Two summer open air concerts in Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park have been given the go-ahead just days before they are due to take place.
Organisers of the two-day Indian Summer rock and classics event were given permission to hold the shows by members of Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee yesterday.
But it also emerged the event has been struggling to sell tickets after applicant Jane Edmunds revealed they had only sold 4,000.
A total of about 20,000 tickets were available for the concerts, which take place tomorrow and Saturday.
Mrs Edmunds, co-owner of organisers Mister Jones Production said third party costs had “escalated out of control” and they had also found out their solicitor had failed to submit the temporary premises licence on time to the council.
The pair have now hired experienced concert organiser Keith Louch to ensure this weekend’s concerts are a success.
The Indian Summer line-up stars Travis and Guillemots tomorrow, with Russell Watson and All Angels - the classical all-girl quartet featuring Melanie Nakhla who comes from Shrewsbury - appearing on Saturday.
Tickets for Indian Summer, priced £35 per evening, are available at www.misterjonesproductions.com or by calling (01743) 281281 or 08712 715151.
See Also:
4 Comments
Despite the weather, this was a brilliant first concert for this firm, and Ms Edmunds and co should be given credit for bringing it together in the face of the reported problems. As Russell Watson supporters we travelled down from Lancashire for this event and it was well worth the effort to see him and All Angels - along with ACM Gospel Choir and a delightful young local violinist who opened the show. Well done to the organisers and to Shrewsbury itself - what a beautiful and hospitable town.
Report abuse
We were quite disappointed with our evening in the quarry. After All Angels had performed for an hour the stage took 15 minutes to reset for Russell. By 8.50 his orchestra was in place, yet it was 9.15 before he appeared onstage, without a word of apology or explanation for the delay. In the extremely cool conditions this was poor PR. Russell then sang two songs and disappeared backstage “leaving us to enjoy ” the orchestra. He did perform a few of his own popular songs before impersonating Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, not very well, and then singing with the Gospel Choir. Leaving the stage again to allow the Gospel Choir to perform , by 10.05 Russell was announcing his final number.Although a couple of encores took us to 10.20 this was a performance which left us feeling short-changed and flat, no doubt partly because of the very cool night, but someone of Russell’s talent and world class stature should carry us away from the weather. Was he not very well and perhaps was delayed on stage/left stage to have treatment? Or were ticket sales so poor the performance was shortened?
Report abuse
I went on the Friday evening and had such a great time. It was relaxed, and like a private concert in your garden. Could not fault it what so ever. I only hope that this production company put on more events and not just in the summer as the rain didn’t put us off, and I will gladly go along to a few of these rather than the big commercial money grabbing festivals. It was like a breath of fresh air in comparison.
Report abuse
We too went on Saturday and thought afterwards ‘Was it worth the money?’. The audience was getting very agitated with the very prolonged interval and started to whistle and slow hand clap. Russel must have heard what was happening surely. As Brian Davies said there was no apology for the delay in starting the second half of the concert which there should have been if only to appease the audience. We too think perhaps he wasn’t 100%
Report abuse