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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think Adele’s been shockingly unprofessional?

664 replies

AngeloMysterioso · 22/01/2022 08:31

Adele was due to start a Las Vegas residency at Caesar’s Palace this weekend and cancelled the entire thing less than 24 hours ahead of time, saying they weren’t ready for a number of different reasons.

FIL had bought tickets to the opening night for himself and MIL as a 40th wedding anniversary present, they had pretty much just checked into their hotel when she announced it wasn’t going ahead, and the cost of that and their flights is now money down the drain. DH and I and BIL and SIL were planning on taking them away for a family weekend at Easter but have instead offered to pay for travel and accommodation when (if?) it gets rescheduled.

I get that covid is fucking a lot of things up for a lot of people, but surely they could have faced reality a bit sooner? Even one more day’s notice would have saved so many people taking flights and checking into hotel rooms that they could have rebooked or been refunded for.

OP posts:
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SpiceRat · 22/01/2022 08:54

Agree with most posters. Over the years she has become less about the music and more about the dramatics and money. I work in events, they would have known well in advance they wouldn’t be able to pull the show together in time. What also gets me is, why cancel the whole residency? Some things aren’t in place, ok, cancel a month and get your fucking house in order. But the dramatics win every time.

She lost my respect when she released her last album on vinyl, double lp with only 3 songs on each side. During a time when wax is limited, she produced a product “for the fans” with huge blank spaces on each side just to get a bit more money out of people. Absolutely grim way of treating her fans and other musicians.

Im2022 · 22/01/2022 08:54

I watched her clip because it kept popping up on my feed. So dumb. What the hell did they need preparation for? She’s a singer. All she needs is a mic and some music, was that so hard to organise? And the crying and ugly nails. So pathetic especially when there are more important things happening in the world. Hate it when celebs are so out of touch.
There’s no way they didn’t realise a week or more ago that they weren’t ready. Being awake for 30 hours, meant they knew at least 2 days earlier. Really bad.

MrsTrumpton · 22/01/2022 08:54

Also, Covid absences aside, do you honestly think Adele's management and Caesar's Palace between them couldn't overcome the delivery issues? She's Adele! She's worth £160million! You pull in every favour, you make it happen. And surely the stage should've been built already for rehearsals 30 hours before going live? What kind of deliveries were so crucial to the staging that they weren't in place weeks ago?

Sorry, but it all seems very fishy to me, and I say that as a huge Adele fan who paid the equivalent of a monthly mortgage payment to see her perform in London a few years ago.

PollyIndia · 22/01/2022 08:55

I call bullshit. She is Adele. You are telling me if her sound and lighting guys are down with covid, she can’t pull people in. Fans would love a pared back performance, just her and the piano.
In times like these, you have to think on your feet and make changes. I’ve had to
In my business constantly. You think Adele couldn’t pull a show together last minute if she wanted to? She didn’t want to - maybe nerves or her throat, who knows. But I’d put money on that being it. And I feel sorry for the people who’ve spent money on it.

Hollyhead · 22/01/2022 08:55

YANBU if she’s really that talented she could just do a pared back version - even just her and a few musicians.

Lockheart · 22/01/2022 08:55

If you really think it's Adele as an individual making this decision then you're not very bright.

There'll be a team of management and probably lawyers behind it. They'll be losing a lot of money over this. It's hardly a "whoops we're disorganised, oh well fuck the fans and hang the consequence" decision.

It's shit but that's covid for you.

RedToothBrush · 22/01/2022 08:55

@LakieLady

I have a friend who's a roadie and has worked on some really big tours. From stories he's told, it seems it's always on a knife edge whether everything will be ready in time for the first date of a tour, they have literally been rigging lighting as people are coming in the door before now. As staging gets more elaborate and more complex, it gets worse and worse.

If stuff hasn't been delivered on time, and crew have suddenly gone down with Covid, I don't see what else they could have done, tbh. I suspect that they were hoping that kit would arrive and that they could get crew at the last minute.

It was dreadfully short notice, and I really feel for those who've been disappointed and lost money, but in uncertain times where every other damn thing is disrupted, it's bound to happen with big shows occasionally.

You mean like the Rolling Stone who have some of the biggest tours going...

... How many shows have they ever cancelled? Apparently its two. Once when Jagger had heart surgery and once when his GF killed herself.

So nope. Not buying it.

Ive been around enough roadies and bands generally. Yes it can be tight but you also put in contingencies as part of your planning. Your priority is safety, then consideration for the fans.

I suspect that many fans would have been ok with a stripped down show at discount rather than not seeing her at all.

PollyIndia · 22/01/2022 08:55

Exactly mrstrumpton

Sparklingbrook · 22/01/2022 08:56

And yes, it's gone from a tour with several dates to a tour playing in Glasgow, Sheffield and London only. Pretty shabby

My colleague at work was telling me all about this. Does the scramble for tickets start on Monday?

BubbleBanana · 22/01/2022 08:57

Apparently it was because “half her team and crew” have covid. This was clearly predictable many weeks back and could’ve been postponed earlier.

It’s a thoroughly disgusting display of greed that they would attempt to put together a concert during a peak covid wave. She must have known that there was a 100% chance of fans contracting covid because it’s obvious that vaccines don’t work that well against Omicron and many tests are unreliable. But they still pushed ahead with prep until so many crew members got sick that it could no longer continue. No sympathy whatsoever.

LSLLM · 22/01/2022 08:57

@AlternativePerspective

Apparently Harry Styles has done similar. Has cancelled an entire tour and told his fans they can have priority tickets for the replacement one. Except that instead of 8 tour dates there are now only 3.
I’ve been reading the cost of the new tickets is more than the bloody original 😅

It is shoddy. I do understand if it’s serious injuries or illness but Adele seems to be at it.

MrsTrumpton · 22/01/2022 09:02

Also, let's not forget the residency is Fri and Sat night only every weekend. It's not for weeks and weeks uninterrupted. So why not cancel the first weekend and get ready for next week's instead? I just think she's got cold feet/stage fright and mentally can't do it. But if she admits that, her management will struggle to get her insurance to pay out and for her to be covered for future tours.

Eesha · 22/01/2022 09:02

Adele actually really gets on my nerves these days, she's gone all Hollyweird generally and actually I think her music feels so dated.

user1471548941 · 22/01/2022 09:03

OP for your MIL I would recommend tickets to Cirque du Soleil as another option. O is breathtaking, Mystere is beautiful too!

MarshmallowFondant · 22/01/2022 09:04

What I meant about the Styles cancellations in the UK is that they were completely unavoidable as we were in lockdown and gigs were just not going ahead. No option.

Adele and her team had lots of options. The USA is not in lockdown. Blaming Covid is convenient. I'm also not sure I buy the "we're not ready" nonsense either, Adele is one of the biggest acts in the world with access to the best people who spend their career putting on events like this and who are all over every eventuality - including people getting Covid.

I think it's more "I don't need the money, I have just made £££ off my latest album, and I don't fancy doing it. Soz".

Theluggage15 · 22/01/2022 09:04

If you don’t think it’s just Adele as an individual making the decision you’re not very bright. Covid for 3 months!! Wow she’s discovered a new variant!

ttcstinks · 22/01/2022 09:04

What I don't understand is why all the shows are cancelled? Why not just cancel the first few?

RainbowZebraWarrior · 22/01/2022 09:04

The thing is, Adele is a hugely emotional person. Obvious by the 'devastation' she feels when her relationships break up. These dysfunctional breaks ups fuel the painful songs for each album. It's kind of how her life works. It feels quite alien to me that she is so utterly obsessed with heartbreak and makes her music all about this. I think she is a deeply troubled individual, and as such is more likely to over react.

So things went a bit wrong, she absolutely lost the plot ant called the whole lot off. It's a highly strung mentality. And self absorbed as others have said making the sobbing video all about herself.

Fantastic voice, but her drama is too much for me.

insancerre · 22/01/2022 09:04

Whatever happened to the show must go on?
Florence and the machine stood in for the foo fighters at Glastonbury, plenty of other bands and singers have still carried on despite setbacks
And that video was just cringey

RedToothBrush · 22/01/2022 09:04

@Lockheart

If you really think it's Adele as an individual making this decision then you're not very bright.

There'll be a team of management and probably lawyers behind it. They'll be losing a lot of money over this. It's hardly a "whoops we're disorganised, oh well fuck the fans and hang the consequence" decision.

It's shit but that's covid for you.

If you think its professional to put out a statement saying shows are cancelled in a video where you are crying your eyes out, you are not very bright.

The emotional drama and the attitude that goes with it, is marketing in its own right. How do you polish a dog turd? Cry your eyes out, moan about how you have been awake for 30 years and hope this puts off fans from being litigious because it plays on the fans sense of loyalty. Loyalty thats completely one way.

Its PR. She's been put up to it by her team. You know her team who jointly decided not just to cancel the show but also how best to break the news...

NuffSaidSam · 22/01/2022 09:05

@ttcstinks

What I don't understand is why all the shows are cancelled? Why not just cancel the first few?
I think they are postponed rather than cancelled?
Potpourri23 · 22/01/2022 09:06

@RainbowZebraWarrior

The thing is, Adele is a hugely emotional person. Obvious by the 'devastation' she feels when her relationships break up. These dysfunctional breaks ups fuel the painful songs for each album. It's kind of how her life works. It feels quite alien to me that she is so utterly obsessed with heartbreak and makes her music all about this. I think she is a deeply troubled individual, and as such is more likely to over react.

So things went a bit wrong, she absolutely lost the plot ant called the whole lot off. It's a highly strung mentality. And self absorbed as others have said making the sobbing video all about herself.

Fantastic voice, but her drama is too much for me.

This!
Blinky21 · 22/01/2022 09:06

Can't bear Adele and don't get the national obsession with her. She should have cancelled a week ago, there's no way she didn't know then the liklihood she'd have to cancel and like PP can't believe they can't rustle up staff in Vegas to step in

MarshmallowFondant · 22/01/2022 09:07

The thing is, Adele is a hugely emotional person

A bit of a drama queen, you mean?

PurplePi · 22/01/2022 09:07

Whatever happened to the old adage “The show must go on”?