The cancellation of hip-hop and RnB star The Weeknd’s Manila concert was met by several complaints from fans.
Concert promoter MMI Live on Friday announced that the Manila leg of the Grammy award-winning artist’s Asian tour would no longer be pushing through due to “production requirement issues.”
Refunding for those who already purchased tickets will run from December 4, 2018 until March 4, 2019.
Several expressed their disappointment with the sudden cancellation of the performance scheduled on December 7.
Been playing the weeknd playlist since the 50% sale tapos i cacancel 🙁 Hahahaha #Paasa
— J E L L Y (@KNTTJelly) November 23, 2018
THE WEEKND’S CONCERT IS CANCELLED AND IM FRICKIN MAD NO ONE TOUCH ME THIS IS THE WORST NEWS EVER 😤😤😤
— Jules Tamor (@juliannemiamour) November 23, 2018
Some of those disappointed with the announcement are claiming that low ticket sales dues to high prices could be the reason for the event’s cancellation just a few weeks before the performance.
If there's anyone to blame with the overpriced tickets for #BLACKPINKinManila It's @mmilive
They have lots of cancelled events due to their overpriced tickets (the weeknd, charlie puth, justin bieber)— Rikki Mae 💋💄 (@rikkimaeee__) November 23, 2018
Pop singer Charlie Puth was also scheduled to perform in Manila in November 2018 but the performance was cancelled in July that month due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
VIP tickets for The Weeknd’s concert were initially priced at P23, 850, with general admission tickets at a costly P2,650.
Clamor for The Weeknd, known for international hits such as “The Hills,” “Often,” “Can’t Feel My Face” and “Starboy”, to finally perform in Manila had been growing even years before he announced his Manila concert.
High ticket prices for Manila concerts?
Music fans have been complaining about exorbitant ticket prices for the concerts of international performers making their stop in Manila in recent years.
Some Kpop fans expressed their disappointment with the high ticket prices for the recently-announced Manila concert for up-and-coming Kpop group BLACKPINK.
BLACKPINK Ticket Prices:
P19,750
P15,550
P15,050
P14,550
P13,550
P12,550
P11,550
P7,550
P5,650
P2,650only here in the PH 😂💔 pic.twitter.com/hZm9BIKFcj
— Sgt 🤙 (@lalishoookt) November 23, 2018
The P35,000 V.I.P ticket prices for five-time Grammy-winning singer Celine Dion’s July 2018 performance at the Mall of Asia drew several questions, prompting the concert producer to address fans’ concerns.
He explained that the reason for the pricing was that a performance from the veteran singer in Manila would be a rare experience.
The high ticket prices for the debut concert of local singer-songwriter Unique Salonga, formerly the vocalist of the band IV of Spades, were also questioned by his fans.
Esquire Philippines in April 2017 published an interview with a concert organizer who chose to remain anonymous. According to their source, the trend of high concert ticket prices for concerts in Manila were usually due to the high costs that came with bringing an internationally-renowned artist to the country.
The logistics behind such events were often costly as organizers also had to shoulder expenses for the transport of the performer’s equipment, security detail, back-up dancers and personal items.
Booking a venue, taxes and permits and designing the performer’s stage also added to the expenses.
MMI Live has yet to elaborate on the reasons for the cancellation of The Weeknd’s concert as of this writing.
