More drama as Flo Rida’s whistlestop Australia tour is postponed
Flo Rida was keen to “party with Australian family” next week when his tour kicked off in celebration of his decade-old Low album. But the party isn’t going to happy anytime soon after the run was scaled down and pushed back to next year. There’s always drama when Flo comes to Australia.
The American hip-hop artist was booked to play headline dates in Brisbane and Melbourne and perform at Shaun White’s Air + Style festival in Sydney, which crashed before getting off the ground, leaving “a gap in the tour that was unable to be filled due to scheduling issues,” promoter MJR Presents says in a statement.
Today, MJR rescheduled Flo’s show at Melbourne’s The Forum to Jan. 17 (originally July 31), and Brisbane’s Eaton Hills Hotel (originally Aug. 2) the following night. Refunds are offered to ticketholders.
There’s no show in Sydney, and no time to squeeze one in between Melbourne and Brisbane. There’s barely time for sleep. Maybe Flo doesn’t need much of it.
Flo has a storied history with Australian audiences. Back in 2011, the rapper (real name is Tramar Dillard) was a no show at Fat As Butter, a situation which, for those following it, read like a comedy sketch and ended in farce.
Thousands were left disappointed, none more so than the promoters, Mothership Music, who were told the tardy performer would make it for showtime. He didn’t. “Flo Rida has slept in and will not be able to make the concert,” organisers told the audience.
Watch Flo Rida’s video for ‘Sweet Sensation’ below:
The rapper, who was paid $55,000 to perform, reportedly didn’t want to make the drive from Newcastle to Sydney. He did, however, honour his commitments to appear at the Melbourne leg of Supafest and at the Logies in the following days.
Then came the lawsuits, but it was the nature of their delivery which made global headlines. Legals were unable to serve Flo with a summons and other vital court documents so, after getting permission in the NSW District Court, they served on him and his management via Facebook.
In the end, a judge upheld Flo’s assertion that Facebook was not an appropriate way to issue a summons and he dodged paying nearly $400,000 in damages. Mothership Music dispensed with the formalities when they labelled Flo a “prime dickhead” and the organisation entered voluntary liquidation in 2013.
Flo Rida alerted his 17 million Facebook followers to his postponed Australian dates. “AUSTRALIA! Sadly, I won’t be making it downunder to party with you later this month due to the cancellation of Air + Style in Sydney.
“We have had to move the Melbourne & Brisbane shows til next year, so hold on to your tickets which will still be valid for each show,” reads a statement on his socials.
This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.
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