Benefit Concert for Disabled Vets Canceled
The novice promoters of Rock of the Century have canceled the Sunday event at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, saying they had sold just 64 tickets for the daylong benefit to assist disabled military veterans.
Bruce Marich, who organized the show with fellow Orange County businessman Don Brigham, acknowledged that the Sept. 5 concert lacked arena-caliber star power in its headliners, which included former Grand Funk Railroad singer Mark Farner, Blue Oyster Cult and Ambrosia. But Marich vowed to return to 15,400-seat Irvine Meadows next year with major acts and sponsorship deals.
“I’m not gonna give up on the vets,” Marich said. “It would be like leaving them in the jungle.”
He blamed their decision, made late Monday, to cancel the concert on their inexperience in promoting rock ‘n’ roll shows. He said it had cost him and Brigham $80,000 out of pocket in advertising costs and deposits to the venue and the bands. Holding out until the weekend in hopes of more ticket sales would have cost them at least another $100,000, money he said they hoped to plow into a future concert.
The concert was intended to benefit the California Paralyzed Veterans Assn. and call attention to veterans’ health care issues.
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