Summit Concert cancelled Planning for next summer began last week By Paul Andrew The Whistler Resort Association, which has organized the Whistler Summit Concert series since 1996 with Whistler-Blackcomb, says it could not book additional talent for this year’s single concert featuring singer Amanda Marshall and has cancelled the annual event. A press release issued July 15 stated negotiations between Marshall’s agent and the concert promoter to secure at least two strong supporting acts that would "complement the talent of Amanda Marshall," could not be secured to ensure a strong concert line-up. There was no specific date for the summer concert but Blackcomb Mountain was mentioned as the venue. Up until July 14, independent Vancouver live music agent Paul Mercs, who had a contract to hire talent for the concert, was trying to find the right combination of performers for the show but failed to put anything together on such short notice. Many high-profile bands tour each summer but have tight schedules and have to be booked up to six months in advance. The challenge of finding three strong concert performers all free of commitment on the same date could not be met. Three concert dates for a Summit Series of concerts had been discussed: July 24, Aug. 7 and Aug. 14. However, Connie Rabold, director of media for the WRA, said the three dates were target dates for one concert, not three separate concerts as in years past. The previous three Summit Concert Series had been handled primarily by the Festivals Department at the WRA, which had been led by festivals director Maureen Douglas. Douglas left the WRA in June to pursue other interests. In addition, the WRA’s special events manager Dana Samu had left the festivals department weeks before Douglas resigned. A manager of festivals, Fiona MacGregor, was hired July 13 to replace Douglas. The WRA had no one in that position for almost six weeks while the hiring process was taking place. No announcements have been made regarding Samu’s position. Samu’s primary responsibility was organizing the Crush/Cornucopia weekend in November. The WRA says it will commence discussions immediately to set up a schedule for a Summer 2000 Summit Concert, and that advertising has been sent out to magazines for the this year’s Cornucopia.
