Future Music Festival axed in Asia and Australia over poor ticket sales, organisers say

Concert-goers at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Future Music Festival Asia 2014. The Future Music Festival, which was denied a licence to stage the show here this year, will be discontinued in Asia and Austral
Concert-goers at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Future Music Festival Asia 2014. The Future Music Festival, which was denied a licence to stage the show here this year, will be discontinued in Asia and Australia, organisers said on Thursday, April 2, 2015. -- PHOTO: NSTP

SINGAPORE - The Future Music Festival, which was denied a licence to stage the show here this year, will be discontinued in Asia and Australia, organisers said on Thursday.

In a statement issued on their website, The Mushroom Group, which runs the festival, said that "the last two years of ticket sales for the festival have underperformed".

A post on the official Facebook page of the festival read: "We're very sad to say that we've decided 2015 was the last year for Future Music Festival.

"It's been a difficult decision to make but in the end travelling the festival in its current form across Australia simply doesn't make financial sense anymore."

Livescape Singapore Pte Ltd tried to bring the dance music festival into Singapore this year, but it was denied a public entertainment licence twice - on Jan 29 and Feb 27.

Police said then that the licence was not issued because of "serious concerns with potential drug abuse".

The festival, which started in Australia in 2006 and is considered one of the biggest dance music festivals in South-east Asia, made headlines last year when six of its concert-goers died from drug overdose in Kuala Lumpur.

On March 6, The Brisbane Times reported that 7,500 ecstasy pills believed to be bound for the Future Music Festival in Australia were seized.

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