Garth Brooks 'won't back down' on pledge to play five or none
The promoter of Garth Brooks Croke Park concerts says the singer “won’t back down” from his pledge to play five concerts or none.
Speaking to ‘The Business’ on RTÉ Radio this morning, Peter Aiken of Aiken Promotions said that when he asked Brooks to consider playing three shows, the country star told him: “You know how I feel.”
Aiken added: “I don’t think he’ll back down.”
The promoter said that he has no insurance - as you cannot get insurance without a licence - and therefore his company is set to incur seven-figure costs “easy”, if all five shows are cancelled.
Brooks himself would lose “millions” if the concerts do not go ahead, he added.
Aiken said that he is willing to meet residents groups “if they want me to” and said that both Aiken Promotions and Croke Park are “working behind the scenes” to try to resolve the situation.
However, Dublin City Council said last night that the decision to reduce the number of Garth Books Concerts from five to three "cannot be amended or appealed".
Peter Aiken says a decision on what will happen will be made on Monday or Tuesday next week.
He says crews have been commissioned for five concerts and that all the equipment and set has been custom made for Croke Park and is beginning to be shipped to Ireland - so therefore moving to another venue would be difficult.
Speaking to Red FM, he said that talks are ongoing this weekend with all interested parties.
“You can’t compromise on something on this level, you know,” he said.
“He’s coming to Croke Park because he loved it when he was there 17 years ago, he’s come back, we spent a long time with him there, he’s been there with every decision, he’s been there when people didn’t know, walking every length of the pitch, looking at things.”
