Fans upset over last-minute venue change for hip-hop concert

Mixed feelings surround Wu-Tang Clan venue change From CTV Kitchener's Natalie van Rooy: Some fans are upset, others ecstatic over the last-minute venue change to accommodate more people.

Some hip-hop fans in Waterloo Region are upset over a sudden venue change just days ahead of a Wu-Tang Clan concert in Kitchener.

The musical act was originally set for indoor facility Lot42 but the organizer says demand for tickets forced them to change the venue to On the Grand, an outdoor concert venue at Bingemans.

Some fans were looking forward to the indoor event and bought special tickets they say they wouldn’t have purchased if they knew of the venue change.

Sean Buckwell says he paid nearly $200 for his VIP ticket and is concerned about the amenities being offered now that the concert is being held outdoors.

“The VIP is just a roped off area that is in front of the stage. That sounds like a mosh pit to me,” he says. “In front of a bunch of people getting excited that can be pretty dangerous for me.”

Buckwell has Eagle Barrett Syndrome, a serious health condition, where a slight bump at a concert could be deadly.

“I have no abdominal muscles so I’m susceptible to any tap or hit,” says Buckwell. “My organs are exposed basically.”

The company organizing the concert, Cabin Media Entertainment Group, says in a statement, “All VIP ticket holders will be receiving everything that was promised to them when they originally about the ticket.”

The statement goes on to say, “The concert has always been promoted as a general admission concert. TicketWeb is offering refunds until July 27 for anyone who doesn’t wish to attend the concert at the new venue.”

Buckwell says he doesn’t want a refund; rather he wants to know exactly what he’ll be receiving with his VIP ticket purchase.

However, not everyone is upset with the last-minute venue change.

Fan Danny Morgan says the sound quality will be better in the open air versus an indoor venue where the audio could potentially echo.

“It’s a more wide-open space,” says Morgan. “If you want to enjoy the concert you want to be able to hear it.”

Lot42 and Bingemans did not respond to our request for comment.