CANCELLED: 摩天楼オペラ (Matenrou Opera) European Tour 2017

[Tokage 5930]

In all honesty though, the tour organizers also kind of contributed to killing off the European scene themselves. I mean, I know they were probably cheaper to fly over than the artists people actually WANT to see, but did they really feel that bringing over ""quality"" acts of a 'literally who?'-level such as HITT or The Fool like 200 times was gonna change the game for the better?

[Nyasagi 259]

I have to agree. It was more fun when bands such as D=OUT, -OZ-, UnsraW were touring... people liked them and wanted to see them... and there were no VIP tickets, and signing sessions for everyone. It was a really fun part, a big encouragement to go to the live and buy the merch. I have the best memories from the signing sessions, it's something really special. The small artists and VIP tickets killed everything that was fun.

[Vercingetorix 185]

Never mind all this crap about declining interest in VK/J-Rock:  a one-man tour by a second-rate symphonic metal band, especially without their star guitarist, was never gonna sell-out. The sympho metal ship sailed sometime back in the late 2000s, and it never really took off in Japan.

 

Maybe B7K should've booked it a two-man tour with one of those identikit melodeath groups.

Edited June 16, 2017 by Vercingetorix

[Takadanobabaalien 3607]

I've said it before but a Diaura x Arlequin would work for example.

 

They just focus on wrong bands.

[emmny 4139]

its funny cuz now its a loop

label staff know bands flop so they wont send over actually good bands except to the handful of good promoters in the scene who have shown results SO the other promoters just take kamijo 2x a year + some flop willing to do anything for free. also a lot of current bands don't have any plans on going abroad, which is why i think yukika isn't into it at all. then again, once a company has a good experience with a con or organizer, it spreads around and who knows after pentacum's success (??) a new bunch of bands will become interested all over again to go abroad.

 

also, no promoters actually like vk anymore to know whats cool and interesting in the japan instead they'll bring europhile bands and anyone on a major label

 

 

[qotka 433]

1 hour ago, emmny said:

also, no promoters actually like vk anymore

i think this hits the nail on the head of this problem.

when you're looking to curate something (and i believe this is a large part of an organizer's job), you need to know your shit and actually care about the acts you're bringing.

taking a quick look at the VK acts b7klan are working with, my first thought is 'i don't believe you for a second that you actually believe these bands have potential in europe'.

[WhirlingBlack 1043]

When actual quality acts that still have some relevance comes, it does gather a decent amount of audience. The problem is when you bring flops like Adams and glorified karaoke in the form of satsuki and then wonder why no one shows up. They dilute the interest in the scene and when casuals see and wonder if this is the best vk can bring they'll move on to something else. 

The tour organisers have a large responsibility in that things are the way they are right now.

[Suuu 963]

2 hours ago, emmny said:

also a lot of current bands don't have any plans on going abroad,

 

also, no promoters actually like vk anymore to know whats cool and interesting in the japan instead they'll bring europhile bands and anyone on a major label

 

 

3

 

50 minutes ago, qotka said:

i think this hits the nail on the head of this problem.

when you're looking to curate something (and i believe this is a large part of an organizer's job), you need to know your shit and actually care about the acts you're bringing.

taking a quick look at the VK acts b7klan are working with, my first thought is 'i don't believe you for a second that you actually believe these bands have potential in europe'.

3

 

Actually, it's not so much that bands don't want to come, they just think there is no chance too.

the thoughts of the fans and the organizers are kinda spreading over to the bands and now they are starting to think there is no possibility and not a good enough market to play overseas.

I think a lot of promoters, rather than not liking vkei anymore are more so stuck in the past of when they first started, it's hard to change and adjust sometimes.

but its a case of what worked during the boom days isn't what works now

 

as a promoter myself, it is hard, its a lot of hard work and effort.

but I myself will not put my time and effort into a band or project unless I think there is potential there, although I will be the first to admit I have made a few miss predictions.

the thing is learning from such things, hopefully, B7 and other organizers can start to learn from this situation.

 

 

24 minutes ago, WhirlingBlack said:

When actual quality acts that still have some relevance comes, it does gather a decent amount of audience. The problem is when you bring flops like Adams and glorified karaoke in the form of satsuki and then wonder why no one shows up. They dilute the interest in the scene and when casuals see and wonder if this is the best vk can bring they'll move on to something else. 

The tour organisers have a large responsibility in that things are the way they are right now.

I think every band and act has its place in some way or the other, it's just the way they are promoted and presented.

so for acts like Adams, Satsuki and Mikaru, I think they were over pushed and it had a negative effect and the promotion that they received doesn't necessarily fit with the current market

[Case 13]

1 hour ago, qotka said:

i think this hits the nail on the head of this problem.

when you're looking to curate something (and i believe this is a large part of an organizer's job), you need to know your shit and actually care about the acts you're bringing.

taking a quick look at the VK acts b7klan are working with, my first thought is 'i don't believe you for a second that you actually believe these bands have potential in europe'.

Really, people seem to forget that while B7Klan might not be a 100% perfect company, for the last several years, they were still the only company that tried to bring bigger vk bands to EU.  Versailles, Deathgaze, Lycaon, Born, Nocturnal Bloodlust and so on... I can't really remember any bigger vk acts coming to Europe the last....five or so years, that was not done by them. If they indeed quit working with vk acts as their post suggests, from now on we will only have those tiny acts, that nobody knows and cares about even in Japan. For me, this really sounds like as an end of an era.

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

A lot of people tearing them to shreds on FB. I'm actually kind of surprised that there are so many ragging on them outside of this board's sphere of influence, because this is place is kind of an echo chamber. It's very telling about the amount of frustration that's there though + that there are people still waiting for refunds on their merry tickets is just embarrassing & ought 2 b grounds for a suit. 

 

like watching a car wreck with different reasons for the cancellation coming from multiple angles and one of the band members "huh what it's cancelled?" 

 

[Nyasagi 259]

Guys, people who bought tickets through Weezevents (including me) still didn't get their refunds. B7 e-mailed us a month ago and wrote that we're going to get them within a month, but nothing like that happened. I don't want them to get away with stealing my money, so do you have an idea what I can do about it? Because they're from France, I'm from Poland (the ticket was for the concert in Poland) and I'm not sure if I should contact my bank, or contact the authorities in my country about it, or someone in France (but I don't speak French)?

[-Tetsu- 379]

my sister got her money back via the shop she ordered her ticket from. she messaged them and they told her that they're waiting for the confirmation by B7 that the tour is really cancelled.

after B7 confirmed the shop send the money. probably B7 forgot to contact Weezevents about this or Weezevents 'forgot' to send the money back.

I think best solution would be to  send a message to both B7 and Weezevents about the problem (if you didn't already) and I'm sure they'll try to help you and the others with it

 

There are also some people complaining they still don't have their money back from the cancelled Merry tour, but I don't know if this is true

[Nyasagi 259]

I already made it clear it's about people, who bought through Weezevents, because the ones, who used other shops were refunded very quickly. Weezevents e-mailed people that they should contact the organiser, so they won't do anything. Then b7 sent an e-mail that the refunds will take up to one month, but people are complaining that they still didn't get their money back.

 

This is the e-mail they sent, exactly one month ago:

 

 

Hello,

Purchasers who bought tickets on Weezevent for Matenrou Opera, the delays of reimbursement can take until 1 month.

Only credit card used to buy will be credited again. Please be a bit patient.

If you had paid by bank transfer or by Paypal, please send us a message.

Once again, we thank Matenrou Opera and we thank all the fans for their understanding

Kind Regards

 

TORPEDO PRODUCTIONS

Edited July 19, 2017 by Nyasagi

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

For whatever it's worth, I've had good experiences from getting money back after contacting the bank. I'd try that just to be sure if you haven't yet.

 

If that doesn't pan out then uhh, I guess organise with everyone else who didn't get their refunds and make a mess out of it. Best of luck

[Nyasagi 259]

I'll do that if I don't get any money until Monday. I see no reason why they would hold money for this long, because the bus company refunded me immediately. Unless they spent it, but it isn't my problem.

[-Tetsu- 379]

2 hours ago, Nyasagi said:

I already made it clear it's about people, who bought through Weezevents, because the ones, who used other shops were refunded very quickly.

Sorry, sounded like it could be the same problem like the one my sister had in your first post.

Anyway, I hope the bank is able to help you, good luck!

[Lestat 2167]

It is odd that they are not responsive about this now, although they are probably overwhelmed by the amount of people complaining to them and asking for refunds. I remember a few weeks before Kamijo's rescheduled concerts in Paris that I received a refund in the matter of a week after I asked B7Klan directly for it. I suppose all you could do is to try and keep sending them requests — might even lightly threaten them or at least be very clear about your displeasure with their tardiness.

 

What might help is to simply give them all the information available there is about your ticket purchase. Email address, name, transaction number, etc. I gave them all of the Paypal transaction information at that time and they were quite quick about it. Next time (if there is a next time), be wary of making your purchase through them or Weezevents. If you have the chance to purchase a ticket through the venue's system or through Ticketmaster, go for that option instead.

Edited July 19, 2017 by Lestat

[Nyasagi 259]

I won't pre-order any tickets from this company... and your case is different, because I paid with a card, which means the refund should come to my bank account, but you paid with paypal, so you probably got it on different terms.

[jaymee 405]

So many Japanese people/businesss will do everything they can to not have to deal directly with foreigners when it comes to business. So either he is the only promoter with Japanese representatives or there is literally no one else in Europe to go to for these things.

 

So unprofessional tho. This promoter is seems even more inept than whatever one(s) X Japan/Yoshiki uses when he does international shows, which I didn't think was possible.

Edited August 29, 2017 by jaymee

[Nyasagi 259]

I got my money, but I lost approx. 30pln (approx. 7eur) on the exchange rates. I'm never buying a concert ticket in a foreign currency again.