American music executive Anthony Martini of E-Town Concrete—a hardcore band from Elizabeth, NJ—has filed a lawsuit against the promoter of New Jersey’s Bamboozle festival. He claims that the promoter, Bamboozle Festival LLC and John D’Esposito, failed to repay a loan of $500,000 with an additional 20% interest, totaling $630,000. Martini, who is now with Royalty Exchange, seeks to retrieve the money via the legal system.
This is yet another setback for the festival, which was canceled just a week before it was scheduled to return to the shore on May 5 due to a denied permit by Atlantic City.
Bamboozle, somehow, continues to pile on the woes. When the festival was announced to return for the first time since 2012, there was obvious excitement for longtime fans of the event. However, ticket pricing seemed rather steep to many and the lineup was lackluster at best. D’Esposito chalked the lack of a big headliner up to nostalgia, writing on social media: “The festival will not have high-priced headliners, as we brought it back to how it started. It starts with a scene. Warped Tour nor Bamboozle ever relied on a headliner, the headliners will rely on and want to be part of Bamboozle!”
Bamboozle was held annually in New Jersey until 2012. It was first held in 2003 and quickly became one of the largest and most popular music festivals in the United States. The festival featured a wide variety of musical genres, including punk, rock, pop, and hip-hop.
Over the years, Bamboozle featured many high-profile musical acts, including My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, and Lil Wayne. The festival also featured up-and-coming artists, giving them the opportunity to perform in front of large crowds.
It was more than just a music festival, however. It was also a celebration of youth culture, with events like skateboarding and BMX competitions, art exhibitions, and fashion shows. The festival was a place where young people could come together to enjoy music, art, and the company of their peers.
With this year’s event canceled and what seems to be a coming storm of legal battles, it remains a wonder if New Jersey residents will ever get to experience Bamboozle again.
About the Author/s
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
