Entertainment

This business of no-shows

Lady Saw - file

LADY SAW'S BIRTHDAY celebrations were the latest example of billed entertainers not turning up at an event and, as THE STAR reported previously, some people who forked out their money for the concert were not amused.

It is never pleasant to spend your hard-earned cash to go into an event expecting to see certain persons and being casually told at, or near, the end (the organisers always time it so that if there is chaos the money has already been made) that they will not be there. Of course, we are talking about major acts here, as quite a few times not so well known, and, therefore, anticipated, performers do not show up as advertised and they are not missed.

It is interesting how the reaction to no-shows has changed over the years, though. There was a time when the announcement that a highly anticipated performer would not be coming on stage was the signal for bottles to start flying and the MC to start running. In fact, the chanting of the name of a performer as the show headed towards winding down and the person had not yet put in an appearance was enough for the wise to start heading towards the exit.

More tolerant

This has not been the case in more recent times, though, and I am not sure if it is a matter of people getting more tolerant, security getting tighter or bottles not so handy to throw (remember Shandy? That was a beauty, small, heavy and very pretty when it came out of the dark and hit the stage lights).

What has not changed is the right of the consumer to demand that he or she be provided with the service paid for, in this case, performances from all who have been advertised for a particular concert. It is not beyond the imagination that dissatisfied patrons could seek compensation for the promoter breaking the agreement to put on a show with certain artistes for a particular amount of money.

We are not, however, a country that is strong on seeking compensation in an orderly, determined manner and, it would seem, we are now not even resorting to the time-honoured method of venting our anger through 'mashing up the place'.

In fact, it was not unknown for patrons to strip a venue of anything that could be moved for 'mi money'.

To be fair, promoters have become much more reliable, but I also believe that they are relying on a more tolerant public in cases where they do slip up.

It is up to the public to demand better when that happens.