Last week, four Creed fans sued the band, claiming singer Scott Stapp couldn't perform because he was "so intoxicated and/or medicated" during a concert at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., last December.
The fans — Chad and Wendy Costino and Philip and Linda Berenz — asked for reimbursement for four tickets and the price of parking, which totaled $227, according to Rolling Stone Magazine. The suit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court on Tuesday, April 22.
The Costinos and Berenzes charge that "Stapp left the stage on several occasions during songs for long periods of time, rolled around on the floor of the stage in apparent pain or distress, and appeared to pass out while on stage during the performance," according to the suit.
The two couples feel the concert was so bad that they considered it a no-show. In addition, the fans asked the court to consider a class-action suit that would allow the 15,000 concertgoers to also receive refunds.
While some people might roll their eyes to this idea, it makes sense to me. Why shouldn't the fans get their money back?
They bought the tickets in good faith, thinking it would be a treat to see their favorite band in a live concert setting. They thought they would have a great time. They thought the band cared enough for those who support them to give them a good show in return.
The band addressed the concert on its Web site but didn't offer an apology. "For now, we hope that you can take some solace in the fact that you definitely experienced the most unique of all Creed shows and may have become part of the unusual world of rock and roll history!" the band wrote.
Oh, brother.
I doubt if anyone would have bought a ticket to that concert had they known Stapp was going to give a bad show.
Regardless of how I feel about Creed (the band isn't my favorite), I do feel the fans got cheated, and I do believe the Berenzes and Costinos have a case.
First off, if a consumer buys something that's faulty, he can return it and get his money back as long as he has a receipt. CDs, DVDs and videotapes can be returned if they skip, don't play or sound bad.
Second, if someone buys, say, Gap Jeans, and notices a rip in the denim, the jeans can be returned.
Why should concert tickets be any different? Stapp and company totally messed up the concert, according to various news sources and reviews. Doesn't that qualify as being faulty?
Now whether or not someone likes Creed is beside the point. When I buy a concert ticket, I expect the band to respect me enough to put on the best show it can. I take issue with people going on stage drunk.
Of course, sometimes people purchase tickets to see certain bands just to see if it is too inebriated to play, such as the Doors in the 1960s. (Back in 1982 I went to my first Van Halen concert, and singer David Lee Roth had hit the sauce and stopped songs left and right, yelling at the audience to "stop throwing (bleeping) coins at him when he's trying to sing. As the night wore on, Roth finally made his exit and left guitarist Edward Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen alone to cover up with a 30-minute guitar and drum solo. Bassist Michael Anthony had to help Roth backstage. I bought my ticket knowing Roth's tendency to party. And though I think he was the best singer the band has had, I was prepared for a Roth-size fiasco. I got it and wasn't disappointed.)
However, Creed is a different type of band. The band has, from the start, tried to portray itself as a wholesome, uplifting band that cares about family values. These past few months have proven otherwise.
But that's another issue.
The fact remains that Creed cheated the audience. And the audience wants its money back.
If it were up to me, the band would return every cent.
E-MAIL: scott@desnews.com