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Live Nation fined over refunds for AC/DC show in Seville
By Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 23 March 2017
The Spanish city of Seville has fined Live Nation 15,000 euros over the way it handled refunds in relation to an AC/DC concert there last May.
As previously reported, AC/DC’s 2016 tour was substantially changed mid-way through after vocalist Brian Johnson was forced to pull out of live shows after being warned that he risked “total hearing loss” if he continued to perform. Axl Rose was subsequently signed up as a replacement.
People who already had bought tickets for the Seville show expecting Johnson on stage were given the option of getting a refund if they didn’t fancy watching Rose sing along to the band’s hits. However, according to Spanish consumer rights group Facua, the promoter of the show then instigated a deadline on refund applications with minimal notice, meaning many consumers wishing to cancel their tickets missed out.
In its formal complaint to Seville’s Economy And Commerce Department, Facua said that Live Nation didn’t initially set a deadline for refund applications, and then only gave three days notice of the deadline, which included a Sunday and a bank holiday.
According to Pollstar, the consumer rights body added that Live Nation was obliged to offer refunds under local laws that say promoters must provide the option to customers where a show is “substantially changed” after a ticket is sold. Facua reckoned the replacement of Johnson with Rose was a pretty substantial change.
