A Colombian concert promoter is suing Mexican pop stars RBD and their California based concert promoters Roptus Inc over four cancelled concerts, which had been due to take place in Medellin, Manizales, Bogota and Barranquilla last August.
The lawsuit seems to centre on disputes regarding what payments were due when in relation to the four shows. According to the plaintiffs, Bogota based Shows Business And Entertainment, their agreement with Roptus said that the band and their LA promoters would receive 85% of profits from ticket sales, but with a $1 million guarantee. SBE claim they were due to pay $500,000 of that guarantee on 9 Aug, before the shows began, and the same again on 21 Aug, after the shows.
They say that on 6 Aug they transferred $400,000 to the LA firm, but that before they could pay the difference for what was due on 9 Aug they were suddenly told by Roptus that another $500,000 would now be required by 10 Aug, ie before the shows. SBE say they considered that demand to be in breach of contract, and refused to make any more payments until the smatter was resolved. Roptus said that decision was in breach of contact, and pulled the shows.
SBE claim that they had spent $700,000 promoting and preparing for the shows by the time they were cancelled. They also accuse Roptus boss Guillermo Rosas of being in breach of the confidentiality clause in the two companies' contract by going on Colombian radio and blaming SBE for the cancelling of the gigs, alleging they had failed to make payments on time, and that the band were concerned about the way the SBE shows were being produced.
SBE launched its legal proceedings last month. Roptus are yet to respond.