Singer dumped from festival

Sharon O'Neill

Saturday's Summer Music Festival at Marsden Cove has hit a bum note for some fans due to Sharon O'Neill being dumped from the line-up at short notice.

Organiser Lee Colvin denies that O'Neill, once dubbed "Queen of New Zealand pop", has been pulled because of financial reasons.

Ms Colvin confirmed she terminated the arrangement with O'Neill 10 days ago for "a number of reasons", including that O'Neill had her arm in a sling after breaking her elbow. O'Neill, on the other hand, is reeling from being cancelled as she shared top billing with The Narcs.

"The day a broken arm affects my voice I will eat one of my hats," she said. "I'm not in a cast, just a sling, rock'n'roll black and decorated accordingly with my faves ... skulls and such."

In a press release O'Neill said: "If any of you bought tickets to the Ruakaka Magic Tyres Summer Music Festival to hear my songs, then thank you so much but I have to tell you it is not a 'Magic' time for me. I was the first act to be taken off the bill due to lack of finance by the promoter/s. This is an enormous disappointment for me and my band as we were dropped from the line-up with unfair notice.

"My apologies to you but the apologies, and any refunds necessary, should come from the promoter/s of this festival. We will still rock on ... All the best Sharon."

But Ms Colvin is downplaying the situation and said the second festival of its kind is on track for success, with "tickets flying out the door".

"Sharon [O'Neill] is not a massive loss," she said.

"There are a lot of rumours going round but please ignore them. It's not about money.

"We have changed the line-up, we've added a couple of reggae acts because we think they're a better fit for Northland."

That "fit" now includes The Narcs, reggae band Trible Conexions, blues band Kokomo, local singers Terina Kahle and first-time festival performer Kahuna Jack, and others.

Several of O'Neill's backing band, the All Stars, including Liam Ryan from The Narcs, are already in other bands performing on the day.

Anyone who bought tickets especially to see Australian-based O'Neill would be refunded, Ms Colvin said.

Ms Colvin said she had fully paid O'Neill and other dumped performers but O'Neill's New Zealand manager Aly Cook, from the alt-rock-country band Sou'Westers - also canned from the festival - said only part of their fee has been paid.

About 50 people have commented on Ms O'Neill's Facebook page about her being dumped at short notice.