This video, hot off the Punk Outlaw Press, tells the real story of what went on behind the scenes after the Black Cat Entertainment produced “Valentine’s Ball 2012” by long time, questionable promoter Rich Vreede. Since our story first aired last week, bands and people have come out of the woodwork to report their shady dealings with Vreede with claims that he owes them money, some from as long as 3 years ago.
At the Valentine’s Ball it appears no less than half a dozen people were left holding the bag with Vreede and Black Cat owing money which looks to amount to around at least $14K or so total, an amount that appears only barely possible to make based on the business model of the concert ($20 or so per ticket, 700 or so people.. do the math). So the question remains, if Vreede knew he’d probably never even be able to break even much less make any $ based on simple math, why did he proceed with the concert anyway? hmmm? Something maybe the State Attorney General’s office should be asking yes?
Not to mention our agreement for a “loan” to him called for “first re-payment” before bands or anyone else got paid (a very common structure for business loans). As it turns out that “first payment” had also been promised to another “investor” who had his accounting folks collect money at the door that evening.
As you know, there can only be one “1st” so that fact alone, if true, would lead us to assume that Vreede willfully and knowingly committed what is known as “fraud”. Unfortunately there are so many breaches of our contract with Black Cat by Vreede that I can’t even list them all here, but patience my friends, we will… along with all back up emails, contract details and information we’ve learned since this story broke on the morning of 2/13/12.
BTW had Vreede held to his word that we were ONLY supplying a loan for a venue deposit that was “guaranteed returned” the night of the concert in cash, not only would we have been paid back, but there would have been plenty of money to pay bands as well. But the way the concert was run, there was no shot of anyone getting paid, and it looks like Vreede, a guy whose been in the promotions biz for over 10 years, would have known that going in.
To keep up on the latest be sure and check www.ScumbagPromoter.com for all the latest details and be sure and sign the petition so that we can finally put a stop to this long line of misery it appears has been perpetrated by Rich Vreede of Black Cat Entertainment and other morally challenged promoters over the years. And if you think Petitions are for pussies, you are wrong. It’s a shame some people have chosen to
Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, or so it says in it’s tourism propaganda. I say it’s time it started acting like it don’t you? Leave the concert promotion to the MANY honest, hard working promoters and folks who abide by their contracts and do what they say and let the shady, unemployed, dishonest scumbag promoters get an honest job at the nearest fast food joint (And BTW nothing at all wrong with that line of honest work). But please, just don’t let them run the cash register.
Remember to sign the petition at www.scumbagpromoter.com
Valentine's Ball Band "Evil Devil" with Rich Vreede (Striped Shirt, Far Right)