Show will go on – just not now
After the cancellation of this year’s Mission Estate Concert, questions are being asked about its future.
Following Neil Diamond’s Parkinson’s diagnosis last week, event director Garry Craft was on the hunt for a replacement act to headline the annual show, confirming two ‘‘A-list’’ celebrities were being considered before it was officially canned yesterday.
Craft said the cancellation would not jeopardise future shows. ‘‘I’ve already commenced discussions with acts for 2018/19 and 19/20, so I’m well under way to have the next two summers secured.’’
The announcement followed ‘‘an exhaustive search’’ for an A-list replacement for Diamond, who had to pull out of the sold-out concert because of his recent diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease.
Craft said he had searched worldwide to find a suitable replacement and the decision to cancel was not taken lightly.
‘‘Nobody wanted this event cancelled. It’s a no-win situation. We were sold out and had put major investment into infrastructure for the concert, and concertgoers hadn’t just bought tickets, they’d also made travel and accommodation plans,’’ he said.
The concert was to have been on March 17.
It is not the first time the event has been called off. In 2015, it was cancelled after organisers could not find a ‘‘suitable act’’, and the 2009 show set to feature Lionel Richie was canned because of bad weather.
The two acts considered as replacements for this year’s concert could not reschedule on short notice.
‘‘The dates simply didn’t work for any of the artists we thought would work in our unique environment and we have decided that continuing on with the concert was simply untenable.
‘‘It’s just a matter of pulling it all together – but it was always going to be a pull with the travel componentry. Hawke’s Bay is a long way away from the UK and from North America, where 90 per cent of the artists live.’’
Another issue was artists touring with large production troupes.
‘‘Neil Diamond was 70 people. Another one I was hopeful was going to come together had a touring party of 40 people. So it’s not just a matter of whether the artist is available,’’ Craft said.
Kiwi acts were considered, but fell through as ‘‘the bulk of them were committed and not available’’.
Craft could not provide an exact figure of the total losses from this year’s cancellation, but it was expected to be significant.
He said about $100,000 of losses would be incurred exchanging New Zealand currency back into US dollars for purchases made by the company for ‘‘artist fees, deposits [and] various other charges’’.
From yesterday, a full refund would be issued to each customer’s purchasing credit card. If it had expired or been cancelled, ticket buyers would be contacted for bank transfer details. ‘‘The Mission Concert apologises for any inconvenience this cancellation has caused to its loyal supporters,’’ Craft said.
‘‘The dates simply didn’t work for any of the artists . . . and we have decided that continuing on with the concert was simply untenable.’’
Event director Garry Craft