Features
Ciara NZ Tour Problems
R&B singer Ciara’s first visit to New Zealand has been marred with problems, following disputes between New York-based Heavy Rotation, New Zealand promoter Castor & Ford and Australia’s Sin City Group.
Photo: Nick Wass / Invision / AP
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The first two dates suffered from late arrivals and shortened sets by the singer – 10 minutes onstage at the Feb 18 show at ILAM Fields in Christchurch and a 30-minute set at Wellington’s Te Rauparaha Arena Feb 19 – and no-shows at paid meet-and-greets with fans who had paid NZ $125 ($93.89).
Ciara’s manager, Lisa Ellis, called the New Zealand shows “a mess” and said she was not aware of Castor & Ford and Sin City’s involvement in the tour until the entourage arrived downunder.
Castor & Ford posted onstage it had been sold “false bookings” and claimed the singer had not been informed of the scheduled meet and greets and the contracted length of performance. Its GM Viliamu Leuga claimed he was planning legal action against the other two companies.
Ellis told NZ media that the visit had not meant to be a concert tour “but to be fun and for a fan experience where she popped in on fans,” and that the canceled Auckland show was never booked.