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Tiesto, Bahrain Rave Scandal, Organizer tries to flee
B&D Entertainment faces legal implications and Organizer/spokesperson Ayman Al Hamad is reportedly in Jail after what is considered one of the hugest Rave scandals in the Middle East history!!!
DJ Tiesto event was a no show, allegedly due to the organizers stealing DJ Tiesto fees, in addition to THOUSANDS of tickets sales (ticket prices approximately ranging from 80-250$) and tried to flee Bahrain and were caught by authorities along the Saudi Arabian/ Bahraini border!
Fans were more than furious, while waiting anxiously for the superstar DJ appearance, and were given constant lies by organizers, as well as MTV presenter MC Hanane. And then hell broke loose and people stormed the DJ booth and started brawling and throwing glass bottles, chairs on DJs/announcers and security. The police arrived later on and shutdown the event.
the following is DJ Tiesto's formal apology:
"
BAHRAIN CANCELLATION
Dear fans, I am very sorry for what happened at the Marina Club in Bahrain last Wednesday. Allow me to explain to you what really took place.
The promoter disappeared after 1 a.m. with the DJ fee and the money everybody had paid for their tickets.
I still wanted to play at the party, so I was waiting for somebody to pick me up from the hotel and bring me to the venue. At 2 a.m., still nobody had arrived and we heard that police was already on the way to the venue. At that moment, I had no other choice than to stay in my hotel room.
The promoter tried to escape Bahrain, but luckily he got caught near the Saudi Arabian border. He is in jail at this moment.
Again, I am very sorry for what happened and I will definitely try to find a way to make it up with all my fans who bought tickets for the show.
Tiësto
http://www.tiesto.com/
Now lets hear the Organizers voice & rest....
MANAMA: Dutch DJ Tiesto failed to show up for his debut Bahrain concert on Wednesday night allegedly because he refused to recognise Bahraini dinars as a valid currency.
Local event organiser Prime Time Entertainment yesterday said that the DJ refused to accept dinars but had already been paid 18,000 euros (BD9,243) in advance to cover his private jet expenses.
"We also paid him £20,000 (BD15,166) and $10,000 (BD3,780) on the night and offered the remainder in dinars but he refused it," event organiser Ayman Al Hamad told the GDN yesterday.
He refuted the apology the DJ's official website posted and confirmed that legal action would soon be taken against him.
The message on the website claimed that Tiesto, whose real name is Tijs Verwest, was stranded without a vehicle to travel from the Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel, Residences and Spa, Manama, where he was staying, to the Marina Club.
"It's very stupid for him to say that," said Mr Al Hamad.
"If I could arrange for a jet, how can he even say that?
"Even if I didn't have a car for him any of the fans would be happy to offer one of theirs."
Mr Al Hamad believes that the DJ wasn't keen on playing after he learned that only about 3,000 fans were expected to attend the show.
Mr Al Hamad urged people with pictures and videos of the melee to come forward with evidence, to further the investigation.
"We have about 20 names and numbers of people who were filmed destroying things and we want more," he said.
He also confirmed that refund issues were currently being chalked out, and details would be announced soon.
ShowTech Productions, who provided audio visual equipment for the event, confirmed that it would cost about BD20,000 to BD25,000 to repair damaged equipment.
Marina Club food and beverage manager Suresh Naik said that it only rented out the venue and wasn't part of the organising team.
"We only did the catering for regular ticket-holders while they (the organisers) handled the VIP and VVIP catering," Mr Naik told the GDN.
Mr Naik said that there was "considerable" damage done to furniture, glasses and fridges, but was unable to project an estimated amount.
Local event organisers Outlaw Productions urged the organisers to refund tickets to disgruntled fans.
"The organisers requested Outlaw Productions to provide some ushers from the crew members to help out at the event, so Outlaw Productions crew members were merely manpower," it said in a statement.
"We would like to express our strong resentment to bad planning, lack of organisation and the way the organisers dealt and are dealing with the chaotic situation."
The event's warm-up DJ Karim Miknas said that the biggest shame was that the headlining artist didn't entertain the audience, some of whom had flown in from Kuwait, Dubai and other Gulf states.
He also urged the organisers to refund tickets and compensate fans, injured during the fracas.
"I agreed to play purely for the honour of opening for the best DJ on the planet," he said.
The youngsters were enjoying themselves and were excited, but how much longer could they wait for their hero?
"I don't blame them at all, it was the organisers who messed up."
Dubai-based MC Hanane and local DJ Jackson were also attacked by irate fans during the melee, he said.
Disgruntled fans who bought tickets from Hava Java at the Seef Mall stormed the store yesterday demanding refund for the failed show.
A spokesman for the store said that they only provided tickets for the show and that their involvement ended there.
"Unfortunately the event's promoter took the ticket sales money with him just before the show," said the spokesman.
"He (the organiser) really should be ashamed of himself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hE8wbsXJPE
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