Ben Folds Five postpones Chastain date
Mr. Ben Folds
[Update: Folds posted this on his Facebook page on Friday: http://www.facebook.com/BenFolds/posts/10150856121722231)]
Ben Folds Five hasn’t played Atlanta since 1999, and fans hoping to see them this Friday will have to wait a little longer.
The band is postponing its Chastain Park Amphitheatre date until the fall because, said Folds in a statement, “We’re still recording the new album and so not ready to perform those songs live yet.”
The new reunion album, set for release in September, is the first offering from BFF since 1999, a year before the trio broke up.
A new date has not been set, but the group plans to embark on a full fall tour, including Atlanta.
Refunds will be available at point of purchase.
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37 comments Add your comment
Snarfus Creebler
June 4th, 2012
4:16 pm
What a load of crap. If you don’t have the songs ready, don’t announce a freaking tour date. I notice they didn’t cancel any of their other June dates – those must be more important than Atlanta. Oh well.
What the ?
June 4th, 2012
4:22 pm
he’s still playing Bonnaroo on the 10th. Guess he doesn’t like Atlanta.
SRS
June 4th, 2012
4:42 pm
Yeah I’m kind of annoyed that its been postponed until the fall, however they played a few prior dates to the concert in Atlanta and they are still planning on playing at Bonnaroo on the 10th. Also a little ticked that they waited until Monday afternoon when the concert is on Friday night to announce it as well.
tim
June 4th, 2012
4:44 pm
or…they didn’t sell many tickets.
Marco
June 4th, 2012
4:51 pm
Great point Tim. I just bought my ticket yesterday (great timing, I know) and their were plenty of options/variety at every price point. Without a co-headliner, a new song on the radio, the down economy…many BFF fans (guessing 25 – 40 age range) may not have a lot of disposable income right now, and the fact that many people under 21 may not be familiar with BFF, let alone Ben Folds, I could see them waiting until the fall so they can get more buzz.
Mondo Boner
June 4th, 2012
4:58 pm
If that’s the case then at least be honest about it. It’s a load of crap to say “the songs aren’t ready” when you have a non-canceled show TWO DAYS later. Are the songs gonna get worked out between June 8th and June 10th?
Crattis Craw
June 4th, 2012
4:59 pm
I think the picture of Ben up there is him demonstrating the amount of respect he has for his fans in Atlanta.
Stinky Delgado
June 4th, 2012
5:03 pm
i am sure most fans were paying for tickets so they could hear songs from the new album, so this makes sense
craig
June 4th, 2012
5:09 pm
agreed, i wanted the old stuff, anyway!
Dissapointed
June 4th, 2012
5:16 pm
I’ve been a fan of Ben Folds Five since I was 14 and was really looking forward to this show. I really couldn’t care less about the new songs. I just wanted to see all three of them back together on stage. I also agree that it’s pretty poor form to cancel the show on the Monday before and still play Bonnaroo two days later.
Matt
June 4th, 2012
5:40 pm
This is disappointing. I leave for afghanistan in July and had never gotten to see Ben Folds live in any capacity before. I shifted around a lot in my schedule to travel across country to attend this show. I guess there’s always next time.
Unacceptable
June 4th, 2012
6:47 pm
The fact that they canceled 4 days before the concert, and are still playing Bonnaroo three days later, is a giant slap in the face to the fans that were so excited to see them after 12 years. It’s unacceptable actually. Poor tickets sales or not, it’s unacceptable to do that to your fans, and then say it’s because they don’t know the new music yet. Shockingly horrible excuse for the fact that they are playing Bonnaroo on Sunday.
Michele
June 4th, 2012
7:21 pm
Saw this coming a mile away. My husband checked out availability last Friday (one week prior to concert) and *second* row was still open. I can’t stand Chastain because of all the talking and we saw them in 99 at the Tabernacle (excellent!) We’re holding out for a better venue. They will probably need to schedule a smaller venue- maybe Variety.
Fred ™
June 4th, 2012
7:30 pm
I guess all 25 of the people who even know who these losers are (and especially the 18 that are fans) are disappointed……..
BobDawg
June 4th, 2012
8:14 pm
TIM… was spot on… tickets weren’t selling and he will need to have a song or 2 on the airwaves to sell out down here….
Kyle
June 4th, 2012
9:13 pm
Not sure I can stomach Ben Folds anymore… What a huge let down.
FoldsFan
June 4th, 2012
9:24 pm
Maybe they should have let you bring your own food and drinks to this concert like they do for all of the other ones and then more people would’ve bought tickets. That’s the best part about Chastain!
Keely
June 4th, 2012
10:45 pm
Wow, I’m pretty furious about this, especially because of the Bonnaroo thing. I agree with Disappointed; all I really wanted was to see them on stage. I’m 15, and I was too young to see them when they were still touring. In my mind, the experience to see a band you think is gone is one of the most incredible things that could possibly happen! Guess I’ll have to wait until they play when I’m still in school. Sad part is, I might not even be able to attend! Oh, well.
Sharon Cermak
June 4th, 2012
11:55 pm
Very poor taste to cancel at the last minute for this type of excuse, especially given that other concerts are being held.. At least Bono had an injury when he cancelled.
Sharon Cermak
June 4th, 2012
11:56 pm
i was coming from California for the concert!
Gribaldi
June 5th, 2012
12:13 am
He has a pretty expansive forehead. I would cancel too if I were him. Would be too self-conscious about people pointing out my high forehead and little hipster mullet. Can’t fault him for that, really.
Russ
June 5th, 2012
6:01 pm
What a loser.So what if you sold less than 50 tickets your tour promoter would still pay you. Take the new CD and shove it.
Eric
June 6th, 2012
9:20 am
I’ve tried to confirm this but haven’t found this information on any other website, including his own. Do you happen to have a link for this news?
Melissa Ruggieri
June 6th, 2012
10:52 am
Eric – the information came directly from the promoter, Live Nation. If anyone knows, they do, since they’re the ones holding the venue and signing the check. It’s also been removed from the Chastain lineup – http://www.chastainseries.com/calendar.php.
Cheers,
Melissa
Eric
June 6th, 2012
11:42 am
Thank you Melissa! I didn’t see any mention of it on the calendar one way or another on Ben Folds’ website nor on Chastain’s so I wasn’t sure what to make of that.
Melissa Ruggieri
June 6th, 2012
12:03 pm
No problem!
MD
June 6th, 2012
5:25 pm
Yeah, that excuse doesn’t pass the sniff test. What a crock.
Corpus Fisty
June 7th, 2012
11:50 am
What a huge letdown. I agree that this excuse is total crap.
I paid my money, but I’m NOT gonna see all the concert. Refund. I’ll spend it on tickets for someone who has more respect for their fans.
chris
June 8th, 2012
12:08 am
How inconsiderate. I’m packing to travel from Savannah up to Atlanta right now just for the concert on our anniversary weekend. Took day off from work, nonrefundable hotel for 2 nights, babysitter,dogsitter,etc. and they can’t post it on their site or chastain’s? You made a commitment to play regardless of sales or songs. Gimme a break.
John
June 8th, 2012
12:24 am
Yeah since we brought tickets at a premium for good seats and now we are screwed out of our money- i won’t be buying any more of his material any time soon……
Craig
June 8th, 2012
11:28 am
I was coming from nj and am out a few hundred too! On top of this they now announce a NYC show on a day I can’t go double slap in the face! Never should have been at chastain…if it was at tabernacle prob wouldn’t have been cancelled!
Anna
June 8th, 2012
4:18 pm
Calm down, people. There’s a very well-written explanation here (http://www.facebook.com/BenFolds/posts/10150856121722231), and Ben did NOT say that quote as an explanation for the show being postponed.
Craig
June 8th, 2012
5:13 pm
I’m sure they knew this last week too! They should have announced the postponement earlier! They need more studio time but they played upstate ny and bonnaroo. I do appreciate him stepping to the plate for an explanation though but it is a little too late. It just hurts because I took off from work and had some non refundable hotels. The people who are saying relax are the ones who have the least at stake. Yeah I know things happen but If the band released bens response 2 to 3 weeks ago I would have been more understanding.
Jim
June 8th, 2012
5:18 pm
I have seen Ben Folds a couple of times in concert and every show has been fantastic, but this is the wrong venue for BFF. The ticket prices were way higher than the past few shows (yes I know this is the first reunion tour for BFF) Also, I don’t want to go see a concert surrounded by 40 year old yuppies who don’t know crap about music, talk during the concert, drinking wine while carrying little picnic baskets. Ben please come back and play at the Tebernacle. (Oh and this time leave the UGA a cappella group at home with there little gabby college friends who were on their cellphones the entire show).
pb
June 9th, 2012
10:15 am
I hope everyone realizes by now that it was the promoter who pulled the plug and not BFF.
Craig
June 9th, 2012
6:13 pm
Pb so you are saying the excuse for more studio time is needed is not correct?
Doug
June 9th, 2012
7:49 pm
Also are we taking bets this won’t be at chastain in the fall?