Furious music fans call ‘bulls***’ after Boy George’s Timeless Summer tour collapses – as REAL reason they’re still waiting for refunds is finally revealed

Furious music fans have accused a concert promoter of leaving them hundreds of dollars out of pocket following the collapse an ill-fated 80s mega tour featuring pop icons Bonnie Tyler and Boy George.   

The Timeless Summer Tour had been sold as one of the highlights of Australia’s busy live music schedule in January – only to have its dates repeatedly pushed back before it was ultimately canned last Friday as the promoter went into liquidation. 

Sydneysider Tino Mirabello said he and his wife had outlaid $401 on tickets – the cheapest available option – for the tour’s much-hyped Hunter Valley fixture.

But the couple were left ‘extremely disappointed’ after the gig suffered multiple setbacks and its organisers repeatedly refused to offer them a refund. 

‘We were strung along for months not knowing what was going on,’ the 60-year-old told Daily Mail Australia. ‘I’m a retired car dealer and investor, I can smell b*******.’

The tour is still described on its website as a concert series ‘celebrating legendary musicians from around the world’, advertising acts like Boy George, Bonnie Tyler and ex-Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley.

The concerts were due to be held in New Zealand between January 11 and 19, followed by three dates in Australia between January 24 and 27. 

But little more than a month before the tour was due to roll into Australia, Mr Mirabello was informed via email on December 20 that the gigs had been postponed.

Would-be concertgoers were told new dates would be announced in February with all tickets automatically transferred to the rescheduled performances. 

Ticketholders were also informed the company would release information about its refund process if the new dates proved to be unsuitable. 

Mr Mirabello said he immediately requested further details about the refunds policy only to be told that he would have to wait two months to received any further information.  

‘If the new dates and venues are no longer suitable and you are unable to attend any longer, we will provide you with information about the refund process in February under consumer law,’ the tour organisers said in response to his follow-up email. 

Timeless Summer Tour contacted ticketholders again on January 24, telling them that they were ‘getting close to locking in a new tour schedule for most of the dates’.

Mr Mirabello once again requested an immediate refund but said he never received a reply. 

Over a month later, on March 7, customers were then told that, not only was the event now cancelled, but that Timeless Summer Tour had also been placed into liquidation.

‘It’s been a long process all for a couple of tickets,’ Mr Mirabello said.

‘It’s like we’ve lost control, all of a sudden they’ve flicked the task onto the liquidators,’ he told Daily Mail.

‘People are going to lose confidence in the process of buying tickets for concerts.’

In an email to ticketholders confirming the cancellation in March, the promoters blamed the cancellation of a partner festival for the tour’s collapse. 

‘We have found ourselves in this gut-wrenching position after losing three of our sites on the New Zealand tour,’ the email said.

‘We were sharing the infrastructure at three sites with Juicy Fest New Zealand, but when that event was cancelled it was no longer viable to run these shows.

‘We were left with no option other than to cancel the tour and, due to the significant expenses we incurred with this cancellation, Timeless Summer Tour has been placed into liquidation.’

Timeless Summer Tour said it had worked to reschedule the series, but was not able to confirm new dates that would work for most of the artists. 

A spokesperson for Timeless Summer Tour told Daily Mail the company was disappointed about the cancellation.

‘We are deeply regretful for any disappointment and inconvenience this situation has caused ticket holders,’ the spokesperson said.  

‘We wanted to deliver these shows and we are disappointed this was not able to happen.’

In December, New Zealand’s leg of popular R&B event Juicy Fest struggled to get approval to sell alcohol at its next concert after ‘previous antisocial behaviours’ from attendees in 2024.

This set off a domino effect of financial issues for the companies interconnected with it, forcing all of them into liquidation on March 7. 

The companies – Juicy Festival Limited (NZ), Timeless Events New Zealand Limited and Timeless Events Australia Limited – all have entertainment entrepreneur Glenn Meikle named as a director.

Auckland-based firm Black Rose is handling the liquidation process and its insolvency practitioner Ben Francis explained to Daily Mail Australia how the three companies disintegrated.

‘All three entities were incorporated to produce music festivals, however, some festivals were unable to obtain to liquor licenses,’ he said.

‘This impacted the commercial viability of the festivals and these issues flowed through to associated entities.

‘The shareholders resolved to liquidate recognising that the companies were not in a position to hold the festivals and did not have the funds to pay all creditors (including ticketholders).’

He said funds had already been used to pay for artists, venues and other costs.

Timeless Summer Tour told customers that the liquidators would work through how to resolve the company’s financial obligations ‘including funds and funds held to be refunded’.

A spokesperson for the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission told Daily Mail Australia that, when consumers buy tickets to concerts, sporting events, festivals, shows, and other events, they come with automatic consumer guarantees.

‘This means that where an event is cancelled or significantly changed, consumers may have a right to a refund,’ they said.

‘This will depend on the reason for the cancellation or change, and the nature of the change.’

They said that, if there is an issue with an event, customers should raise the issue directly with the organiser in the first instance. 

If they are unable to resolve the issue, they should then contact their local state or territory consumer protection agency.