More Trouble in Denton County Proper: Here We Go Magic, Eleanor Friedberger Shows Canceled

By Daniel Hopkins Wed., Nov. 2 2011 at 3:32 PM

Here We Go Magic won't be performing in Denton this weekend.

It looks like the trouble with Matthew Gray's Denton County Proper that we mentioned just days ago was only the beginning. It seems that Gray, the lead singer of the critically acclaimed Denton band, Matthew And The Arrogant Sea, and the owner of Denton County Proper, the recent upstart booking and promotional company, is canceling shows just as fast as he booked them.

Yesterday evening, New York's Here We Go Magic, who were set to play a highly anticipated show at Hailey's Club in Denton this Saturday, November 5, announced on their Facebook wall that the show is canceled. Denton County Proper was putting on the show. Here's what the band wrote:

DENTON/DFW fans, bummed and VERY SORRY to say that we will no longer be playing at Hailey's on Nov 5. This is due to issues beyond our control, and please know that we will be back to Dallas and/or Denton as soon as possible!!! Much love to all!

The cancelation comes as a shock as Gray, on Monday, promised the show would go on. DC9 At Night reached out to Jim Romeo, the band's booking agent, to find out more about the cancellation, to which he responded, "It's been canceled for the same reasons Matthew Gray's other shows have been canceled." Romeo added, "I was told by Eleanor [Friedberger]'s agent that her show [at Andy's Bar on November 11] is canceled. Also, after talking with the agents for Low [and] Akron Family, who were supposed to do a date in February of 2012, I know they are not moving forward with those shows."

Hailey's Club owner, Jerry Taylor, offered some insight as to why the John Oates show also scheduled for this weekend at Hailey's was cancelled. He received a phone call last Friday from one of Oates' representatives looking for payment. "He was supposed to remiss half of his booking fee back in August," Taylor says he was told. "'We haven't got it.'" Seems that unpaid guarantees to bands are at the root of the problem.

Emails and phone calls to Gray have gone unreturned at press time, but his band has already publicly addressed the matter.

Gray's own band is distancing themselves from him. A recent post on their Facebook wall says:

Message To Our Fans And Business Associates

Denton, TX - November 1, 2011 - To our friends and fans, venues, booking agents, and Denton-dwellers, it has come to our attention the recent events involving Matthew Gray and Denton County Proper. Please be advised that the band, Matthew & The Arrogant Sea, has no affiliation with Denton County Proper. We hope that these recent events have not tarnished our name or in any way implicated our involvement with DCP, as Matthew Gray acted independently from the band. We love Denton and hope you love us for our music. We will continue to serve our fans and call Denton home.

Thank you. Sincerely, Matthew & The Arrogant Sea

Location Info

Venue

Map

Hailey's

122 Mulberry St., Denton, TX

Category: Music

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Andy's Bar, Denton County Proper, Hailey's Club, Here We Go Magic, Matthew Gray

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Prekindle, LLC

Anyone who had purchased a ticket via Prekindle for any of the canceled shows will receive a full refund including the service fee. In some instances it may take a few days for the credit to appear on your credit card statement but in most cases the credit appears within 48 hours of our receiving notification of an event's cancellation. We appreciate each and every one of you who purchases a ticket from us and share in your disappointment that these shows aren't happening as we were looking forward to attending them as well.

Drammyqwww

So has everyone finally learned their lesson regarding dealing with Matthew - and at this point, his band, too?

FairWeather234

So has everyone finally learned their lesson regarding dealing with Matthew - and at this point, his band, too?

What does that mean?

DO NOT HIRE HUNTER HAUK

sorry you have to deal with this.

Anonymous

can't believe anyone trusted this guy after the $6,000,000 record deal debacle a few years ago. Gray has a clear history of very public, very unbelievable lies. The fact that venues and music fans in DFW trusted him after that may be the most unbelievable part of it all

Rob

Well I think the whole record deal thing was more of a local story and all these bands are national acts so I doubt they knew who they were getting involved with until it was too late.

Robertyeinect@gmail.com

You must not be aware of his role in booking shows for larger venues around Denton over the past few years... That's what Evan is talking about.

Not-so illusions of grandeurRobert

Evan

I don't even understand this though - at least there's some degree of posturing and dick-waving in saying you got a huge record deal. But booking nationals in Denton only to have them cancel doesn't build the city, the clubs, or Gray; and if he no-shows the first thing he booked at RGRS and gets called out, he's damn sure not making any money. It's almost as if he tried to be a real life internet troll in the realm of booking.

Chris

Huge bummer but not really surprising

Crazyyy_Girls_90

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Caleb

Yeah seriously, come come? I had tickets for three of those shows including The Akron Family/Low Show, which I was really anticipating. Someone needs to take it somewhere else.

don't expect to get refunded.

Caleb

I got refunded for the Oats show, Nothing from Here we go magic though. Bullshit.

Kelly D

Ok, Tactics or Spune or someone reputable needs to call Low and keep them in the Metroplex on that date. Been dying to see them and I don't want this screwing that up.

Sean Dove

Seriously. I was looking forward to seeing Low more than any other upcoming show. Would be great if someone can un-fuck this.