Attorney says BZR WKND statement leaves ‘bad taste’ Organisers move event to December 20, offer refunds

Though the organisers of BZR WKND (Bizarre Weekend) have stated that ticket holders seeking refunds can now start the process, attorney-at-law Terri-Ann Guyah Tolan said that the whole situation has left a bad taste in her mouth and will definitely prompt her to do proper research going forward on any entity advertising concerts featuring international artistes.

On Tuesday, organisers released a statement on Instagram at @bzrweekend, saying Grammy Award-winning rapper Cardi B was unable to perform due to “circumstances beyond our control” as they announced that the marquee concert, which was to feature her as the headlining act, had been postponed until December 20. The statement also extended condolences to Cardi B following the death of her grandfather. Acknowledging the disappointment surrounding the postponement, the organisers apologised to patrons who had already purchased tickets, booked accommodation or made travel arrangements. They also sought to reassure patrons that the event would go ahead, promising to use the additional time to deliver an “even bigger, star-studded experience worthy of our fans and the Caribbean stage”.

Previously purchased tickets will remain valid for the new date, while patrons seeking refunds may submit requests by email. The organisers said a press conference would be held later this week to provide further details. But for Guyah Tolan, it is not enough.

“This rubs me the wrong way in a big way. I want back my money. I imagine I must have been one of the first 100 persons to request a refund,” she told THE STAR on Tuesday. “We received the response just a while ago stating that we can now apply for a refund, but then implying that it is due to a death in Cardi B’s family is crazy. That is gaslighting. To say that it is circumstances beyond their control when Cardi B came out and said it wasn’t anything in her control why she’s not performing, and she waited as long as she could, is also crazy.”

Guyah Tolan said the organisers’ previous staging of Chris Brown’s concert in Jamaica in 2023 influenced her decision to purchase tickets for the Cardi B and Friends concert. However, she cited the withdrawal of the headlining act, a lack of communication in the days that followed, and the subsequent postponement of the event until December 20 as reasons for her concern about how the concert was handled.

“In my mind, any well-thinking patron will have to be convinced that there’s going to be a show in December ... it is a very late announcement with what was four days to go,” said Guyah Tolan.

Another factor for consideration, she added, involves those who not only took time off or requested vacation leave for the original concert date, but also those from the diaspora who bought airline tickets and booked hotels and Airbnbs.

“This goes beyond just the concert tickets for some. All of this went down mere days before the concert, and people had already made travel and accommodation arrangements, and it would be difficult to make changes at this time. Even if you’re trying to get tickets rescheduled to December, you’re not gonna get the same price. The December period is more costly as it’s [the] winter tourist season. Hotel prices will also be more, and they are keeping it on the same weekend as Masicka’s big party. So whether they will get back that support is a whole other thing.”

Dancehall star Masicka is headlining his first-ever hometown show, the Forever 1NE Music Festival, on December 19 at Caymanas Park in Portmore. Guyah Tolan believes the BZR issue could influence patrons’ spending habits and make them more cautious about purchasing tickets for major events.

“People will now actually start looking at the no-refund policy before they sign off and say they agree,” she said.

Organisers released an additional statement about their refund process, advising that those who made travel or accommodation arrangements specifically to attend and support BZR WKND Jamaica 2026 will be provided with a refund, as well as a complimentary BZR WKND ticket of equal or lesser value (based on the original purchase price), upon submission of valid proof of their ticket purchase and proof of booked travel and/or accommodation.