Andrew McManus pisses off Hope Estate fans

vivfox · #1 12-04-2009, 05:16 PM

Chair ban at Fleetwood Mac's Hope Estate concert
BY ALISON BRANLEY
05 Dec, 2009 04:00 AM

CONCERT promoters typically want bums on seats, but it's the seats that have been banned at Fleetwood Mac's Hope Estate concert tonight.

General admission ticket holders have complained that promoter Andrew McManus Presents has changed its seating policy at the last minute.

Fans say they were initially told full-size chairs were banned but low beach chairs were allowed.

However, Ticketmaster sent an email to ticketholders on Thursday informing them all chairs were banned.

Silvana Dugac, of Adamstown Heights, said she had a bad back and should not have to sit on the ground for seven hours, nor should the elderly or disabled.

"If I had known beforehand I don't think I would have gone," she said.

"Most of the people there are going to be over 40, it's not as if they're expecting wild crowds."

Michael Hope, of Hope Estate, said their general concert policy allowed low chairs but the promoter decided to change the rules for this event because of the 19,000strong crowd.

Some of the confusion arose because the general information notice on the Hope Estate website said low chairs were allowed at concerts before it was updated this week.

Ian Weir, site manager for Andrew McManus Presents, said the company made the decision in October to try to limit seats in the general admission area for safety reasons because of the size of the crowd.

There will be more than 7000 people in the general admission area at tonight's concert.

Mr Weir said Ticketmaster had sent out a number of emails to ticketholders informing them of the rule, and Thursday's email was the final reminder.

However, Mr Weir said people with medical conditions would be permitted to bring in low chairs if they had a doctor's certificate or other evidence.

Ms Dugac said it was unfair to give people so little time to get a certificate.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/loc...t/1696547.aspx

nailatixela · #2 12-04-2009, 07:09 PM

You shouldn't be sitting at the concert anyway.

HejiraNYC · #3 12-04-2009, 07:12 PM

Maybe that fat f*** should be forced to stand for 2.5 hours. I'm sure he'll like that.

Nikolaj · #4 12-06-2009, 06:52 AM

I find it odd there hasn't been any follow-up report on how the concert actually went, I've googled and googled

19,000 people were to be in attendance, and there's nothing I can find to read about the show, just that people couldn't bring chairs! (I do think, legally, it would be very hard to enforce this; as it seems attendees were only informed of this change 24 hours before the show, and it's not a ticket-buyers assumed responsibility that they must check their e-mails or hear radio announcements, or see newspaper or televised information of change in terms of ticketholder usage before going to a concert. I assume there may well have been hundreds or thousands who knew nothing of this change before arriving at the show. I'd think anyone who bought tickets months in advance expecting to be able to bring a chair would have every reason not to be refused to enter with one if they wished to. )
Not that I am expecting any change in their performances, with the possibility of SS being left off, but I do wonder how the concert went. And not one Ledgie went, it seems! 19,000 is probably one of the biggest crowds the band has drawn for one show during this tour.
Wasn't this some sort of charity fundraising concert? 19,000 seems huge, though, for a benefit concert. And for whom or for what was this concert to be a benefit for? Maybe I have that all wrong, I must go back and re-research what this show was all about.
Again, just find it odd we haven't heard anything, yet, about the actual concert. Somehow, I think I have details of this concert confused with a New York benefit the band was to perform at. Was this McManus concert just a 'regular' concert and not a benefit?

HARRIET · #5 12-06-2009, 08:29 AM

Some info posted here

http://nickslive.blogspot.com/2009/1...alley-hope.htm

http://nickslive.blogspot.com/l

Janis_no1 · #6 12-06-2009, 10:49 PM

Hi everyone

I'll do up my review of the event soon

... as soon as i can have time to put up my experiences from the two melbourne shows, (one at the stage, one 5 rows back in the middle), and my experience at hope estate.

What i will quickly say is that... it was great! Hope estate was well worth the total drive of .... 7hrs, two plane trips, and quite a few buckets of cash.

I have photo's, not that many though, and i took lots of video's from hope estate! So, as soon as i can guys i'll get it up, should be approx saturday ok

Excited to share it with you all

vivfox · #7 12-06-2009, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janis_no1

So, as soon as i can guys i'll get it up

Orange you glad a man didn't write this?

Ghost_Tracker · #8 12-07-2009, 01:13 AM

Well everyone knows about the dreadful linkages between lawn chairs and large crowds .....

.....

HejiraNYC · #9 12-07-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

I find it odd there hasn't been any follow-up report on how the concert actually went, I've googled and googled

19,000 people were to be in attendance, and there's nothing I can find to read about the show, just that people couldn't bring chairs!

For reals though!

It's been two days and nary a peep from dawn-undah. I found a couple of pictures and the setting looked breathtaking- under a clear twilight sky- but no commentary at all. Come on, y'alls... get to your keyboards and start typin'!

vivfox · #10 12-07-2009, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

For reals though!

It's been two days and nary a peep from dawn-undah. I found a couple of pictures and the setting looked breathtaking- under a clear twilight sky- but no commentary at all. Come on, y'alls... get to your keyboards and start typin'!

No freakin' kiddin'! Where are all the Ledgie reviews from Aus.? The band might as well go back to Europe. At least there we got a daily journal from the fans.

HejiraNYC · #11 12-07-2009, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivfox

No freakin' kiddin'! Where are all the Ledgie reviews from Aus.? The band might as well go back to Europe. At least there we got a daily journal from the fans.

I think the Ledge Ozzies deserve a collective spanking for being so negligent.

DoubtfulMiracle · #12 12-08-2009, 03:34 AM

I think Janis_no1 is the only Ledgie who attended, and I'm sure she's typing as fast as her little fingers will allow (she does have a lot of shows to get through after all).

Rest assured, I'll provide instantaneous feedback* for the last two shows.

*Feedback may or may not be instantaneous. But it will be thorough.

Nikolaj · #13 12-08-2009, 07:10 AM

What happens in Australia stays in Australia? In terms of evidence? Gosh, I hope someone didn't throw a Les Paul at someone again! Nah, probably the only thing flying were lawn chairs.
I did see one mention, from a link provided above, from a man who attended with his daughter and loved the show but didn't mention any specific songs, but it had to be the normal Unleashed set, I'm sure. A photo from this link of Mick Fleetwood mirrors how he looked when I saw the band in concert this spring. I hope he's feeling well, not to stir things, but he looked and still looks sick to me, though happy. Maybe it's simply exhaustion, but something around the areas of his eyes worries me. I'm glad for his success with this tour and with his current Grammy nomination. Feel well, Mick!

vivfox · #14 12-08-2009, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

What happens in Australia stays in Australia? In terms of evidence? Gosh, I hope someone didn't throw a Les Paul at someone again! Nah, probably the only thing flying were lawn chairs.

You made me chuckle!

vivfox · #15 12-08-2009, 10:09 PM

Capacity crowd at Hope Estate for Fleetwood Mac
09 Dec, 2009 10:02 AM

A 19,000-capacity crowd filled the Hope Estate amphitheatre for last Saturday night’s Fleetwood Mac concert.
It was the biggest winery concert ever held in Australia and according to Hope Estate owner, Michael Hope “It went a treat, the feedback has been very positive.”

He said the whole wine and entertainment industry was watching to see how the venue and infrastructure coped, and it went beautifully.

The crowds started to arrive around 4.30pm with Stevie Nicks arriving by helicopter and the remainder of the group jetting into Cessnock Airport.

Crowds were well behaved and the venue coped well with the record number.

Mr. Hope said that while he has no exact figures, the area would have received a huge boost to the economy through the number of visitors who booked local accommodation and transport, not to mention meals and other needs.

He said the big challenge was to get cars back on the road and the winery will be beefing up its message for people to take public transport in the future.

He said a big percentage did use public transport and this is backed up by figures supplied by Michael Kerr at Rover Coaches.

Mr. Kerr said the company organised 121 coaches and then needed to bring in an addition seven to meet the demand.

He estimates there were 40 mini buses on the road and another 15 coaches from outside the area.

Mr. Kerr said the biggest number of coaches used previously was about 90 at the Elton John and Rod Stewart concerts. “This has been the biggest by far,” he said.

Licensing sergeant Barry Meyers said the crowd was well behaved and that Hope Estate had enlisted 20 user pay police officers. Police set up a mobile command station at the winery.

He said the road structure does not lend itself to so many people and he also urged future concert goers to consider using public transport.

Upcoming concerts at Hope Estate feature Rob Thomas on February 12 and 13 and the following Saturday Cliff Richard and The Shadows, followed by Whitney Houston on February 27.

http://www.cessnockadvertiser.com.au...c/1700165.aspx