Gallagher Seeks Concert Fee

Gallagher reportedly told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review April 7 that Chase Ebaugh of CEE Presents owes him $10,000 for the show at the State Theatre.

Ebaugh reportedly told the paper he’s willing to pay the comic – possibly $7,500 – but he’d spent more than double that on radio advertising for the show and there wasn’t a big demand for tickets – about half the venue’s 1,400 capacity.

“Gallagher is an awesome guy, and there’s no way I want to hurt him,” Ebaugh said. “But he just didn’t sell the tickets.”

Craig Marquardo, the comic’s Oregon-based manager, disputes that claim, telling the paper he has email correspondence with Ebaugh that allegedly shows he was trying to back out of the deal in place.

Marquardo also claims that Ebaugh hired Gallagher to do stand-up that didn’t include the “Sledge-O-Matic” bit. Watermelon smashing costs another $5,000 that Ebaugh didn’t pay, yet advertising for the show implied the event could include the famous fruit destruction.

State Theatre manager Erica Miller told the Tribune-Review that although Ebaugh had paid the venue’s $2,700 rental fee and the fans had a good time, she’s hesitant to work with the promoter down the line.

“In our industry, the promoter takes all the risk but also can reap big rewards,” Miller said. “We’re an industry that works by word of mouth, and trust is very important. This has been really bothering me because the first thing we always do is pay the performer.”