Bands decide not to perform when rock festival runs out of cash

Headliner Cheap Trick and other national acts walked out of the Darrington Rock Festival last weekend after the promoter was unable to pay them their full fee.

Cheap Trick, Savoy Brown, Mark Farner and Randy Bachman were unable to perform because "there was no money," said Tom Anderson, the booking agent for the three-day festival.

The festival was left with local bands performing more than one day to fill in. Bands who performed Saturday were paid in cash or with cashier's checks, said Justin Perron, who managed the festival's production. It was unclear how local bands that played Friday and Sunday were paid.

"All the nationals canceled due to nonpayment of Cheap Trick," said Ed Shaw, a Seattle-based booking agent who represents Problem Child, a regional AC/DC tribute band and other acts.

Festival promoter Brian Burkel said there will be no ticket refunds to the people who paid $75 to $85 per day to see the festival.

"The event went through to completion," he said. "The Web site was very clear; all bands are subject to cancellation."

Cheap Trick was set up and ready to perform at 10 p.m. Friday, according to Perron.

But when the band learned that Burkel could not give them full payment, they said they would not go on stage, said Perron.

Half of the band's fee had been paid in advance, Anderson said.

Negotiations went on to try to see if a portion of their fee was available, and the band even tried to negotiate the fee to be able to perform.

"They agreed to go on for $10,000 less, but the promoter left the grounds. There was no more money, and they weren't going to be paid anything, other than the deposit," said Anderson.

Organizers said many people were supportive, even digging into their own pockets to try to help pay the bands, and there were "boos" when the cancellation announcements were made, but no beer bottles flew, said Perron.

A similar situation happened to Mark Farner, former leader of Grand Funk Railroad, whose band flew from Binghamton, N.Y., to perform Sunday.

"We were sitting there ready to go, with all our equipment," said Farner. "We really wanted to play this gig, but when it came down to it, my agent said, 'Mark, if you do this, you're setting a precedent. He obligated himself to the contract.' I was so disappointed."

Burkel, the festival promoter, said he invested $300,000 of his own money in this year's festival, including advertising and securing the bands, who traditionally get 50 percent of their fee when they sign a contract and the other 50 percent when they perform.

The entertainment budget was $200,000, and Burkel paid half up front, said Anderson.

Saturday's show went on as planned. Anderson estimated about 3,000 attended that day, the largest crowd of the festival.

Diane Wright: 425-745-7815 or dwright@seattletimes.com