Breaking news,Refund issues over Jackson gigs

Refund issues over Jackson gigs

The singer had been due to start a series of concerts in London in July

Ticketholders for the sell-out Michael Jackson concerts at London's O2 from July should now get their money back.

Fifty shows - due to start on 13 July and set up as his big comeback dates in the UK - sold out rapidly from official ticket sellers.

Fans who bought directly should now get a full refund, although it is a gloomier picture for those who bought from a third party.

If no terms and conditions applied then these buyers have no legal rights.

Your rights

Anyone who bought tickets directly from the O2, or from agencies connected to the tour should get a refund or possibly an exchange for another event as stated in their terms and conditions.

YOUR RIGHTS Tickets bought direct should stipulate a refund in the terms and conditions Established agencies should also have a refund policy in their terms and conditions No legal rights exist for those buying from private sellers

Ticketholders should check their confirmation e-mail for the name of the ticketing company through which the tickets were bought. This shows who they should make their claim to. Most actual tickets had not yet been sent out.

A representative for concert organiser AEG Live said an announcement could be made on Friday.

"At this time our thoughts are with Michael's children, family and friends. We will announce ticketing details in due course."

A statement from official ticket seller Ticketmaster said: "Ticketmaster is aware of the news relating to Michael Jackson. We have no official information at this stage.

"As soon as we have any information we will immediately contact all customers who have booked tickets through Ticketmaster or GET ME IN!"

However the terms and conditions on its website state that a refund of the ticket and any booking fee should be given if an event is cancelled.

But Tony Northcote, of the Trading Standards Institute, said that the picture was a little more opaque for those buying from elsewhere.

If these tickets were sold on by established agencies then terms and conditions offering a refund for cancellation should again be in place.

Examples of such refunds came with cancellations of shows such as when Amy Winehouse pulled out of a tour in 2007.

Private sellers

But if tickets were bought from private sellers on the internet or in person then no terms and conditions are stipulated and so the buyer does not have any set legal rights.

The concerts were sold out extremely quickly

In this case, the best ticketholders can hope for is a friendly agreement with the seller to be handed their money back. The seller could then apply for their money from whomever they bought the tickets from.

Ticket exchange business Seatwave.com have announced that it will refund any tickets bought through its website.

"We are all saddened by the news of Michael Jackson's death. All customers who purchased tickets for his O2 shows from Seatwave are covered by our TicketCover guarantee and will get a full refund," said chief executive Joe Cohen.

"We advise customers to use the website rather than our phone lines to obtain this information."

The auction website eBay is advising people who have bought tickets on the site to contact the sellers to ask for a refund. If they bought using Paypal, they can get their money back if the purchase was made during the last 45 days.

It said it was working to remove live auctions of Jackson tickets from its site, although hundreds remained on the site during Friday morning.

"Any existing bids will be cancelled," a spokeswoman said.

Anyone who spent more than £100 on tickets using their credit card, or often a Visa or Mastercard debit card, can apply to their card provider for compensation if all else fails.

Mr Northcote warned that previous experience suggested that some websites that "promised" tickets to fans for a fee could now disappear.

Last summer saw a spate of incidents where unofficial ticket agencies failed to deliver tickets to music fans.

Graham Burns, of the Association of Secondary Ticket Agents, said the association had drawn up a code of conduct for legitimate agents which included a refund policy.

Some large tour operators sold package deals including a ticket, hotel and transport. Once they have received refunds from promoters, they will pass them onto consumers.

Thomson Experience said that it expected many customers would replace their Jackson tickets with tickets to other West End shows.

Hot tickets

Tickets for the London shows, promoted by AEG Live, sold at at a rate of 11 per second, 657 per minute and nearly 40,000 an hour.

Fans from as far afield as Japan, Belgium and Dubai queued to purchase their tickets, priced at between £50 and £75. The latest issue of tickets went on sale on Monday. Some 800,000 tickets had been sold.

The concerts were also set to be an enormous corporate event, with Swarovski crystals having recently announced they were teaming up with the star.

Corporate tickets - called the Thriller Package - were on sale for up to £790 and included a champagne reception, seats close to the front and an after-show party.

Dave Newton, of WeGotTickets, said that the Jackson shows' turnover represented a significant chunk of the annual turnover of live gigs in the UK. Refunds would also cost agencies to administer.

"We have not seen anything like this before," he said.

Breaking news,Glastonbury tribute for Jackson

Glastonbury tribute for Jackson

Cilmi was not born when Billie Jean was originally released

Teenage Australian singer Gabriella Cilmi has become the first artist to pay tribute to Michael Jackson on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival.

During her performance of her hit single Sweet About Me, the 17-year-old slipped in a few lines from his hit song Billie Jean to cheers from fans.

Other bands playing over the weekend are expected to honour singer Jackson, who has died at the age of 50.

Festival organiser Emily Eavis called him a "truly great artist".

She added: "There will be tributes all over the site, all weekend".

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis added: "You realise what a fantastic legend we've lost, the like of which we can't really replace.

"As an exponent of song and dance, no-one came close."

Dave McCabe, singer with The Zutons, told the BBC more cover versions are inevitable: "Hopefully, because he's got good songs and it's always a winner."

Michael Eavis: "He will be so sadly missed"

A Glastonbury spokesman said there was nothing formal planned to mark Jackson's death, but said: "A lot of the performers will be talking about it during their sets".

Many festival-goers learned of the news late last night as DJs scattered around the festival site began playing Jackson tracks.

One fan said: "They started playing loads of his music and we thought, 'Oh, that's really strange' and then someone said, 'Michael Jackson's dead' and we were like, 'No way'."

Another reveller added: "Everyone thought it was a joke at first - then people started watching the news and saw it was true."

"Knocked sideways"

BBC Radio 1 presenter Jo Whiley is at the festival site and noted a muted mood at Worthy farm on Friday morning.

Refund issues over Jackson gigs

She said US artists performing later today, such as the Black Eyed Peas and NERD, would be "knocked sideways" by the news of Jackson's death.

She added: "Everybody will be celebrating the music of Michael Jackson. You can guarantee tonight there will be loads and loads of Jacko coming out of sound systems here."

Crossing boundaries

Tommy Bowen, keyboard player for the band White Lies, who play the Other Stage on Friday, said most of the bands playing the festival "can't help but be touched by what's happened".

He added: "He's such an influential artist, I think many of the people here have been brought up on Michael Jackson.

"His music crosses musical boundaries, it's a big shock."

I'd like to remember him for his music David Dawson

Felix White, from The Maccabees, who are also playing Glastonbury's Other Stage, agreed but claimed Jackson's death leaves him with mixed feelings.

He told BBC 6 Music: "It's weird because you kind of feel that he seemed so unable to cope with the world that, you don't want to say that's it's a blessing in disguise, but it's hard to know how to feel about it."

Several stalls are now selling T-shirts printed with Jackson-related slogans including, "Jacko RIP 1958-2009" and "I was at Glasto when Jacko died".

David Dawson, who is DJing on one of the smaller stages, said he bought one at "about 3 this morning".

He added: "I'd like to remember him for his music."

Artists including Lily Allen, Lady GaGa and Neil Young will play at the festival later on Friday.

Breaking news,World reacts to Jackson death

World reacts to Jackson death

BBC correspondents report on reaction from cities around the world

With the death of pop star Michael Jackson at the age of 50, BBC correspondents report on the reaction around the world.

NKEM IFEJIKA, NEW YORK

Above the entrance of the Apollo Theater in Harlem the neon sign reads: "In Memory of Michael Jackson, a true Apollo Legend, 1958 - 2009."

At least 2,000 people have gathered outside spontaneously, blocking the pavement in front and opposite the famous venue. The overwhelming spirit in the crowd is of jubilation, dancing, singing, blaring out hit after Michael Jackson hit.

But there are sombre pockets of people carrying lit candles. One mourner fighting back the tears, and failing, says: "I just wish he could come back."

This is Harlem, after all, often described as the heart of African-American culture. This was where, aged nine, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 got their first real break, winning Amateur Night in 1969. He returned several times over the years to perform.

The crowd transcended national barriers. One Frenchwoman says: "I know back home in Paris, my grandparents will be upset."

A Hungarian reporter spoke about what Michael Jackson meant in the 1970s and 80s in Communist Eastern Europe: "It was part of our lives behind the Iron Curtain, a symbol of freedom for us, creativity, unlimited success."

Occasional chants of "Michael, Michael, Michael" would erupt, after which another loudspeaker would play another song, pulling the crowd with it. Some wannabe moonwalkers entertained onlookers, complete with Jackson's trademark white shirt, black trousers and hat from his Billie Jean days.

STEVE ROSENBERG, BERLIN

I'm standing in the waxwork museum Madame Tussauds in Berlin where the Michael Jackson waxwork has been moved into the foyer. There is a special book of condolences which visitors can sign after coming into the museum.

The waxwork museum is almost directly opposite the Adlon hotel. This is where Michael Jackson stayed in 2002 when he came to Berlin to pick up a music award.

And it's where he very controversially dangled his own baby out of a top floor window, showing off the child to fans down below.

At the time, German police considered launching an investigation into the affair. They never did and despite the incident Michael Jackson remains supremely popular in Germany.

Reacting to the news of Michael Jackson's death the German economy minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, said the pop star had been a truly great artist who met a tragic end.

ZUBAIR AHMED, MUMBAI

Television networks in India abandoned normal programmes to run news of Michael Jackson's death.

Popular news websites and portals have wall-to-wall coverage of the pop star's death. Mourners have been posting condolence messages on their favourite websites.

The singer, who was a huge name in India, had come to Mumbai 13 years ago when he performed at a packed concert.

He was invited by a right-wing Hindu nationalist party and his visit had become controversial, with some questioning how his music was connected to Hindu culture.

Regardless of the controversy, a whole generation of Bollywood music directors have been influenced by his music.

Some have been accused of plagiarising his tunes. His dance sequences have also left a deep impression on Bollywood stars of the 70s and 80s.

NICK BRYANT, SYDNEY

On the east coast of Australia people awoke to the news that Michael Jackson had suffered a cardiac arrest, and heard that he'd died by the time they reached work.

The main television networks have been interrupting their schedules to carry special programmes, radio stations are playing some of his most popular hits, and fans are leaving tributes on web and social networking sites.

Walking through the streets of Sydney this morning, his signature song Thriller could be heard coming from passing cars.

People here are likening his death to the passing of other musical greats, such as Elvis Presley and John Lennon.

There's been a conflicted response. There's enormous respect here for his musical talent and his extraordinary stagecraft, but there's been criticism too at what many people clearly feel was a sometimes unhealthy relationship with young children.

ROLAND BUERK, TOKYO

Japanese television networks broke into normal breakfast programmes to carry coverage of Michael Jackson's death, and a text alert was sent early in the morning to people who subscribe to mobile phone news services.

The singer was a huge star in Japan - a country he visited often over the years. It was here in 2006 that he made his first official public appearance, at an awards ceremony, after being acquitted at his trial.

He came again a year later and a screaming mob of fans greeted him at the airport. There were more crowds outside a downtown electronics store where he went on a shopping spree.

And hundreds of people paid more than $3,000 for a ticket for what was known as a fan appreciation event.

It featured a buffet dinner, Michael Jackson impersonators, and a chance to be in the same room as the singer himself - but not to see him to perform.

Michael Jackson's popularity was perhaps knocked less here by the scandals that surrounded him later in life.

People in Japan seemed more willing to overlook his much-publicised troubles and see him just as a great performer, and that's how he'll be remembered.

JONAH FISHER, JOHANNESBURG

Michael Jackson first visited Africa at the age of 14, as the lead singer of the Jackson Five.

Emerging from the plane in Senegal, he responded to a welcome of drummers and dancers by screaming: ''This is where I come from''.

Returning for an African tour 19 years later, the king of pop was crowned chief of several African villages.

But the trip quickly turned into a public relations nightmare, amid allegations of police beating the crowds and complaints in the local media that the pop star had been seen holding his nose.

Michael Jackson's most tangible contribution to Africa came at the peak of his career in the mid-80s, when he co-wrote the charity song We Are The World with Lionel Ritchie.

Sung by a group of leading artists, the single topped charts around the world, raising awareness and more than $50m for famine relief in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa.