Local promoters Boom Boom this week went public with their ongoing drama involving legendary Chicago house DJ/producer Lil Louis.
Considered one of the pioneers of the house music scene, Lil Louis had a global club hit in 1989 with seminal dance track French Kiss.
Much sought after to tour Australia for the past two decades, Louis was finally advertised to play gigs in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, July of this year.
However the gigs were cancelled at short notice, at the time promoters citing flight delays and luggage loss in Canada as the reason.
The promoters are now demanding the DJ, aka Marvin Burns, repay the fee they paid him in advance of the tour.
The Sydney team have now taken the unprecedented step of airing the drama's dirty laundry in public via the webpage Who Is Lil' Louis?.
In a preface to the “chapters” of republished emails, paperwork and flight details, the promoters claim: “This site has been created to uncover and to share with other promoters, club owners and especially fans, the events that took place earlier this year with [Lil Louis].”
They allege the DJ is in possession of $11,700AUD that they believe should be paid back to them due to the cancellation.
They add, “Currently we have our legal council in the USA who are pressing legal charges against Marvin Burns.”
While the correspondence reveals there was no contract drawn up between the two parties, emails allegedly from Burns seem to suggest he cancelled another gig and lowered his price to take the Australian gigs.
[Sidenote: A link to Burns' rider reveals the DJ requested access to an indoor basketball court during the tour as well as a per diem to cover mini-bar snacks but not mini-bar alcohol.]
The Australian promoters allege that “Louis did not hold up his end of the deal - he did not make it to Australia and perform 3 shows.” They allege that as no lost luggage claim number can be found and that despite an electrical storm causing flight delays that Burns could still have made the flight to Australia.
