Garth Brooks’ Five Ireland Shows in Jeopardy
Two of Garth Brooks‘ comeback shows at Dublin, Ireland’s Croke Park have been canceled due to an issue with permits, and the other three concerts could be in jeopardy too, the Irish Independent reports.
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“I can’t say for definite that the three shows are going definitely going to happen,” Brooks’ promoter, Peter Aiken said. “It is up in the air. I am devastated.”
Tickets for the five shows, set for July 25th through July 29th, went on sale before the Dublin City Council granted permits for the concerts, and while 400,000 have been sold, the two cancellations would leave 160,000 fans out of luck. But because the two nixed shows break Brooks’ contract with Aiken Promotions for five concerts, everyone might be left out in the cold.
The City Council said the reason for the two denied permits was “the scale, magnitude and number of the concerts” and the “cumulative effect on residents and some businesses.” Part of the problem stretches back to a 2009 written agreement, which stipulated that no more than three concerts could be held at Croke Park each year. The City Council said they received 373 complaints from local residents about Brooks’ concerts.
Other venues have already jumped to help out, and while Aiken’s company has met with rival promoters MCD to discuss the possibility of using the smaller, but nearby Aviva stadium, a source said such a change was “completely unfeasible.”
Despite the canceled shows, Garth Brooks fans everywhere have something to look forward to from the country superstar — though no one knows exactly what. A note posted on Brooks’ website today reads, “The wait is over…7/7,” hinting at some sort of big announcement on Monday. Odds point to either dates for Brooks’ first major tour since 2001 — which he teased on ABC’s Good Morning America last December — or possibly the release of new music. If we’re lucky, maybe even both.