What is going on ?

[danslenoir]

Michael,

In addition to other forum members who have been doing their best to diffuse this negatively escalating situation (thank you all!)I wanted to specifically commend you on your brilliant defense of LC, Robert Kory, and AEG
viewtopic.php?f=44&t=20757&start=375#p214910
How quickly some forget what they have accomplished to date as a team.

Yes, they have been pretty much spot on so far and no one is denying that, but what reasonable excuse is there for not making an announcement as soon as they know a concert is going to be cancelled or postponed, and for continuing to sell tickets and continuing to let people who don't read this forum make travel and accomodation arrangements that cannot be changed or refunded? If you can think of any good reason for withholding information about a tour postponement or cancellation, for any reason, please do share it with us

I can think of lots of good reasons, personal and business reasons, but I think there is enough speculation and do not wish to add to it.
Jarkko has already said that when it is announced we will all understand, I like to believe what he says.

I'm sorry, but please explain to me what these good reasons might be for keeping people in the dark and letting them continue to lose money. We are just talking in general terms here, so it is not adding to speculation at all. If an artist is unable to perform a show, or other reasons prevent a show from taking place, why should the concert organiser not immediately tell people that the show is not taking place so that those who have bought tickets do not lose money unneccesarily on travel and accomodation, and stop ticket sales so that those who have not bought tickets do not do so for a show that is not going to happen?

[davidrichards]

It is a pity current posts do not appear to have the benefit of reading previous posts. The following would seem to bear out the fact that AEG have effectively created this discussion/concern/problem by their inept attitude and apparent lack of concern for Leonard himself and for his fans and their customers, as stated before, the customers being the people who by their custom pay AEG's wages. If there is a very understandable reason then all of this was totally unnecessary - either release the information or not start this paranoia by partly releasing the announcement about an announcement about an announcement about an announcement ..................
danslenoir wrote
jarkko wrote:
The speculations on this Forum (and also the same with the French one) are fruitless. There is a very understandable reason behind this. Everybody is going to agree when the facts are available. No need to create an uprising against AEG or anybody else. That would only mean good-byes to all future pre-sales.
If it is about a postponement and there is an understandable reason behind it, there is still no understandable reason for not stopping ticket sales and letting people know the minute they themselves do that a concert isnt going to happen.danslenoir
WendyMabeanie1 wrote
Amen to that. I just wish they could get that announcement out. The past 26 pages of posts only go to show that the worst thing of all is "no news".
Cohenadmirer wrote
Words of wisdom! But as i wrote earlier a large element of this thread is ' peer support'. Jarkko
once again you are to be congratulated on creating a community of folk who care about leonard and about each other. The length of this thread is a direct product of the delays in making the facts available. i hope you are right that when we know the facts we will ' agree' and any angst will dissipate
Confetti states
Jarkko has already said that when it is announced we will all understand, I like to believe what he says.

Whilst I have no problem with this last opinion it DOES NOT absolve AEG of their responsibility for creating this problem.

[Kenadian]

Maybe you will find this a weird suggestion ... but think, before you answer.

We are quite many in this forum. Some of us risk to lose quite a lot of money for travel arrangements, they cannot get refunded.
If concerts really are postponed or cancelled and if then everybody paid a little bit and we then agree upon a possible percentage to give to those, who can produce copies of non-refundable tickets booked, before Jarkko was able to warn us from doing so ...

I think Haiti needs the help more...

Cheers,
Ken(adian)

[Mabeanie1]

I am not at all sure why you quoted my post and those of others davidrichards but I just want to reiterate that I do not agree with your point of view so I hope you are not trying to quote me in support of it.

Wendy

[davidrichards]

Mabeanie
Many apologies for misrepresenting you. I thought that your comment about "no news" actually did reinforce the fact that AEG could have averted this whole situation by releasing information and not just releasing an announcement about releasing information.
Again my apologies

[casterbridgecohen]

I think perhaps it is time to turn to more weighty matters and I sit here surmising if there was to be a rampant outbreak of typhoid in France and no French nationals were allowed to leave the country whether FIFA would relent and allow Ireland to take their place in the World Cup?

Perhaps of more importance as this is a Cohen site and as this thread rolls over onto its 30th page can any of the old timers advise if this is now officially the longest thread on the site or have their been equally substantive matters in the past that have continued for a greater length.

I somehow suspect this thread has real legs and will keep going until the announcement and then what will the title of the next thread be?

[Laura]

An argument for the "positive speculation" side. So far, every "big announcement" coming from AEG has left us to steam for a few days (sometimes even more!), and the purpose of that was, obviously, a publicity stunt (building up the excitement and atention for the tour). And it did work wonderfully every time! I can see why such a technique would be applied with good news, I can't see at all its use for bad news (actually, you'd say that they would probably want to cover up the bad news as fast as possible, not make an "important announcement" about them). So maybe it's not bad news after all...
But I do agree... the thing that is maybe even worse than bad news is just not knowing.

Laura

[ladydi]

I've stayed out of the fray for the past couple of days, but I do have a couple of comments....whether you want them or not.

Chill out....! At one point or another I've seen AEG, Robert, Jarkko and even Leonard torn into.. This is ridiculous. Jarkko KNOWS....Marie KNOWS....but neither one can say anything until the announcement is official. I have many friends who have paid out for concerts, hotels and transportation. I myself had zeroed in on Moscow for months as it was special to me, until I realized I couldn't pay $1200 USD for a seat plus $500 a night for a hotel!! Think how I would now be feeling...Gilly is the only other one who at this point must be going crazy regarding Moscow as she convinced her husband to go, and has put out a lot of money!

Jarkko has reassured us that we WILL understand when the announcement is made. His hands are tied. If you are upset, then cancel your reservations...cancel your flight...cancel your hotel...cancel your ticket if you purchased the insurance, and forget about attending any more LC concerts! There will be plenty of people to take your place. But quit this whining. I'm getting this impression of "me, me, me".... The world does not circulate around YOU and sometimes crap happens.

A dear friend recently said to me that "Leonard not only takes lemons and makes lemonade, but he transforms them into the finest wine". Please...let's wait and see together. It's easy to be cynical and coarse....but it takes class to be patient and to accept.

We are truly ALL in this together.
Diana

[cohenfreek]

I've stayed out of the fray for the past couple of days, but I do have a couple of comments....whether you want them or not.

Jarkko has reassured us that we WILL understand when the announcement is made. His hands are tied. If you are upset, then cancel your reservations...cancel your flight...cancel your hotel...cancel your ticket if you purchased the insurance, and forget about attending any more LC concerts! There will be plenty of people to take your place. But quit this whining. I'm getting this impression of "me, me, me".... The world does not circulate around YOU and sometimes crap happens.

A dear friend recently said to me that "Leonard not only takes lemons and makes lemonade, but he transforms them into the finest wine". Please...let's wait and see together. It's easy to be cynical and coarse....but it takes class to be patient and to accept.

We are truly ALL in this together.
Diana

Thank you, ladydi, for a great post!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lizzytysh]

YAY, Diana !!!

And... as always... yaaaaaaaay, Leonard .


Love,
Lizzy

[KaimiK]

Yes, Diana - thank you for a fresh perspective! If this announcement does include include postponements and/or cancellations, I do feel for those who have made non-refundable plans. Believe me, I know! I was one of those at Red Rocks who had flown in for the day, but could not stay for the postponed show due to little ones at home. I was so very disappointed and even frustrated with management for not having a back up plan for bad weather. In fact, rational or not, I didn't listen to Leonard for weeks because it made me feel the disappointment all over again! (I'm now over that, thankfully!)

You know, it is easy and understandable to be caught up in this. But, let's count our blessings. If we're on this board, then we're likely in a warm home, safe, and with plenty of food - better off than most of the world's population. Any time get too worried about any of life's smaller trials, I think about how grateful I am to be able to feed and provide a safe home for my children and about how many people cannot and how that would feel.

I had a good perspective-promoting experience lately - totally unrelated to concerts, travel plans or the like obviously! We are building a house and I was in with a designer trying in vain to decide between two different tiles for our shower. Since I couldn't decide, we chatted for a bit and she asked me if I knew anyone who could take in a mama cat. (She has many animal "adoptees" already and in the few months I've known her, has nursed back to health two baby birds.) She went on to say that she just didn't think she should take on one more thing right now - that her husband has been diagnosed with cancer that has spread to his lymph nodes and he's now on his third round of chemotherapy. Not only that, but his treatment is hundreds of miles from here and she's been commuting back and forth to be with him and continue to run her business. Well - I just about burst into tears, completely shamed that I could be so wrapped up in a decision that has absolutely no long-term significance. (Certainly these concerts are quite significant, but in the grand scheme of things...) It's so easy to get caught up in these things in life, but let's count our blessings, hope for the blessings and health of everyone involved and hope for the best. If the tour news is bad, it will hurt, but we'll be okay! (And by the way, she did take in that mama cat after all!) (And I chose the porcelain tile - not that it matters in the least!) : )

[lizzytysh]

For me, I would be remiss if I didn't say to Wendy that I'm really sorry to hear that your plane tickets were non-refundable. That's a real bummer, Wendy. Maybe not as bad as it would be for me if I had booked to come that far, but paying for a plane ticket you won't be able to use is a drag. Will they let you get/use another one within a year at no cost to compensate? Or are you just out of luck on it? In any case, I'm sorry. In addition, I know that Jarkko feels badly about it, too, and that's why he hastily warned people against booking flights until more is known. What's more, if Leonard knew, I think it's fairly certain that he would feel badly about it, too. No one can afford to lose money. I feel badly, too, that at least at this moment, another member's granddaughter won't be seeing Leonard perform, at least not for now. That's the phrase that will carry this through. Meanwhile, in The Faith, Leonard asks, "Oh, love, aren't you tired, yet?"

Now, to do a few things and get to sleep. I really don't feel all the past delays were publicity exercises to generate interest. It seems that arranging world tours is a complex undertaking, fraught with many unexpected twists, turns, reversals, and regroupings. And, I seriously hope that everyone who wants to see Leonard will see Leonard... and, if for any reason they don't, they will approach that unfortunate fact with the same spirit of goodwill that Leonard does in all that he does.


~ Lizzy

[lizzytysh]

I've just read your posting, Kelsey. You're right on how reality shape-shifted in front of your eyes today. A very caring and professional woman you're working with. Very sobering.

I need to go or I'd write more. All the best to everyone involved.


~ Lizzy

[mutti]

Thank you Diana for your well written post!
Leslie

[KaimiK]

I just had an a-ha moment! Jarkko has cautioned us against making plans simply because Leonard is working on his own plan to visit each of our hometowns for a special "forum, friends and family only" private concert for each of us. Sheesh - ye of little faith!