Feud scuttles Dublin shows planned by Brooks
Garth Brooks’ five-concert comeback launch in Dublin has turned into a colossal refund nightmare.
Political pressure forced Brooks to call off the five consecutive concerts, which were scheduled for late July in the 82,000-capacity Croke Park.
A backlash by residents in the densely populated area resulted in a vote by the Dublin City Council to allow only the first three concerts, calling the “scale, magnitude and number” of the gigs unprecedented.
Not even local heroes U2 has attempted to schedule five consecutive nights.
Brooks, who billed the concerts as a “comeback special,” is coming out of retirement after retiring from touring in 2000. He had sold 400,000 tickets to the five concerts. He performed two consecutive concerts at Croke Park in 1997 and played a series of shows during a residency at Wynn Las Vegas that started in December 2009.
Brooks said in a statement last week that he would play five shows or none.
“To choose which shows to do and which shows not to do, would be like asking to choose one child over another,” he said.
The promoter, Peter Aiken, announced that no concerts would take place, saying a compromise attempts failed.
HERSHISER READY TO MOVE?
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitching star Orel Hershiser might be moving from the broadcast booth to a big league front office job. Hershiser, a Las Vegas resident, was asked last week in Denver whether he would be willing to run a major big league club.
“It would have to be an ideal situation, and challenging,” he told the Denver Post.
Asked whether he would consider taking over the struggling Colorado Rockies, Hershiser declined to answer.
Hershiser, 55, served as special assistant to the general manager for the Texas Rangers and was pitching coach for three seasons.
According to the Post, Hershiser has been a managerial candidate twice and turned down an offer to become general manager of a team in the east because he preferred working in the west.
He is in his first year as TV analyst for the Dodgers.
The former ESPN baseball analyst married Las Vegan Dana Deaver at Red Rock Resort in December 2010.
MEDIA UPDATE
Mercedes Martinez of the Mark and Mercedes morning team at KMXB-FM (Mix 94.1), is returning to Las Vegas today after a two-week vacation in Europe. She and her husband, Matt Bolt, and their two daughters, were in Germany during most of the World Cup. When Germany raced to a 5-0 lead over Brazil at the half Tuesday, she tweeted “The Germans want us to stay for good luck.” …
Max Jacobson, the longtime Las Vegas food and wine journalist who suffered serious head injuries when struck by a vehicle in December, has transferred from Denver’s Craig Hospital to a Nebraska rehabilitation facility.
SIGHTINGS
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, with friends from Cleveland and Miami during dinner at Lavo (Palazzo) on Monday. Later James and Wade went to Marquee nightclub’s Boom Box Room, where James’ personal DJ, Steph Floss, the official DJ of the Cleveland Cavaliers, moved into the DJ booth and played some of the NBA star’s favorite songs. James is in Las Vegas weighing his free agent options and conducting his basketball camp. … Illusionist Penn Jillette, ordering chili and wings at Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen &Bar on Tuesday at The Quad. Afterward he signed a plate for the restaurant wall. … UFC legend Chuck Liddell, dining at Bonanno’s New York Pizzeria at Mandalay Bay on Friday.
THE PUNCH LINE
“Today was the annual Running of the Bulls in Spain. So if you’re sick of all the fake injuries at the World Cup, get ready for some real ones.” — Seth Meyers
Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or email him at norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke. “Norm Clarke’s Vegas,” airs Thursdays on the “Morning Blend” on KTNV-TV, Channel 13.
