- Report: #942402
Complaint Review: Balboa Music Festival 9/15/12 - Encino California
Reported By:
Highly Upset Consumer!!! -
North Hollywood, California, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
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Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Balboa Music Festival 9/15/12
Encino, California, United States of America
Phone:
Web:
www.balboamusicfestival.com
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Balboa Music Festival 9/15/12 - COMPLETE SCAM... Encino, California
I attended the Balboa Music Festival this past Saturday, 9/15/12. There are several issues that I have with this event that leads me to believe that it was a scam. 1) Upon exiting the freeway and entering the location of the event, I immediately entered a long line of traffic, which took about 45 minutes to get to the parking lot. I sat in traffic from 10:30am till 11:15am. The parking destination was only 1 short block away. 2) I finally was able to park in the dirt parking lot, which cost $25.00, but only to stand in an almost 2 mile long line. There was no staff or any direction as to what is going on. The line did not move for quite sometime and when it did move, it was a couple of steps every two minutes. I waited in line for almost an hour and a half, watching quite a few people passing out from the excruciating 100 degree heat. At this point I did not want to stay and wanted to speak to someone regarding a refund. I walked to the front of the line to the VIP entrance and spoke to a gentlement to ask him what are the steps to getting my refund because I have been here since 10:30 a.m. The gentlement asked me to just hold on a second and he will let me thru. As I waited I was looking at the front of the line and noticed that thre were no security checks, people were just going thru. At this point I did not feel safe being there. After a few minutes the gentleman walked me to the general entrance line. As I went to find a location to lay my blanket, it was very clear that they oversold tickets because it was extremely crowded and the line was still very long outside with general admission ticket holders. I know of this because many people in line had coolers, umbrellas and blankes. General admission tickets were only allowed these items. I found a location very far from the area to sit. Extremely paranoid at this point because of the fact that at any given moment something could happen because there was no true security. I saw people with glass cups, hammers to hammer their umbrellas into the ground, etc. There was no security walking the grounds checking on these things. 3) The concert did not start until after 1:30pm. The acts were rushed, there were long intermissions, plus all of the acts did not perform. I prepaid for 2 tickets at a shoe store location, which was $61.00 each. I feel that this concert was extremely unorganized and unsafe. Plus the location was at a park, so the promoters of this function put everyone at risk just to have money in there pocket (i.e. no proper security/security checks, no staff, long wait in the sun, etc.) It is not fair that I, a consumer, spent so much money for a event at a park and the promotion could not at least do the bare minimum and provide safety and made sure all of the acts performed. I demand a refund and will not attended another event if and when they have another.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
qteondty
SIMI VALLEY,California,
United States of America
Highly annoyed and ripped off!!!
#2Consumer Comment
Tue, September 18, 2012
I was so excited about this festival til it burns my soul of the events on 9/15/12. My mom arrived in the parking line at 10:30am (alone) and after 1 hour she was still in the line. I arrived in the line from the opposite in at 11:30am. 20 mins later I entered the grounds to only find a dirt road and a gentleman with locks and a plaid shirt attempting to get another parking fee (which we had prepaid passes)....by noon we attempted the long entrance line mind you my mom is still sitting in her parking line. She has to use the bathroom and can't for fear or losing her spot and praying her car doesn't overheat. Once we got in the entrance line we stayed there about 1.5 hours and watched as people passed out and became dehydrated. I knew my mom wouldn't sustain that line in the heat and to avoid having her possibly pass out and myself we left. My ticket indicates that as it is still a full, untorn ticket. We go to about 5 outdoor festivals a year and this by far is the worse. We've done this for at least 9-11 years and never encountered this. Even UCLA's 25.00 annual festival is more organized than this. Its sad people are in it for a buck and they are lucky no one died or was hurt inside with the lack of security. We demand a refund since we never even watched any of the performances unlike some.
Claudette Norris
Moreno Valley,California,
United States of America
Balboa Festival Rip Off
#3General Comment
Tue, September 18, 2012
My husband and I are avid concert lovers. In the summer, we annually attend three to four concerts. NEVER, EVER have we experienced such a LACK of information, LACK of customer service and LACK of professionalism. Let me explain.
The festival website indicated a shuttle service every 10 minutes at parking lots C & D. What address was the parking lot located for lots C & D? We never saw any shuttles.
No VISIBLE SIGNS or DIRECTIONS to assist in entering the festival. If so, correct me if i'm wrong but where were they located.
We walked thirty minutes in 104 degrees of heat only to find ONE LINE to enter the festival. which had over 200 people in line. UNBELIEVEABLE!
Normally, at events of this magnitude there are usually two screens to see performers. there were NONE.
Upon much disappointment my husband, sister and I decided to leave. YES. I we decided NOT TO STAY in one line for over 2hrs.
I would expect a few "bugs to work out" in a 1st annual event but, the conditions we experienced were INHUMANE and INCONSIDERATE.
I have called the contact number, sent an email to the contact person...TO NO AVAIL. I have now reached out to my bank. They are pursuit of my refund.
