A Jon Bon Jovi & The Kings of Suburbia show scheduled for Saturday in Vancouver, British Columbia, has been canceled. A spokesperson from Bon Jovi Tours Inc. has issued a statement about the cancellation of the show, which was on track to sell out.
“The band was ready and willing to give a great performance on Saturday,” the statement reads. “Unfortunately, the local promoter, Paper Rain Performances, has proven unable to guarantee a properly-produced event. … Bon Jovi Tours Inc. shares the disappointment of fans for this cancellation and we are grateful for the city of Vancouver’s support as we tried to keep this concert as scheduled for Saturday.”
The Aug. 22 show — which would have featured Robbie Krieger of The Doors — was scheduled for the day after the release of Bon Jovi’s special fan album, Burning Bridges, so Vancouver fans were expecting to hear the new songs road-tested.
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The statement cites the promoter’s failure to do proper diligence in producing the show, including providing staging material and paying crew members. According to an article in the Vancouver Sun, the park board said the promoter failed to secure “the required City permits for the concert in place as of today.”
But in a statement sent to Billboard, the promoter is holding out hope that the concert can still be rescheduled. “We have worked tirelessly with the band’s management and have experienced extraordinary support from the City, the Parks Board and all of our other partners,” Paper Rain Performances’ statement reads. “We requested a postponement of the concert as we needed more time to sell it out. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the artist’s management could not agree on a postponement. We continue to be optimistic about the possibility of re-scheduling the concert in Stanley Park.”
Read the full Bon Jovi Tours Inc. statement obtained by Billboard below:
Regrettably, the Aug. 22, 2015 concert in Stanley Park featuring Jon Bon Jovi & the Kings of Suburbia must be canceled.
The band was ready and willing to give a great performance on Saturday. Unfortunately, the local promoter, Paper Rain Performances, has proven unable to guarantee a properly-produced event. We have recently learned that Paper Rain Performances has failed to procure staging materials and failed to pay the band, staging, security, lighting vendors, etc. As such, they have not met their contractual obligations.
Bon Jovi Tours Inc. shares the disappointment of fans for this cancelation and we are grateful for the city of Vancouver’s support as we tried to keep this concert as scheduled for Saturday.
Questions about refunds should be directed to the local promoter, Paper Rain Performances.
UPDATE: After press time, promoter Paper Rain Performances sent a statement to Billboard, which has been added to the story above.