“After two years of rebuilding FYRE with honesty, creativity, and relentless effort, it’s time to pass the torch.”
Nah, Billy, best to just torch the brand and put it out of its misery.
Billy’s big comeback had been slated for late May in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, until a dispute with the location occurred, as none of the venues in Playa del Carmen, or Mexico for that matter, had any clue about the festival.
Organisers then attempted to put out the PR fire, telling the world, “FYRE Festival 2 is still on.”
“We are vetting new locations and will announce our host destination soon. Our priorities remain unchanged: delivering an unforgettable, safe, and transparent experience.”
Wednesday’s announcement struck a slightly less optimistic tone, only implying that Fyre Festival 2 would happen at some point in the future, provided the brand gets purchased.
The statement did not mention whether refunds would be available for those who purchased tickets for Fyre 2, which began at R25,000 and went up to R20 million for premium packages.
“This brand is bigger than any one person and bigger than what I’m able to lead on my own,” McFarland, 33, wrote. “It’s a movement. And it deserves a team with the scale, experience, and infrastructure to realise its potential.”
In case anyone forgot, the previous dreamer team of McFarland and potato-impersonator Ja Rule created a truly bespoke disaster back in 2017 with Fire Festival 1.
Attendees who paid thousands of dollars for tickets arrived in the Bahamas expecting a luxe celebrity experience, only to be stranded with no musical acts, no electricity, no running water and a limited supply of cheese sandwiches and FEMA huts to shelter them.
In 2018, McFarland pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud after the federal government determined he had defrauded investors out of more than $26 million (R483 million). He was ordered to pay the full amount in restitution and sentenced to 6 years in prison, but was released in 2022 after serving just 4 years.
McFarland previously said he had the idea for launching Fyre Festival 2 during a 7-month stint in solitary confinement, which is like a bank robber planning another go at the robbery they were doing time for.
Doubling down on delusions of being the Rick Ross of festivals, McFarlane was quoted on Wednesday as saying that “FYRE is one of the most powerful attention engines in the world.”
“Since 2017, FYRE has dominated headlines, documentaries, and conversations as one of the world’s most talked-about music festivals.”
The Hindenburg also dominated headlines, documentaries, and conversations. Just saying.
McFarland signed off: “To the supporters, believers, and builders who’ve stuck with my team and me: thank you. We will pick the new group based on their ability to execute the vision of FYRE in a transparent, grand, and expeditious manner. The next chapter of FYRE will be bigger, better, and built to last without me at the helm.”
No doubt, Billy will be helming a new scheme soon.
