amen! Hell just froze over!

[SylviaB]

As earlier said, the whole event of mishappenings around the rescheduling makes me very sad, not only because of the ignorance of a jewish high holiday when booking and (especially) selling tickets and very much that Leonard has been put in the position for apologizing of wanting to observe Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana. Also all bitter and unfair words said and put here on the forum (and to be not misunderstood, I don t mean critical words and voiced disappointment) made me think.
I am glad, that a solution has been found to refund all the members, who were financially affected by this changes. And I am so touched by the noble gesture of Leonard - if I wouldn t have fallen in love with this wonderful man already 20 years ago - this would have happened now - feeling responsible (and taking the responsibility) for a real bad mistake of some unfortunate (thoughtless) employee and Leonard being so honest to tell us the reason for rescheduling, what a honesty! What a respect towards us. I am very touched and grateful for every concert I can attend.
I had not planned to go to the concerts in UK as my time-and money-budget has been exhausted with Montreux, Rome, Lucca and earlier this year NY, (and when travelling I always bear in mind, that it could happen, that something can happen, that I am facing "closed doors") - but I might make up my mind.
If I would be in the financial position to support this refund (unfortunately I am not) I would immediately offer my help.

thank you caren for the e-mail-copy and your words, who mirror also my opinion.

[harald]

Foxwood, you pointed out the problem with compensation of losses, thanks for that.

The ticket sellers, organizers, Leonard Cohen have no influence whatsoever on the buyer´s travelling expenses. They have no idea if the buyer comes by tram from the neighbourhood or has booked a non-refundable flight from Tokyo – or Foxwood´s Helicopter.
Thus any compensation could always only be a symbolic gesture.

Leonard Cohen made this gesture, unheard from other artist as far as I know and without having to – to my mind a bit too much demanded by the forum here.


So Leonard Cohen is not to blame.
What about the one who is responsible?
The nature of mistakes is that they are wrong doing.
Yes it was a mistake, yes it was wrong, for sure it is regretted.
Stop the bashing, please. Where´s your mercy.

[lizzytysh]

In full and total agreement with you, harald.
What you've said applies to Clive, as well.
Agree, too, with SylviaB.

With compensation already possible for the concert itself, it seems it will be a gesture amount... or possibly even merchandise [?]
All that is speculation and I won't go any further, as I have no idea. Just doing anything is what is amazing.
Unprecedented I am certain.

[Zimmy66]

In full and total agreement with you, harald.
What you've said applies to Clive, as well.
Agree, too, with SylviaB.

With compensation already possible for the concert itself, it seems it will be a gesture amount... or possibly even merchandise [?]
All that is speculation and I won't go any further, as I have no idea. Just doing anything is what is amazing.
Unprecedented I am certain.

Magnanimous, gracious and full of kindness Lizzy. But not unprecedented. Leonard refunded cash personally to some boorish fans during the 1972 tour. Beautifully captured in the movie Bird on a Wire.

Robert

[Albert]

No bashing, just a little info regarding re-scheduled concerts !!

I am linked to the Webb Sisters on Facebook !!

Since two days they make advertising for " tonights " concert in Mannheim on their Facebook page.

I did hold a ticket for tonight- - no further comments on this !!

[lizzytysh]

That figures, zimmy66, and thanks for reminding me of that, which I remember now that you've mentioned it.
When I said unprecedented, I of course, wasn't referring to Leonard, anyway, but to other artists in the visual/performing arts.
Thanks for underscoring, though, what a fine person Leonard has always been and continues to be... a true gentleman.

[clive cass]

Lizzytish, i am not sure if I should read your comment as criticism as I am not aware of any "bashing" I have done and have only been commenting on the lack of a detailed statement of the facts coupled with a contrite apology that would have actually put this whole thread to bed some time ago.

Initially I did also advise members that I felt that did have a right of redress for losses incurred but never actually encouraged them to take action.

I have never pointed the finger at Leonard himself although I did express that my instinct was that his management rather than AEG were most likely to be to blame for the dates cockup but that it also might have been AEG's fault.

I applauded the recent statement and unexpected offer of compensation. It is also very clear that a number of people have been commenting in a negative manner ie about their losses both on this forum and on facebook as it was these comments that enabled Jarkko to identify worthy recipients of the letter re compensation but I note you are not accusing these people of "bashing".

Regarding the recent statement I did note that this did not include a statement of the facts but I actually said that in my opinion that this was no longer necessary even if it would perhaps have been desirable.

I also immediately accepted and supported Leonard's own personal decision to observe the jewish holy days which also affected me, as a jew, that observes these days.

There have been some comments by other members that I have felt have been harsh towards other members and actually posted that I felt they were being harsh or unreasonable but never slagged anyone off.

I have also noted some genuinely aggressive comments about people's right to observe their religion or even religion per se and even a comment suggesting that Leonard was scared to refer to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur which would mark him out as jewish and instead he used the term days of solemn religious observance.