Live Nation Spain is set to take legal action against a local authority after it withdrew its financial backing for a Guns N Roses gig earlier this month.
Some 28,000 fans attended the American rock band’s concert at Vigo’s Estadio Abanca Balaidos on June 12, but the event had been temporarily cancelled just days before due to the City Council of Vigo annulling its sponsorship over an “administrative error” attributed to local promoter Sweet Nocturna.
The concert date in the Galician city was again reinstated after being guaranteed by national promoter LN Spain, which said it was determined that fans should not be let down.
According to El Periodico de Espana, LN Spain president Pino Sagliocco said the Guns N Roses concert “would never have been possible” without the council’s €1.9m sponsorship pledge, and vowed to pursue the authority “with all the laws”.
He said: “We have no choice but to claim our rights.”
The organisers allege the show “was in danger at all times due to the malpractice of the Vigo City Council,” adding they are taking legal action to ensure “these bad, arbitrary practices do not happen again for the good of the sector”.
However, a joint press conference by Sagliocco and Sweet Nocturna planned for last week was cancelled, leading local newspaper Vigoe to speculate that a settlement may have been reached with the authorities.
The gig was first announced in February, with more than 22,000 tickets selling within hours of becoming available. However, the city council announced in late May that it had withdrawn its backing because Sweet Noctura had not been able to provide the council’s contracting board with a copy of the deed of assignment.