Cancellation of UB40 show gives Bay fans food for thought

FANS of UB40 in Nelson Mandela Bay have been dealt a blow after the reggae super-group’s Port Elizabeth concert was cancelled suddenly to accommodate an extra show in Cape Town.

Event organisers Big Concerts made the surprise announcement yesterday, saying the concert – scheduled for November 8 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium – had been cancelled due to a high demand for tickets for the group’s show at GrandWest in Cape Town on November 6.

The 11-member band had been expected to perform in Port Elizabeth as a “reunited and reinvented UB40”.

Big Concerts said Bay ticketholders would be refunded.

“If you have not yet collected your ticket, you will be automatically refunded within three to seven working days,” it said.

“If you have collected your ticket, you need to go to a Computicket outlet for a full refund.”

Disappointed Bay fans took to social media yesterday to express their disgust.

Elveta Hoffman said: “No man, that’s so unfair. PE never gets a chance to see these famous groups. Now we have to travel to Cape Town, so unfair.”

Raymond Swart questioned the real reason for the show being cancelled.

“Is this the real reason for cancellation? The extra concert in Cape Town is not on the PE date, I am sure they could get to PE in time for the concert on the 8th,” he wrote.

“An extra concert can’t take that much out of the artists as this is what they do all the time.”

Maureen Wentzel Andreka said she wondered what ticket sales had been like in the Bay.

“Perhaps not good support, so not worth their while?” she said.

But not everyone was surprised, or even disappointed, by the cancellation.

Rethar Abdullah said: “Lol, another one bites the dust. To be honest PE gets all the old ballie concerts.”