Bamboozle Music Festival in Atlantic City canceled. Organizers fail to meet permit deadline.
Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, and Motionless in White were set to perform. A decision was made Friday to cancel the festival after organizers had missed a final deadline, and did not request an extension.
The plug has been pulled on Bamboozle.
Atlantic City officials said they will not be issuing final permits to the once-popular New Jersey music festival, which had been scheduled to play comeback shows at Bader Field from May 5 to 7. That’s because organizers failed to provide required paperwork — including insurance certificates and emergency evacuation and medical plans — or pay licensing and facility fees by a final deadline.
The city said it notified organizers of the cancellation after they failed to comply — or request an extension — by the April 27 deadline.
“There was an ongoing concern that we were not getting the required documents from festival organizers in a timely manner,” said Atlantic City business administrator Anthony Swan. “We asked for this information months in advance to protect the city and the taxpayers of Atlantic City. The event was fast approaching, and these issues were still unresolved.”
Festival organizer John D’Esposito did not reply to requests for comment, but the festival did post a statement on their website Friday, notifying ticket-goers that the concert would not go on.
“After extensive discussions, we have made the heartbreaking decision to cancel Bamboozle 2023,” the statement read. “An incredible amount of time, dedication, passion and hard work was invested into making this comeback a success. We appreciate everyone who supported this festival. Refunds should be requested at point of purchase.”
Once one of New Jersey’s most popular music festivals, Bamboozle’s Bader Field shows had been billed as a celebratory return. Instead they were plagued by controversy from the start. A growing chorus of ticket buyers said they felt cheated by the show’s ticketing practices. They complained that Bamboozle festival organizers used false advertising to sell pricey early bird tickets far ahead of the festival and failed to land promised big name acts. Ahead of the shows, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs had received nearly two dozen customer complaints about Bamboozle, ranging from false advertising to refund requests.
The biggest names of this year’s festival included Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, and Motionless in White.
On social media postings earlier this year, they said D’Esposito refused refund requests and trolled and cyberbullied fans who complained.
Former fans had even dubbed the festival “Scamboozle.”
In a recent interview, D’Esposito described his online antics as “tongue in cheek” — and promised the show would go on.
Founded by D’Esposito in 2002, Bamboozle had been a mainstay on the Jersey festival scene for more than 10 years. Sold-out shows at the Meadowlands Sport Complex and Asbury Park Convention Hall featured diverse bills and superstar headlines like Bon Jovi, 50 Cent, and the Foo Fighters. Although over 100,000 fans attended the festival’s final show in 2012, the festival soon fizzled over a dispute between organizers.
As late as last week, city officials said they were working with D’Esposito to meet the deadline. On Friday, they said the festival had run out of time.
“We gave them plenty of chances and ample opportunity,” said Andrew Kramer, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office of Atlantic City. “It just came time to pull the plug.”