ATP cancels Drive Like Jehu curated weekend in “uniquely cruel hoax”

By Ben Tipple

All Tomorrow’s Parties have once again cancelled a weekender, as event curators Drive Like Jehu label recent developments “a uniquely cruel hoax.” The confirmation comes after a weekend of speculation over the status of the festival, in part spurred by Velvet Underground’s co-founder John Cale pulling himself off the line-up.

Taking to Facebook to confirm the cancellation, Drive Like Jehu have posted a particularly damning statement. “It’s a uniquely cruel hoax to appeal to Drive Like Jehu’s ego and ask us to create a program based on personally inviting the bands and musicians that have inspired us and changed the way we hear music and then subject them and their supporters to this,” it reads. “We really wanted this show to happen more than anything. It had all the makings of a legendary weekend. We were so committed to seeing this through that we remained hopeful ( blind in retrospect) amongst the ritualistic turmoil and crisis and trusted their solutions that would ensure that the show would definitely go on and the attendees would be treated fairly and the bands would be respected and celebrated.”

All Tomorrow’s Parties have a history of difficulties, often to the financial disadvantage of fans who have already purchased travel and accommodation. The events company original responsible for ATP was put into liquidation in 2012, before being revived to immediately face further difficulties. Their Jabberworky Festival, scheduled to take place in August 2014, was cancelled with only three days’ notice.

“48 hours ago word started to trickle in that Barry hadn’t honored his agreement with many of the bands,” the statement continues. “These bands were not canceling, but rather did not have the promised means to attend. It was only then revealed that ATP was unable to honor the agreement with the ticket holders that purchased accommodation. ATP is out of funds.”

Read the full statement from Drive Like Jehu below:

All Tomorrow’s Parties CANCELS ATP curated by Drive Like Jehu in Manchester via Prestatyn

After 4 months of a long and bumpy ride, the wheels finally fell off the wagon and crashed and burned. A search party was sent to Monkey Island to scan the wreckage for survivors and only found Barry Hogan/ATP collecting bits of luggage and body parts for his next show “ATP 3.0 The 90’s Deconstructed”. Tickets on sale now at Gofundme.com

It’s a uniquely cruel hoax to appeal to Drive Like Jehu’s ego and ask us to create a program based on personally inviting the bands and musicians that have inspired us and changed the way we hear music and then subject them and their supporters to this. We really wanted this show to happen more than anything. It had all the makings of a legendary weekend. We were so committed to seeing this through that we remained hopeful ( blind in retrospect) amongst the ritualistic turmoil and crisis and trusted their solutions that would ensure that the show would definitely go on and the attendees would be treated fairly and the bands would be respected and celebrated.

I realize people want answers. I have found out about most of the information involving the problems that plagued this from the start the same way as everyone else. And although the internet is hardly a reliable source for fact, this whole mess has the extra sting of this not being an isolated incident.

48 hours ago word started to trickle in that Barry hadn’t honored his agreement with many of the bands. These bands were not canceling, but rather did not have the promised means to attend. It was only then revealed that ATP was unable to honor the agreement with the ticket holders that purchased accommodation. ATP is out of funds. ATP offered to postpone the event until November as a solution. No thanks. We looked into trying to salvage the weekend by putting on our own free show in Manchester. But at this late date, no suitable venue is available.

This affects the Swami John Reis & The Blind Shake shows that were to follow ATP as well. We are unable to come over at this time.

To all the bands and ticket holders, i couldn’t feel more terrible that the fest isn’t happening. We were willing to come over under any circumstance even if it meant we would not get paid, just to see this show happen. I wish i could give you more answers at this point and advice what to do next.

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