Slip Not In West Virginia

A West Virginia promoter has filed a lawsuit against Slipknot stemming from a canceled 2001 concert at the 8,500-capacity Huntington Civic Arena (since renamed Big Sandy Superstore Arena) that wasn’t rescheduled as planned.

Mark Underwood, attorney for promoter Don Maynard, filed the complaint November 27th in Cabell Circuit Court claiming breach of contract and seeking $72,000 in damages. The concert, co-promoted by Maynard and Bill Reid of Rising Tide Productions, sold about 1,400 tickets before the cancellation.

“Numerous letters have gone out from us to previous management and current management to try and get the show rescheduled and they haven’t gotten it done,” Underwood told Pollstar. “They indicated a willingness to come back at some point in the future, but it’s now been five years and we’ve never been able to get them to come back.

“I can’t imagine [Slipknot] intentionally stiffed everybody in Huntington, W.Va. But at the same time, you have the option to reschedule the show or pay the damages incurred from not showing up.”

Named in the complaint are Slipknot members Sid Wilson, Corey Taylor, Nathan “Joey” Jordison, Paul Gray, Chris Fehn, James Root, Craig Jones, Mike Thomson and Shawn Crahan.

Also named are Slipknot Touring, the band’s agency and agent at the time – William Morris Agency and Ron Opaleski – and Artist Group International and former “manager” Michael Arfin, according to the West Virginia Record.

Arfin told Pollstar his inclusion in the lawsuit is in error because he’s never managed Slipknot. His only affiliation with the band was as their agent during a 2004 tour cycle, he said.

WMA spokesman Chris Petrikin said he couldn’t comment on the alleged claims involving Opaleski because he hadn’t seen the lawsuit.

Slipknot’s publicist, Jessica Ricci at Roadrunner Records, also could not comment.

Various reports said Slipknot canceled its 22-date headlining tour that year when Crahan’s wife, who had been diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, underwent major surgery. Crahan elected to stay home to help with the couple’s three children during his wife’s recovery.

At the time, the band issued a statement apologizing to fans for the cancellation, saying it hoped to reschedule the trek the following year.

Underwood said some Huntington fans still have their original tickets in case Slipknot comes through with the make-up concert.

“It’s my impression, based on the facts that I have, there were no refunds [given] at all. Could somebody have gotten a refund somewhere along the line? It’s possible,” he said “We’re interested in hearing from the band and getting it resolved to the benefit of their fans and [to where] it’s mutually beneficial,” Underwood said.

As to whether those 5-year-old tickets would be honored should the concert take place, Ticketmaster spokeswoman Bonnie Poindexter told Pollstar it wouldn’t be TM’s call.

“As a general matter, when a show is scheduled or postponed or canceled, we receive any instructions about ticketing directly from our client contracted for the event,” Poindexter said.

— Tina Amendola