NewsSeptember 9, 2019 5:24 PM ET7,363 views

Disrupt Festival Tour promoter files for bankruptcy

The concert promotion company behind the fledgling Disrupt Festival Tour, among dozens of other festival brands and tours, has shuttered its doors. Promoter John Reese and his concert promotion company Synergy Global Entertainment have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. The Southern California firm owes roughly $8.4 million to creditors, including significant amounts to American Express, Front Gate Tickets, and Groupon, among other publicists, lawyers, and vendors. SGE apparently suffered sizeable losses from the aforementioned Disrupt Festival, which launched this year and featured The Used, Thrice, and Sum 41, among others. In a statement to Billboard, Reese says he was "hit by a perfect storm of adverse market conditions" and suffered a "massive drop in ticket sales since late April," ultimately rendering SGE's existence "untenable." "After having creative impact in over 45 Festival Brands and Tours in the company's history, we most appreciate the years of partnerships with fans, artists, brands and vendors," Reese added. Notably, SGE's sole secured creditor is Ash Avildsen, owner of Sumerian Records. Avildsen apparently loaned $1 million to Reese in June as SGE struggled to remain solvent. (A secured creditor generally gets paid first amid a bankruptcy.) Avildsen told Billboard, "all of his summer events were already booked and on sale so there was no time to do proper due diligence, hence it was a very risky investment but I care about John and the SGE family dearly."

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anonymous 9/9/2019 2:34:00 PM

Disrupt wasn't even going to be there so who cares. Sucks he went broke though

anonymous 9/9/2019 3:01:50 PM

Because no one saw a trainwreck coming after that horrible lineup.. give me a fcking break

anonymous 9/9/2019 3:16:01 PM

Unfortunate, things happen though.. A job in the industry would mean the world, even if it meant risking everything. At least someone cares about music and art. Cannot wait until next years summer slaughter tour.

anonymous 9/9/2019 3:19:09 PM

It was a perfect storm of adverse market conditions..... aka we picked a bunch of shit bands. Kids in the Midwest that drink mountain dew for breakfast and have SK8ter Boy tattoos are crying while holding candlelight vigils in front of Hot Topic. This just in.....The staff at Hot Topic took the day off cause even they knew this "festival" was a turd.

anonymous 9/9/2019 3:22:13 PM

I definitely trust white people less after this

anonymous 9/9/2019 3:54:38 PM

is john reese the warped tour guy?

anonymous 9/9/2019 4:33:44 PM

even Atreyu couldn't save this

anonymous 9/9/2019 4:34:10 PM

Scene is DEAD

anonymous 9/9/2019 4:35:56 PM

Is John Reese related to Kyle Reese? Then no care

anonymous 9/9/2019 5:25:01 PM

They booked a festival/tour with bands that only an older crowd knows/cares about, then had it on weekdays. These fans have jobs now and won't take a day off for a bunch of has-beens and Thrice.

anonymous 9/9/2019 5:43:49 PM

Sumerian Records can loan someone a million dollars!? Can Trustkill loan me a few bucks?

anonymous 9/9/2019 6:26:42 PM

Unfortunate, things happen though.. A job in the industry would mean the world, even if it meant risking everything. At least someone cares about music and art. ^^^^^ What the holy hell?

anonymous 9/9/2019 6:38:24 PM

If purgatory from NWI was on this the shit would have been saved

anonymous 9/9/2019 7:57:54 PM

Called it

anonymous 9/9/2019 8:28:51 PM

Corey Taylor probably smells like beef

anonymous 9/10/2019 12:33:00 AM

Cause I'm sick of the stabbing I'm sick of the breaking sick of the bleeding until we fall down nananana...

anonymous 9/10/2019 12:35:56 AM

And agreed don't know how Ash has a million dollars to loan people...does he really make that much off of the faceless and Memphis may fire and veil of maya?

anonymous 9/10/2019 4:31:38 AM

Ash is a celebrity you idiot. He hangs out with Stallone and the guy from Sworn Enemy.

anonymous 9/10/2019 6:50:33 AM

Ghetto Josh isn't surprised. After all he personally makes $8 an hour and hangs out with people sixteen years younger than him

anonymous 9/10/2019 8:03:48 AM

Mannnnn this guys debt to the Rose City Skins is NOTHING compared to what's in this stupid report, pray for John Reese.

anonymous 9/10/2019 8:35:57 AM

And agreed don't know how Ash has a million dollars to loan people...does he really make that much off of the faceless and Memphis may fire and veil of maya? ^^^^^ It's Hollywood money. His dad directed the Karate Kid.

anonymous 9/10/2019 9:36:54 AM

Maybe the shit list of bands playing has something to do with the decline in ticket sales.

anonymous 9/10/2019 10:18:02 AM

I'd go see a DISRUPT reunion for sure! "Neglected" is a banger song.

anonymous 9/10/2019 10:56:43 AM

Ash makes alot of money outside of Sumerian. Talk all the shit, but the dude is hella smart with money

anonymous 9/10/2019 11:42:42 AM

"Ash makes alot of money outside of Sumerian. Talk all the shit, but the dude is hella smart with money" Ash is a rich jew who never cared about you or your pathetic music

anonymous 9/10/2019 4:15:22 PM

is john reese the warped tour guy? No, that's Kevin Lyman. They were partners on the Mayhem festival. Ash has a shitload of money. Motherfcker was driving a Bentley at one point.

anonymous 9/20/2019 7:22:58 PM

Is Sumerian records over as well then? Thank god




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