Feyline Sued By Promoter Over NYE Red Rocks Show

– New Year’s Eve On The Rocks
The poster for New Year’s Eve On The Rocks before it was relocated to Magness Arena.

The 2017 “New Year’s Eve On The Rocks” show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo., was seen as significant for being the first NYE hip-hop concert at the venue and Feyline’s return to promoting concerts in the Denver market, with Tyler Fey carrying on his father’s legacy.   

But the concert, produced in partnership with MEGA and Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, was forced to relocate to Denver’s Magness Arena because of inclement weather concerns – and now the event has another cloud over it, with a lawsuit against Feyline by Jason Huffer of MEGA alleging a “conspiracy to defraud and steal their way to over $360,000,” according to the BusinessDen. 

The publication reports that Huffer – who previously worked with Tyler’s father, famed promoter Barry Fey – filed a complaint in El Paso County District Court last month to recoup his $30,000 investment, as well as what he claims is an unauthorized charge of $60,000 to his credit card. 

Huffer alleges he was promised 70 percent of the profits from the NYE concert and a 35 percent minimum return on his investment but that he hasn’t received anything back. The promoter claims Feyline misled him about other pledges to investors, which included 40 percent to Denver’s Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom and 66.6 percent to Papillion Pavilion Records LLC. He also criticized Feyline for mismanaging the event with poor planning and expensive tickets, according to BusinessDen.

The New Year’s Eve concert featured performance by Migos, Post Malone, Young Thug, Lil Yachty and more. The show sold 5,181 tickets (72 percent of the 7,200 capacity) and grossed $860,885, according to a report submitted to Pollstar’s Boxoffice.

Feyline’s Tyler Fey told Pollstar Aug. 3 that the accusations in Huffer’s lawsuit are “false claims, to say the least!”

Fey’s lawyer, Tim Epstein, sent Pollstar the following statement: “All parties went into this event in good faith and with the best intentions. Promoting live events and concerts often involve significant financial investment with the known risk by all parties that a loss may occur.  This event was no different. We are aware of the complaint, and will respond to the claims accordingly.”   

Huffer could not immediately be reached for comment. 

The BusinessDen report includes quotes from Lobeline Communication founder Phil Lobel, whose Los Angeles-based public relations firm was hired to publicize the NYE show, and The Pineapple Agency founder Justin Moss, who initially worked with Feyline on securing corporate sponsors for the NYE concert before deciding to back out. Both individuals had worked with Barry Fey and criticized Huffer, with Moss describing the promoter as “all over the place” and Lobel categorizing Huffer and the investors as “clueless.”

Lobel, who defended Tyler and Feyline as professional, told the BusinessDen the investors “seemed to be ignorant on the very basics of concert promotion. They were amateurs.”

Pollstar spoke to Tyler Fey in November about the NYE show and getting into the family business. His father made a huge impact in the Denver market for decades until his death in 2013, including promoting Led Zeppelin’s debut U.S. concert and U2’s “Under a Blood Red Sky” show at Red Rocks. Tyler Fey talked about how he didn’t intend to get into the concert industry but that he was a “twist of fate,” having been enticed by Danny Higginbotham, who purchased the Feyline name in 2012 and initially revived it as an artist management company.

Huffer also submitted a quote to Pollstar at the time, reminiscing about his time opening up Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena with Barry Fey and praising the opportunity to work with his son.  

“After the journey that was working with Barry, opening up The Joint, Garden Arena and expanding the Vegas market, it’s a real pleasure to resurface and partner with his son Tyler on the first ever New Years Eve at Barry’s favorite venue: Red Rocks.”