Poor ticket sales force Final Fling of Homecoming to downsize

Published on Thursday 12 November 2009 20:52

A SERIES of rock concerts organised as the grand finale of the Scottish Government's Year of Homecoming is to be scaled down, due to a lack of interest.

Three major concerts at the SECC in Glasgow that make up Homecoming Live: The Final Fling will be rescheduled into smaller halls within the complex following poor ticket sales.

Organisers claimed last night that the 28 November concerts had been shifted for "artistic reasons", but admitted ticket sales had been a factor.

Despite the poor sales for the Final Fling.The Scottish Government also insisted that the Year of Homecoming was an "enormous success".

The changes, which will affect Scottish acts including Deacon Blue, Hue and Cry, Eddi Reader and Evelyn Glennie – are being seen as a major embarrassment for SNP ministers. Promoter Geoff Ellis said he would be making a "significant loss" on the shows. He added that the perceived "politicisation" of the events, as well as the recession, had affected sales.

Since the programme of 400 events was launched to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, the SNP has been accused of using the celebrations to further the nationalist cause.

News of the venue changes comes after the centrepiece Homecoming event, the Gathering in Edinburgh, incurred a reported 600,000 loss, 300,000 of which has been paid off by public bodies.

Mr Ellis, head of DF Concerts, organiser of the concerts, as well as the successful T in the Park festival, said he was convinced that, by moving the music gigs to smaller venues, the atmosphere would be better for those who attended, because they would not be confronted with empty seats and empty spaces.

He said: "The reality is that ticket sales are not as good as we would have liked. But I think the atmosphere will now be much better than it would have been.

"There's nothing better than being in a full venue for a concert. My bank manager will not be happy, but for the audience the experience will be great."