Aerosmith Cancels Shows Due to Health Problems: Ticket Holders Loss Is Ticketmaster’s Gain

An article I recently read at Pollstar[1] discussed Aerosmith’s cancellation of numerous shows on their tour schedule due to health problems. In a revolving door fashion, guitarist Brad Whitford, singer Steve Tyler, and most recently bassist Tom Hamilton have been sidelined due to health issues and injuries.


It’s an issue that strikes very close to home. I have tickets for the upcoming Aerosmith/ZZ Top show here in Winnipeg on August 6/09. If the band reschedules, I may or may not be able to attend the rescheduled date.

I bought 2 tickets way back on May 9 at $218.00 a pop, plus a $14.00 per ticket conveniece charge, plus a $4.00 per ticket building facility charge, plus a $3.00 mailing charge, bringing the total to $475.00 of my hard earned money that Ticketmaster is accruing in interest on for a concert I may or may not get to see.

Now this may seem like I’m whining about small potatoes, but please hear me out.

For me, this is history repeating itself. Back in May, I travelled from Winnipeg, MB Canada to Calgary, AB to see Fleetwood Mac. The show was cancelled at the last minute. The reported “rumour” was that Stevie Nicks had come down with the flu. Very disappointing, but I love Stevie and the band and I understand that these things happen.

Here’s where the story gets real interesting. I live in Winnipeg, and I’m already out the time, cost and expense of travelling to Calgary only to have the show cancelled at the last minute. Rescheduling a postponed show in Calgary was not an option. I wanted to be fully reimbursed.

When I was notified by Ticketmaster that the concert was to be cancelled (which I received AFTER I’d already gone to the venue to see the show), no reimbursement options were offered. I contacted Ticketmaster customer service immediately by e-mail. I was assured that I’d be contacted within 24 hours. 3 days later, I still had not been contacted.

Granted, Fleetwood Mac had cancelled a number of shows, and Ticketmaster customer service was probably busy. But Ticketmaster made the claim, and should not have made the assurance if they couldn’t honour it.


After waiting 3 days, I finally phoned the customer service line and waited 55 minutes to speak to a representative. After all this delay, I was told I’d have to mail the voided tickets (faxing the voided tickets is apparently not an option) before my credit card would be reimbursed. In other words, I’d have to wait for weeks for my reimbursement while Ticketmaster enjoyed the interest it was unjustly accumulating on my money. I was already out of pocket thousands of dollars in travel expenses because of this postponement. Having Ticketmaster create further frustration and delay due to it’s conveniently slow customer service and self-interested reimbursement policy was the last straw.

It felt like I was being treated like a perpetrator and a dupe instead of a victim and a valued customer. A reimbursement option should have been immediately been offered – not placed as an option made available only after a date was rescheduled (who knows when that might be). That is, , if the event gets rescheduled.

In my opinion, they added insult to injury and lined their pockets at a valued customer’s expense.

This is what happens when a company has a monopoly. The customer is left with few options other than to foregoe their favorite attractions or get up at the break of dawn to stand in line – which for me is no longer a realistic option.

God help event goers if Tickemaster wins their bid to merger with Live Nation.

Understandably, I’m biting my nails while following Aerosmith’s ongoing medical problems, praying that Winnipeg doesn’t get cancelled or rescheduled.

The thought of dealing with Ticketmaster customer service yet again is driving my blood pressure through the roof.

On a brighter note, Fleetwood Mac did eventually reschedule their Calgary concert and, as luck had it, in the interim, they scheduled a Winnipeg concert. So I finallly had the chance to see Fleetwood Mac afterall. They were worth the wait.


Rob Rheubottom


[1] Aerosmith Health Report: Bassist Tom Hamilton Sitting Out Shows. Sarah Marie Pittman. Pollstar. retrieved on 2009-07-24.