If you were unhappy with the wait to hear the Pemberton Music Festival lineup, just be happy you didn’t have plans to attend Fyre Festival in the Bahamas.
The brand new festival was organized and hosted by Ja Rule, but organized might be too generous of a word.
Expectation vs. Reality#fyre #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/U80NApajxl
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
Meant for a wealthier crowd, tickets for Fyre Fest were between $2,000 and $12,000, with the price of admission including chartered flights from Miami, private villas and yacht rides with gorgeous models.
Not to mention the promised musical acts that included Major Lazer, Blink 182, Disclosure and more.
The infrastructure was nonexistent, and the festival staff either a skeleton crew or MIA. pic.twitter.com/8Gh6NevsFI
— Iron Spike (@Iron_Spike) April 28, 2017
When guests arrived, however, they found the site to be nothing like the advertised paradise, with garbage, wild dogs and old mattresses littering the site.
So Fyre Fest is a complete disaster. Mass chaos. No organization. No one knows where to go. There are no villas, just a disaster tent city. pic.twitter.com/1lSWtnk7cA
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 27, 2017
This is how Fyre Fest handles luggage. Just drop it out of a shipping container. At night. With no lights. #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/X5CdZRyJWo
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
To top it off, the fancy villas were just leftover disaster relief tents from USAid with old skinny mattresses instead of the luxurious furnishings that were promised.
#FyreFestival update, photos from the ground! pic.twitter.com/Z7fn9cKaz3
— FyreFestivalFraud (@FyreFraud) April 27, 2017
@FyreFraud Just a reminder of what "The Duo" was originally sold as pic.twitter.com/gKz90zNBvu
— Michele Smith (@MicheleSmi) April 27, 2017
There was no alcohol to drink as organizers said they had ordered it too late and the gourmet meals that guests were promised was bread, cheese and salad.
The "catering" (which cost extra) was a slice of untoasted bread, two slices prepackaged cheese, and a side salad. pic.twitter.com/BoKxWAMI5i
— Iron Spike (@Iron_Spike) April 28, 2017
Blink 182 quickly announced they would not be playing their show and shortly after it was announced that the festival would be postponed.
— blink-182 (@blink182) April 27, 2017
This led to thousands of festival goers being stranded on the island and needing assistance from the U.S. embassy.
Early report is that many of the tents aren't assembled. Here's their tropical private island owned by Escobar! #FyreFestival pic.twitter.com/TNzBDbNAUJ
— FyreFestivalFraud (@FyreFraud) April 27, 2017
It didn’t improve from there either.
A view of the luxury food court with some luxury school bus transportation at Fyre Festival. #fyre #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/XL3PtRw8q0
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
Guests were slowly transported to the airport, where they were trapped for hours and at times even locked into the building.
They've now locked us in the airport. No rules, just right. Welcome to the Bahamas! (Tell my family I love them) #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/KkgkroZzhc
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
The line of ex Fyre Festers at the Exuma International Airport. Yes that's throw up. #fyre #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/jSZHg0F0Kn
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
That was then followed up with long waits on the tarmac as guests boarded planes, deboarded planes and then boarded again.
We have to get off the plane because we've been sitting on the runway too long. They have to bring in a new crew. #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/jMCRUy4PsC
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
Certain flights are finally starting to get back to Miami, but from all accounts there are still people trapped on the island with no food or water.
Getting back on the plane to go to Miami. Maybe. Who knows. I have major trust issues at this point. #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/m549gSb1H9
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
Ja Rule finally broke the silence saying that he doesn’t know where things went wrong, claiming the festival was not a scam like so many were accusing on social media.
Live from Fyre Festival. https://t.co/gi9dXgQAzE
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
He also issued a weird, contradicting apology that said “I truly apologize as this is not my fault, but I’m taking responsibility.”
— Ja Rule (@Ruleyork) April 28, 2017
Sounds like it was your fault Ja Rule.
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