MIDDLETON - The fun vibe of the Heatwave Festival has been dogged with more bad news, this time with the announcement its administrators have gone into voluntary administration and a festival organiser is registered as missing.
The Times understands there was not a break-even crowd in Middleton and the interstate tour did not generate enough income to cover the debts of the South Australian event.
Festival organiser Patrick Whyntie told entertainment website MusicFeeds the incoming proceeds will be distributed accordingly and handled by new administration who deal with the remaining creditors.
"We have taken every step to ensure this process is handled as delicately as possible," he said.
The Times was unable to establish how this affected local contractors at time of print.
Several attempts were made to contact Heatwave organisers but comment could not be sought at time of print.
The festival kicked off in Middleton on Thursday, January 12 and was marketed as a three-day camping festival. Its biggest crowd was 1500 people on Saturday, January 14, where hundreds clamoured at the stage to see the likes of Kid Cudi and Chamillionaire.
It received the support of Alexandrina Council councillor Trent Rusby, who said it was "fantastically run" and "the organisers should be congratulated for their efforts".
On January 31, an administrator on Heatwave Festival's social networking site Facebook page posted a rant in response to a lot of negative feedback on its page.
This included upsets about group D12 not arriving in time for the start of the tour, and no liquor license at the Melbourne event.
"What does our head in is some people actually think we are retarded, disorganised or tried to rip people off? We worked our f****** asses off pulling 19 hour days no sleep 'til one of us was passed out and then we switched day and night," the Facebook post said.
"Now my partner is missing and went missing for the last few days of tour which really shattered us. The media never gave us a chance and rode us into the ground...
"If we just had one, hell, even two shows they would have been perfect. F*** SA was sick.
"We did what we did with one tenth of the team other shows have for one.
"We admit we tried too much but there were things such as other promoters misleading or stealing which affected us.
"F*** we shelved $100,000 just to keep Queensland on for the fans.
"To roast us alive like this just shows why the f****** Australian festival industry is in the toilet. Rest assured we will show every last person just what we can do on a level playing field."
Patrick's partner Olivier Lokolomba/Reckom was last seen in Sydney about three weeks ago.
He is 26 years old, is five feet 10 inches tall, weighs 64 kilograms, has dark brown eyes and dark hair with a slim build and of African appearance. He speaks English and French.
Should you have any information about his whereabouts phone police on 131 444.
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