Veteran singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek is trying to get back to a normal career after last year's long-standing, mostly one-sided beef with the War on Drugs. Now, he's had a set cancelled at Ottawa's CityFolk Festival.
On Kozelek's tour page, he claims his CityFolk appearance on September 19 was, "CANCELLED DUE TO UNORGANIZED PROMOTERS." He also shared three news articles circling in on different issues that have plagued folk promoter Mark Monahan, including one about a stage collapse during a Cheap Trick show in 2011.
Kozelek didn't offer much more info about the cancellation, but Monahan opened up to the Ottawa Sun [via Stereogum], calling the situation "unusual and unfortunate" and claiming that everything had been "blown out of proportion."
Monahan claims festival organizers contacted Kozelek to discuss the details of his visit, and Kozelek responded with a profanity-laced rant. "And because we have multiple people contacting him about transportation and catering and stage management, he's suggesting that we're disorganized," Monahan added.
Further, he says that Kozelek demanded the show be cancelled. "My response to him was that he cancelled the show and he's free to make any comment he wants to," Monahan said.
UPDATE (9/16, 7:45 p.m.): Kozelek has since released the following statement over the dispute. "Mark says to look forward to his version of Dream Police by Cheap Trick at Sun Kil Moon's show in Toronto on September 21 and that he wishes Cityfolk and their many, many, many, many, many, many, many staff members the best!", adding, "[Kozelek] was looking forward to maple donuts with Mark Monahan at Tim Horton's and seeing Van Morrison sing Oh The Warm Feeling to thousands of people in yellow raincoats but it will have to wait for another time."
On Kozelek's tour page, he claims his CityFolk appearance on September 19 was, "CANCELLED DUE TO UNORGANIZED PROMOTERS." He also shared three news articles circling in on different issues that have plagued folk promoter Mark Monahan, including one about a stage collapse during a Cheap Trick show in 2011.
Kozelek didn't offer much more info about the cancellation, but Monahan opened up to the Ottawa Sun [via Stereogum], calling the situation "unusual and unfortunate" and claiming that everything had been "blown out of proportion."
Monahan claims festival organizers contacted Kozelek to discuss the details of his visit, and Kozelek responded with a profanity-laced rant. "And because we have multiple people contacting him about transportation and catering and stage management, he's suggesting that we're disorganized," Monahan added.
Further, he says that Kozelek demanded the show be cancelled. "My response to him was that he cancelled the show and he's free to make any comment he wants to," Monahan said.
UPDATE (9/16, 7:45 p.m.): Kozelek has since released the following statement over the dispute. "Mark says to look forward to his version of Dream Police by Cheap Trick at Sun Kil Moon's show in Toronto on September 21 and that he wishes Cityfolk and their many, many, many, many, many, many, many staff members the best!", adding, "[Kozelek] was looking forward to maple donuts with Mark Monahan at Tim Horton's and seeing Van Morrison sing Oh The Warm Feeling to thousands of people in yellow raincoats but it will have to wait for another time."