The postponment of Taiwanese pop superstar Jay Chou's concert here at the National Stadium from Nov 8 to Dec 27 has made some fans unhappy because the new date clashes with their travel plans during the popular year-end holiday season.
Mr Ang Zheng Hao, who bought a pair of tickets priced at $208 each as a birthday gift for his wife, is unable to make the concert on the new date due to their holiday plans.
Mr Ang, 32, who is in the IT line, says: "If the change in date was announced earlier, we would not have booked for the holiday on Dec 27. Perhaps concerts should be held at Marina Bay Sands or the Indoor Stadium to avoid clashing with sports events."
National University of Singapore student Kristabelle Tan, 22, is also unable to attend Chou's concert now because she has booked a Bangkok holiday during that time. She is particularly disappointed because she had bought $238 tickets for herself and her boyfriend for his birthday surprise.
She says: "I was really disappointed because I had purchased that tickets as a surprise for my boyfriend. His birthday is on the weekend of the original date. Both of us are going to Bangkok for the weekend of Dec 27, so we can't make it on the new date.
"A lot of people are really upset that they couldn't make it, especially for overseas fans," she adds.
Indonesian fan Angelina Lin was planning to fly in to watch the concert on Nov 8, but has to give up her ticket as she will be going on a family trip to London in December.
The 29-year-old finance manager says: "I managed to get VIP tickets and it's the third row from the front. I've been looking forward to go to this concert. It was a birthday treat for myself. Whenever Jay Chou has a concert in Singapore, I always attend it."
While she did not have to forfeit her hotel booking as she has a house in Singapore, she has heard of overseas fans who have "wasted their money" because they are unable to make changes to their hotel and flight bookings.
When Life! contacted ticketing agent Sports Hub, its spokesman declined to give information on the number of refunds and the procedure for the ticket refund. He said that all information regarding ticketing will have to be given by the concert promoter.
Concert promoter Multimedia Entertainment has yet to reply to The Straits Times' queries on the number of ticket refunds given and whether any compensation was made to them or Jay Chou's team.
The postponed concert comes on the heels of an ongoing saga over the condition of the pitch at the stadium. This is to allow the Suzuki Cup tournament organised by the Asean Football Federation to be held at the same venue from Nov 23. The federation stipulates a minimum 15-day rest period for the pitch before the month-long tournament commences. During that time, no activity is supposed to be conducted on the field.
