Bad rap for Summer Jam
Organizers of R&Bconcert at fairgrounds cancel the show after reportedly being duped by a slick promoter
by M.D. KITTLE
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No Chris Brown. No Chamillionaire. No Ciara.
No show.
It appears the highly touted Summer Jam has turned into summer's biggest scam.
Organizers for the R&B concert originally slated for Friday at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds were forced to cancel the big-ticket jam after learning they apparently were bilked by a slick promoter - who duped everyone from a radio station to sheriff's deputies.
But the real victims could be the hundreds of would-be concert-goers with worthless tickets.
"It appears that this is a scam," said Chief Deputy Don Vrotsos, of the Dubuque County Sheriff's Department.
The event, ostensibly featuring R&5/8hip-hop sensations Chamillionaire, Chris Brown and Ciara, quickly disintegrated Monday when Dubuque radio Station Y-105 received a call from Brown's public relations representative.
"She told us that they did not have a contract with JM Nice Promotions, and that it doesn't even sound like a company," said Scott Lindahl, market manager for Cumulus Broadcasting, the radio station's parent
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company.
"That was a red flag," he said.
In fact, Brown is scheduled to be out of the country on Friday, according to his publicist. In calls to agents for Chamillionaire and Ciara, local organizers learned neither artist knew about the Dubuque booking and had other commitments.
Lindahl attempted to reach the promoter, said to be based in Atlanta, but found only a random voice mailbox.
JM Nice Promotions reportedly issued hundreds of tickets, priced as high as $35 but sold at a discount rate at Dubuque music merchants CDs 4 Change and Uncle Ike's Music.
Owners of the stores did not return phone calls from the Telegraph Herald, but a CDs 4 Change employee estimated the music shop sold 1,700 tickets.
"We're working with police, and any refund situation we'll have to play by ear," the employee said.
An Uncle Ike's store clerk said she was not at liberty to discuss the situation.
"It really ticks me off that there are people taking advantage of people who want to see a show and using other people's names to defraud concert-goers out of their money," Lindahl said.
Y-105 served as the local promoter and advertiser. Lindahl said JM Nice Promotions did send the radio station a money order for $500 to pay for a barrage of on-air spots. He said the check appeared to be good.
The show promoter invested in official-looking tickets, fliers and even worked with the fairgrounds to book off-duty sheriff's deputies to work security, Lindahl said.
"He took care of all the arrangements," Lindahl said. "He had all the bases covered."
Shannon Lundgren, general manager of the Dubuque County Fairgrounds, said the promoter was set to lease the grandstands, but she wasn't sure whether JM Nice had a signed contract. Either way, Lundgren said the fairgrounds won't be out any money.
"We weren't involved in ticket sales or promotions; we were strictly the rental facility," she said. "It's certainly an unfortunate event, but the fairgrounds was just a location."
The R&B stars billed on Y-105's first-ever Summer Jam card each have hits on Billboard's Top 10 list - such rising stars at Dubuque County Fairgrounds, not known as a hip-hop citadel. Organizers say the promoter's pitch seemed authentic to veterans of the entertainment booking trade.
"We do a lot of shows like this all the time. We just did a Monster Truck show, and this guy did the same things," Lindahl said. "The guy was very detailed. He did everything a legitimate promoter would do."
Lundgren said the R&B star-studded lineup didn't surprise her.
"Dubuque has really done a good job over the last 10 years of promoting big-name shows," she said, adding that the fairgrounds' application process checked out.
"There was absolutely no reason to believe this wasn't a real show," she said.
The sheriff's department has an investigator working the case. Asked what the likelihood is the department will track the promoter, Vrotsos said it all depends on the kind of trail left behind.
"If he has left us any opening, I am hopeful we'll be able to find out who this person is," the chief deputy said. "It's probably safe to say he's not in our area."
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