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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

My Empty Phantom Indonesian Tour Cancelled!

Wokeh jadi beberapa waktu yang lalu mungkin ente tau saya sempet promoin kalo one man post rock nyang namanya My Empty Phantom mw tur ke sini ane yang bkin gignya di chapter Jakarta. Nah dan seperti yang diketahui doski juga nge-cancel gignya di sini. Nah di sini lah saya akan posting alasan kenapa doski tur dan juga curhatan selaku organizer lokal dari tur doski, Pak Indra Menus yang makin gak kurus2 #Opooo. Jadi main point nya sih kalo ane bilang "Dont Mess Up With The Indon".

"Helo everyone, as you might know that i was helping Jesse Martin Beaman of My Empty Phantom (Texas, USA one man instrumentalia) to do his tour in Indonesia which sadly being cancelled after few postphoned schedules. 
Me and Jesse already discuss about the tour since end of 2013/early 2014. We already talk about some of what he will get and what he didnt get from this tour, including he has to pay his own plane tickets back and forth from USA to Indonesia, possibly not getting paid for the show etc. I asked him to read my Notes about FAQ's of doing tour in Indonesia and after some bargaining here and there, he is agree with the terms. Check out the Notes here:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/haji-noise-indra-menus/faq-about-diy-touring-bands-in-indonesia/10152627376754241
After 2 times of post phoned schedules due to his unavailability, we agree to set up 12 gigs in 12 cities between 10 - 22 June 2014, covering 3 islands in Indonesia. Then i make a group chatt in Facebook to connect all the organizers with Jesse. Here we talk about the detail of the shows.
But then 2 months before the tour started, Jesse came up with another excuse for one more post phoned schedule, this time because he didnt have enough money to finance the Indonesian tour after his previous tour making him loss his money. His manager/brother suggest him to ask me and the organizers to chip in for money to buy him flight tickets from USA to Indonesia back and forth at merely US$ 1000 (equal to 10 months of salary in Indonesia). While the other option is to moved it up until August 2014. We agree to move the tour for August 2014.
Near August 2014, Jesse told me that it would be better to set up Indonesian tour on end of March 2015 as he will play in Australia on mid April 2015 so that it will be 2 destinations in one straight journey. I'm asking to the other organizers about this in the FB group chatt where Jesse also in, and all the organizers agree to set up 12 gigs in 12 cities in Indonesia starting from 27th March - 10th April, including 3 different islands (Java, Bali and Kalimantan). Meanwhile Romain De Ferron from France join the tour as a supporting act since his tour dates is near Jesse's newest dates.
Around February 2015, i'm in touch with Jesse again and he said he's ready for the tour. He said the ticket already saved since he will did tour to Australia too straight after Indo tour. This is where my fault coming, i was forget that i should ask his flight info as a prove that he already bought it. I was working on my Japan tour at that moment, lots of paper works for the visa etc, so that's was my only excuse :)
All set and done, the whole tour seemed worked as planned. Most of the flyers for the shows already released. But then on 23rd march Jesse message me saying that he was bussy organizing festival and some works to do. Then he asked me whether i can put the 5 last dates as the first dates of the tour because his Australian tour dates was moved around 23 April so he's afraid will have nothing to do from 11th April to 22 April while there's no way he can go back to USA again. So i suggest that he can extend the tour up until 22 April or just doing a tourist things in Indonesia.
I asked him to contact Anca who can be his guide and arrange more shows for him. Anca and Jesse discuss about it on a personal chatt, from their conversation Jesse finally told Anca that he haven't bought the tickets to Indonesia because he would like to wait for the ticket price drop sometimes. But Jesse also told Anca that he had the money to do the tour. Bear in mind that Jesse didnt told me about this and the show started on 27th March. 4 days before the first show, USA to Indonesia, how can you expect the price drop?
Then Anca and I have another private discussion, i told Anca everything about it since the very first beginning. i know it's my fault too that i didnt ask the flight info before. Then i go straight asking Jesse about his tickets and he said exactly like what he told to Anca, he's waiting for the ticket price drop sometimes. I was upset but i'm trying to calm down and ask him to get the ticket right at that time. Jesse said he will buy the ticket (from USA to Indonesia) on 24 March, 3 days before his first show but then after searching he said it is better (or cheaper perhaps) if Bali show can be done after Jakarta show (after 10 April) because the flight schedule seems couldnt make him on time for the Bali show. Moreover, he said he just find out THAT day if the show in Bali is fixed (happened) while the flyer already out few days earlier.
That's where my patient come to an end, he seems really under estimate us here. Jesse was angry that i insult his problem as "I would like to see the flight ticket price drop sometimes" and told me that he will did what he can to solve this problem.
Meanwhile on 25th March, in his Instagram account, Jesse posted an announcement that he will did Asia and Australian tour but he didnt mention when. This is happening when he was talking with me about the flight tickets which he didnt book at that moment. Few weeks before he also make a status about the tour on his Facebook account. Making a tour announcement without the dates while he haven't book the flight tickets, cool move Jesse!
And then Jesse make another move, he try to contact some of the organizers in a private chatt and asked them to moved the schedule to one or two week after the fixed schedules which of course the organizers refuse to do so. In Indonesia we have to booked everything to do show, from venue to the band's equipments, we have to pay down payment for that, imagine if we have to moved it (again), we'll lose the down payment plus we didnt know whether Jesse will keep the new schedule worked :)
In the group chatt, we all waiting for Jesse's explanation. We're waiting up until 1 AM, 26th March, 1 day before the first show in Bali. Here we try to cross check all the information from different organizers that being contacted by Jesse. One organizer said that Jesse was waiting for his payment from N*T G*O on Thursday 26th March. Anca told us that Jesse was worried about his visa because Bandung show might need a working visa. Bear in mind that i already told him waaay before we set the dates about the visa things where he can use tourist visa. 
Up until 1 AM, 26th March (Indonesian time) Jesse didnt reply our personal and group chatt where we ask about his flight info, and we know that he's online at that moment. But then at the last minutes, Jesse come in to the group chatt and told us that he will book all the flights for the Indonesian tour started in Surabaya on 29th March, with the exception of Bali show where he couldnt be in time for the show so he will skip Bali or if the organizer could moved the show after 10th April. On the group chatt he ask to give gim 2 hours so he can book all the flights. 
On 2.30 AM, 26th March, he chatt me and asked whether the 30th March (Samarinda show) is still on. This show is one of the first fixed show, the flyer even come up first. i was fall asleep and wake up at 10 AM, then i replied yes it's fixed.  And he said he will change the tour dates again and will start on 30th March (Samarinda) and said he already asked the organizer in Balikpapan (the 29th show) to moved it to 31 March. While Surabaya still didnt know whether it will be moved or cancelled. I said okay, at least he still continue the tour.
Then I look on the group chatt, few organizers already asked why there's no flight info because it's already pass the 2 hours Jesse asked to book the flights. Indeed i looked at the chatt group and he's not giving us flight info he was promised before. I asked him in the group chatt and personal chatt, meanwhile the group chatt was full of the organizers chatted and joked each other about the tour. 
This time Jesse told me that he feel uncomfortable with the way we joked, he feel intimidated. He says how can he go to tour if the organizers hate him? So i try to calm him down and ask him just do his job, give us the flight info. But then again, he said he's waiting for his payment from N*T G*O in Friday where he will use the money to buy the ticket. I told him that i know he talk to one of the organizer and said that the payment is on Thursday. How can you believe this guy then?
Moreover he said that he had a good intention to do the tour, that he's willing to pay the tickets, willing not to get paid in each show, something that he never did before. Really funny since we already agree about these terms ONE YEAR AGO and now he brag about it. I think if he just said cancelled, write an apology statement, life would be more easier for all of us, but he keep give us hope by saying he will buy the ticket tomorrow but none of that happening.
So, judging from his attitude and the fact that Jesse couldn't keep his promise, all the organizers agree to cancel My Empty Phantom tour although Jesse keep saying he will get the ticket on Friday 27th March.
It's been 1 year, 3 post phoned schedules and all ended up like this. I know i shouldn't post this in public. I'm not trying to put all the faults on Jesse, i just write the chronology and let you guys decide.
So, why i write this drama? 
This is because I dont want this situation happened to you; D.I.Y tour booker, gig's organizers who try to help touring bands, sometimes have to lose our money to help bands that we didn't know. Only the same passion and trust that makes us willing to help these touring bands.
I personally don't care anymore with Jesse and his band. I just feel sorry for all the gig organizers who put their energy, mind and everything to help Jesse did his tour here. Hope you guys still be passion on helping the touring bands (local or overseas) to do their show in your city."

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