The Veronicas are owed $110,000 as Intensive Events goes into liquidation with over $2m in debts

The Veronicas and major pop and hip hop acts are among creditors owed more than $2m after the collapse of a Queensland music festival organizer.

Twin sisters Lisa and Jessica Origliasso of The Veronicas.

International pop stars The Veronicas are owed $110,000 after an events company behind one of Australia’s largest electronic dance music events – the Lunar Electric Music Festival – went into liquidation last month.

A creditors report compiled by liquidator Stephen Earel, of Cor Cordis revealed that Intensive Events Pty Ltd owed more than $2m to a host of people including major acts.

As well as twin sisters Lisa and Jessica Origliasso of The Veronicas, Australian rapper Illy is owed $88,000 and hip-hop and EDM musician Hooligan Hefs $77,000.

Other creditors included talent agencies and event infrastructure and hospitality businesses.

Intensive Events collapsed after contractor TFH Hire, which provides fencing, portable toilets and other infrastructure for events, applied to the Queensland Supreme Court for the company to be wound up.

Mr Earel said the final amount owned “was still building”.

“There is still a bit of an unknown about what that position will be but as we sort through those records and people are getting their claims through it will grow,” he said.

“We have to finalise our investigation and we have understand what’s going on – those ticket holders who purchased a ticket will want to know where their money has gone. They will want answers and that’s what we are finding out.”

Hip hop artist Hooligan Hefs.

Intensive Events was behind one of Australia’s largest electronic dance music events – the Lunar Electric Music Festival – which “rescheduled” their Gold Coast event in February, two weeks before the opening act was due to hit the stage, after failing to secure a venue or some of its big-name performers.

They had promised to bring global superstars – including Grammy-winning Doja Cat 6ix9ine and Russ Millions – to Doug Jennings Park at The Spit on March 11, but ticketholders became concerned after no line-up was announced.

Organisers later posted on the event’s facebook page that the electronic dance music and hip-hop festival had been postponed and would instead be held in September.

Based in Surry Hills in Sydney, Intensive Events is directed by Shaun Dunn, 46, and Simon Leigh, 59, who both have home addresses listed with ASIC in Port Macquarie and the Gold Coast. They were not contactable.

Australian rapper Illy.

The business also traded as Intensive Entertainment, Inside Out Fest and Inside Out Festival

Mr Earel said he believed that Covid restrictions hurt the company and the owners could not make up ground.

“Concerts were cancelled those costs created legacy issues which they needed to deal with. Unfortunately every dollar that came along paid for these historic losses and debt and they couldn’t carry on,” he said.

“We should have our final report completed in the next couple of months.”

The Lunar Electric Music Festival on the Gold Coast attracted up to 8000 revellers in March 2021 and the event was also held in Sydney.

However, in December 2021 the Lunar Electric Festival at Newcastle was cancelled in Newcastle by a NSW Health order due to the Omicron wave.

In February, 2022 promoters cancelled the Melbourne and Adelaide legs and pushed the Sydney and Gold Coast events forward and were held in June that year.

Originally published as The Veronicas are owed $110,000 as Intensive Events goes into liquidation with over $2m in debts