THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 28, 1995 TAG: 9506280508
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICKEY WRIGHT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
The Hampton Coliseum box office will begin offering refunds this morning on tickets for the canceled performance of singer Barry White at the Hampton Jazz Festival.
Coliseum director Joe Tsao said Tuesday that holders of validated ticket stubs can return them to the box office starting at 10 a.m. Refunds will be available until July 31.
The announcement Sunday that the platinum-selling White had taken ill and would not appear came on the final day of the festival. Thousands of disgruntled fans left the venue before closing act Ray Charles could appear.
Festival manager John Scott said that ``we think maybe about 60 to 70 percent of the house'' walked out. He estimated the concert's total attendance at 10,400.
With tickets priced at $33.50, the festival could return more than $200,000 to seat holders. Scott acknowledged that ``a substantially sizable amount of money'' would be refunded.
He said that White's contract included a standard ``out-clause'' preventing the artist from suffering any financial loss in case of illness. White's performance fee was waived.
Scott denied rumors of a White no-show that had spread earlier in the festival weekend.
``People pick up any bit of information to cast aspersions on something,'' Scott said. ``I have no reason to believe that we were not given accurate information by his management team.''
On Sunday, Bill Reeves, White's production manager, said that the star had traveled to the Coliseum before calling off his appearance.
A spokeswoman for A&M Records, White's label, had no word on his condition Tuesday but said he was expected to play Tuesday night's concert in Augusta, Ga. It was his first scheduled date after the Hampton stop.
A mail-in system for refunds was previously announced and will remain in place. Stubs may be mailed to P.O. Box 7309, 1000 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, Va. 23666. A self-addressed, stamped envelope is requested. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Barry White, who fell ill before he could perform at the Hampton
Jazz Festival. A mail-in refund setup remains.
by CNB