SINGAPORE – Attendees of a concert held on May 5 are demanding refunds from organiser LAMC Productions after American rock band All Time Low cancelled the show midway into their performance.

The four-man band held their concert – their first performance here in seven years – at Fort Canning Park. However, their show lasted less than an hour, according to attendees who spoke to The Straits Times.

The event began officially at about 3pm with a meet-and-greet session followed by merchandise sales from 4pm. Local band Iman’s League performed an opening set at 6.45pm, with All Time Low’s performance slated to begin at around 8pm.

About four songs into their performance, which began at about 8.15pm, All Time Low’s guitarist Jack Barakat told the crowd that lead singer Alex Gaskarth had to rush to the restroom as he was suffering from a bout of food poisoning, and that he was already feeling unwell during the meet-and-greet session. 

They continued playing without Gaskarth, who then reappeared for a few more songs before he had to use the restroom for a second time, with the rest of the band again performing without him.

Following this, the band said they had to check on Gaskarth because he had been gone for some time. Barakat then told the crowd they needed to end the show to allow Gaskarth to seek medical attention, as he was unable to stand.

Gaskarth, 36, provided an update of his condition on Instagram Stories on May 6.

“As I mentioned on stage, I was fighting through a pretty bad illness and unfortunately it got the better of me mid-show,” he wrote. “As a performer, it’s genuinely heartbreaking when your body gives out in a way that affects a gig like that.”

Sharing a photo of himself on an intravenous drip, he added: “I’ve been fortunate to get quick medical treatment and hopefully have the worst of it behind me now.”

Less than half of their expected set list had been performed when the final song was sung at 9pm.

Concertgoers say there was no formal announcement of the cancellation by LAMC Productions at the event, or on any of its social media platforms.

Attendee Max Lim, 19, said the crowd was not made aware of Gaskarth’s condition prior to Barakat’s announcement during the show.

“I definitely hope there will be some form of compensation, the best case being a rescheduled (concert) for the cancelled tour date,” said Mr Lim, adding that he has contacted LAMC Productions about the matter.

Standard tickets for the concert were priced at $158, with several add-ons available, including $285 for a meet-and-greet session with All Time Low.

LAMC Productions’ Instagram posts featuring the concert were flooded with disgruntled fans who asked for refunds or a rescheduled performance, with some criticising the lack of any announcements addressing the concert’s cancellation.

In a statement posted on Instagram on May 6, LAMC apologised for the delay in addressing the cancellation and clarified that the band had made the decision to continue performing despite Gaskarth’s condition.

“We are working closely with All Time Low to bring them back to Singapore again as soon as possible,” said the concert organiser.

It said it would not be refunding attendees, instead offering each ticket holder a $30 promo code that will be usable on any LAMC Productions show over the next year.

Commenters on the post expressed frustration at the move – some felt that the amount was unsatisfactory, while others disagreed with the decision to issue a voucher instead of a refund.

“$30 for another ticket which we all would have to spend further money on makes zero sense,” said Instagram user chodiejomie, who felt that the move was “straight up disappointing, unprofessional and unethical”.

All Time Low last performed in Singapore in 2017, with their fans telling ST that they had waited seven years for the band to return for a concert here.

“I understand why people would want a refund, but more than anything, I hope that they will come back and do another show, I’ve waited so long to see them live,” said attendee Adele Chew, 24.

The band’s Asia tour took them through Malaysia and Indonesia at the end of April, and the Philippines on May 3 before their stop in Singapore. They are slated to perform in three locations across Japan next: Tokyo on May 7, Nagoya on May 8 and Osaka on May 9.

Correction note: This article has been edited for clarity.