Digging Deeper: Rock Gone Wild Unfolds (Part 4)

“I live in California and I too had plans to attend the Rock Gone Wild festival,” says one rock fan who wishes to be identified as ScotleyCrue. “I am mad that this event is not taking place... I could scream. I’ve already cried! Some buddies and I from various states had a reunion planned where we were all going to meet up in Iowa and rock out for four days!

With fans like ScotleyCrue investing hundreds of dollars in tickets alone, the heat is on for answers.

Wednesday, Rock Gone Wild promoters met with attorney Ted Sporer to discuss refunds and if fans would be officially notified of the cancellation. Last Friday, festival organizers posted a statement online, stating that Northwood, Iowa based Diamond Jo Casino refused to honor its obligation to provide a venue for the event. Bring Back Glam! left a message with Rock Gone Wild attorney Ted Sporer late yesterday looking for resolution from that meeting. Mr. Sporer did not return the call.

“I don’t think we will ever hear from the Rock Gone Wild promoters again,” ScotleyCrue says sadly.

But what about all the other money? Ticket sales are just a small part of funds surrounding a multi-day open air event. Vendors purchased licenses to exhibit. Many of those licenses were at the thousand dollar mark. Sponsors also contributed money and time to get Rock Gone Wild off the ground. Then there’s the confusing estimation of how much volunteer work is actually worth. By all accounts, Rock Gone Wild had a stable of volunteers from the get-go, working on passing out flyers, posting on forums, making T-shirts and the like.

“There will be a chain of lawsuits,” Mr. Sporer told Bring Back Glam! earlier this week. The lawyer also said he fully expects vendors to sue Rock Gone Wild and such suits will roll-up into the bigger case Rock Gone Wild plans to wage against Diamond Jo Casino.

Auxiliary costs aside, there are still many questions about the true financial state of the festival. If things were going so well, why did promoters choose to move from Algona to Northwood at the elventh hour? If things were planned so well in advance, why did festival manager Nathalie Faghihi talk with  Rob Rogers via phone just three weeks ago, asking for help securing sound and lighting? Do festivals wait so close to the event to secure such an integral vendor?

“It doesn’t happen,” affirms Mr. Rogers. “Twenty years in this business I’ve never seen it happen. Months before...probably three months minimum because you have to have those people advance out with the artists.”

Festival promoter Donnie Frizzell granted an interview to Wyldside Radio Monday night. Station owner Cory Parkin teased the 60 minute clip for three days, until pulling the plug on the interview during his broadcast last night. It seems Rock Gone Wild organizers claimed “legal issues” with the interview. Mr. Parkin says the interview is “very, very hot,” and he couldn’t morally air it but it does contain many answers for fans. If the answers to the ticketholders main questions are in that interview, why not air it? Did Mr. Frizzell place blame unduly on innocent parties? Were trade secrets revealed? It is Mr. Parkin’s right to air the interview – he doesn’t need clearance from Rock Gone Wild if Frizzell already granted him permission. During his disclaimer, Mr. Parkin explained that the interview could cause “problems for a lot of people.” The question many now have is just which group of people? The promoters or the ticketholders?

More to come.

Comments

[Irv]

I lost nothing financially on this event/debacle. I do feel for the fans who did. At this point the big question I have is, if there was no money to hold the festival as planned, WHO IS PAYING MR. SPORER? I am thinking he is about the only one to benefit from this whole ordeal.And now, all I am hearing is, "We can't say anything because of legal issues". Well, WTF??? What about the "legal issues" if you don't say anything? It's getting old, but oh, so interesting...

[Poppet]

This festival reeks of a scam.

Donnie Frizzel has been involved in shadey schemes before with Stone Productions. Natalie Faghat has been associated with rip off schemes with bands.
Both shadey characters who apparently hooked up for what they hoped to be the SCAM of a lifetime.

Ya know, if they hadn't been greedy with the ticket prices, they would have been able to steal a lot more money. But the estimated ticket sales were less than 3,000.
Shame on RGW. May they rot in prison with a boyfriend named Bubba and a girlfriend named Bubbetta.

[80's rocker]

And the plot thickens......
I see a 'made for tv movie' in the future!

[JB]

This is better then any soap opera, your best work yet Allison. I feel for the people because I've been in this boat before. Not only have you lost money, but you lost a chance to see artists you have admired your whole life. People going to this festival might have wanted to see TS forever and this is their one shot. Its sad that promoters continue to play with people this way. Its so upsetting the impact it has on music...

[Jason]

This is a truly compelling series Allyson, you have made a fan out of me. Keep fighting the good fight!

[Brian]

So now their attorney wants to "roll the lawsuits up to their suit against the casino"? The vendor's agreement was with the festival organization, and not the casino.

And let's not forget, his entire case is built upon emails. Not a contract, but emails. Good luck Sporer!

[Burned]

They only people here that will recieve any money at all is the attorney. This was a scam to start and steam rolled out of control in a hurry. Inexperenced people trying to pull off a big show. Sounds like a dateline series to me.

[Bob]

Allyson, you are doing amazing work bringing us this story. You're like a modern day Woodward and Bernstein. and no, I'm not being sarcastic. Keep up the great work.

[Valentine]

Great work, Allyson. Hollywood couldn't have scripted this better.

[Dravenous]

All I want to know is WHO trusted Nat????
Seriously!

[JT]

Anyone remember Wayne's World 2? "Who's playing at this festival?" "Um....Aerosmith?" "Aerosmith is playing at your festival?" "Yes?"

[Kenny Ozz]

Jesus f'in Christ this is a mess!!!!!

[Alley]

I listened to the Wyldside Radio Show the night he was going to air the Donnie Frizzell interview....it seemed obvious to me that the RGW people must have threatened legal action if he aired it. As a paralegal, my guess is that Donnie revealed things that would have shown the blame to be on the promoters and managers of Rock Gone Wild, something that would have hurt their case. I can't blame Cory Parkin for avoiding a lawsuit. The real lawsuits should be against Donnie and Nathalie....they seem to be trying to avoid their responsibility in all this.

[bubbad]

Donnie Frizzell is a con-man from the getgo. I use to be his "friend" before he scammed me out of $20000 for promotional services, which he never provided. Don't trust this scumbag!

[JK]

Natalie sounds like a complete and utter SCAM artist!!!!