Jackson show organiser put into administration
THE firm that staged last month’s Michael Jackson memorial concert in the Millennium Stadium has gone into administration owing thousands of pounds.
Bristol-registered Global Events LLP organised the event, which was boycotted by some members of the Jackson family and which saw a number of announced acts pulling out before the night.
A spokesman for London-based insolvency practitioners RSM Tenon confirmed yesterday that Global Events had gone into administration, adding: “We are currently conducting our initial review of the business.”
Global Events was only set up in March by film producers Michael Henry and Chris Hunt.
Documents filed at Companies House show that both men left the partnership on October 8, the day the concert took place.
Yesterday Mr Henry, who runs a film financing company called Limelight Film Finance from an office in London, said: “All enquiries about Global Events should be made to the administrators.”
David Donovan, Wales officer of the broadcasting union Bectu, said: “A number of my members are owed money by the company. We can’t do much to help them because the business has gone into administration.”
A spokesman for the Millennium Stadium said: “We are not among the creditors. We were paid up-front by the company at the time of booking.”
Up to 50,000 fans attended the Cardiff venue for the Jackson family’s tribute to the Thriller star, who died in June 2009.
The run-up to the concert was beset with difficulties, including a planned ticket ballot based on charitable contributions – later scrapped – and uncertainty over the line-up.
Some family members thought it was inappropriate that the event was staged midway through the trial of Jackson’s personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, for involuntary manslaughter. He was subsequently convicted.
In a joint statement, Jackson’s brothers Jermaine and Randy said in advance of the concert: “While we wholeheartedly support the spirit of a tribute that honours our brother, we find it impossible to support an event that is due to take place during the criminal trial surrounding Michael’s death.
“In light of this, we feel it is inappropriate to be involved with such an ill-timed event and its promoter Global Live.”
The Michael Jackson Fan Club agreed with the two brothers, issuing a similar statement.
Jackson fans posted messages on the concert’s Facebook page questioning ticket prices and the process for buying them.
There was also controversy over the inclusion and subsequent removal from the list of bands playing of Kiss, whose leader Gene Simmons spoke publicly at the time of Jackson’s death of his suspicions that the star was a paedophile. Jackson was acquitted of child molestation in 2005.
On top of this, Jackson’s estate said at the time the concert was announced that the promoters had never sought or obtained permission from the estate’s executors to use the singer’s name or image.
American hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas pulled out of the show days before it went ahead citing “unavoidable circumstances”.
But the three brothers who did attend the concert insisted it was a fine tribute to the man known as the King of Pop.
Explaining why they had chosen Cardiff as the venue, Jackie Jackson said three days before the event: “We wanted to have the event somewhere we could make sure everyone could come and join the festivities.
“I hear it’s a really nice stadium. It’ll be my first time there and I’m really looking forward to going to Cardiff and saying hello to all our fans there and seeing what it looks like because I’ve never been there before.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...-administration-91466-29844509/#ixzz1eo6dBHSR
Documents filed at Companies House show that both men left the partnership on October 8,
