Lunar Electric festival pop and hip stars join fans in fight for unpaid fees and refunds

Music fans are still waiting for refunds after a major music festival was canned in 2020, with The Veronicas among artists still owed big money.

Exclusive: Ticket buyers for The Drop festival have been waiting two-and-a-half years for refunds to the 2020 events which were cancelled because of Covid.

A News Corp Australia investigation into delayed payments by Lunar Electric promoters for artists and refunds for fans has revealed there are many fans still waiting for their money to be returned by The Drop organisers.

A Facebook group called “The Drop festival still has my money” has dozens of posts from fans from Torquay to Coolangatta who have been seeking refunds for the Easter 2020 shows which were to have featured The Presets and Ball Park Music.

Their 2022 shows which were to be held in Coffs Harbour and Bondi last month, headlined by Tones and I and Matt Corby, were also cancelled.

“Anyone from Cooly 2020 had any luck with a refund yet? I’ve tried Eventbrite (rejected refund request), emailed The Drop, messaging, Instagram and have had radio silence from them. Bank can’t refund me either and seriously starting to think we will never see the money,” Daniel Burke posted on the page on October 24.

Another fan Alex Parker, who bought tickets with four friends for the Torquay show, is out of pocket for $645.60.

Lunar Electric owes artists, vendors and fans money. Picture: Supplied

The most recent communication from organisers, sent in August to “The Drop family”, offered fans the chance to roll their tickets to the 2022 shows in NSW, which ultimately didn’t go ahead.

“We know we sound like a broken record, but we can’t drive home enough how much we appreciate your patience regarding The Drop refunds; we have been working to ensure that all of you who want a refund will get one,” the update said.

The troubled festival’s financial woes began last December when their Newcastle event was cancelled by a NSW Health order due to the Omicron wave which swept through the city.

In February this year, promoters Simon Leigh and Shaun Dunn cancelled the Melbourne and Adelaide legs which were due to be held in April and pushed the Sydney and Gold Coast events to June.

Lisa Origliasso and Jessica Origliasso of The Veronicas. Picture: Getty Images

Despite going ahead with those shows, several artists are owed at least 50 per cent of their fees.

Their efforts to get their outstanding payments – The Veronicas are owed $100,000 – have been further frustrated by the promoters selling Lunar Electric to new owners a few months ago.

The Veronicas Jessica Origliasso said she and sister Lisa not only lost half their fees but are out of pocket for tens of thousands of dollars they had to pay for flights, hotels and band and crew wages.

“The promoters seem to have decided to just not pay us, it’s just insane,” Jess said.

“We flew back from the US for these shows and flights are expensive now. We still paid all the crew, all the band, all expenses, flights, hotels, everything. And so we’re out of pocket as well as not getting paid for this festival.”

Illy says gigs keep not only artists but bands and crew afloat. Picture: NCA

Illy has endured the same heartbreaking frustration. The two Lunar Electric festivals were his only paying gigs this year after he had two shows earlier this year cancelled due to Covid and another two not happen recently because of floods.

“Some people are ‘cry me a river’ about artists and while I don’t agree with that, of course that’s going to be a perception,” he said.

“But what people don’t see is what happens to the people behind the scenes who had a really tough time over the last few years and rely on me and these gigs to pay their rent.”

Havana Brown insists on advance payments for gigs. Picture: Getty

A representative for Havana Brown said she had been paid in advance as part of her contract while William Singe’s management said his fee had been reconciled.

Some agents who had hip hop artists on the 2022 line-up remain hopeful they will get their money because they know one of the new owners of Lunar Electric.

Western Sydney entrepreneur Divz Fonua, who runs indie hip hop label BHQ and barber shops – his artist Sydney Yungins performed at the festival – said outstanding debts from the previous promoters would be settled before the return of Lunar Electric in 2023.

After inquiries from News Corp Australia, a post on Lunar Electric’s Instagram story told fans all ticket refunds would be made within seven days.

Fans seeking refunds from Lunar Electric for months. Picture: Instagram.

Lunar Electric have now promised fans refunds. Picture: Supplied / Instagram

“First off, we have only just finished assessing the reality of the situation. Reaching out to vendors and letting them know its under new ownership now and we are dealing with outstanding invoices with the previous owners case-by-case,” Fonua said in a statement.

“The response has been good and we have constructed a plan internally and locked in a Coachella like line-up for March 2023.

“With regards to the outstanding debts with the old owners, we guarantee these will be dealt with before our next event. We have total faith in our new team, our plan and we believe this will be one of the best two day festivals on this side of the world.”

Originally published as Lunar Electric festival pop and hip stars join fans in fight for unpaid fees and refunds