UFC cancels Limp Bizkit concert at Mandalay Bay

By Melissa Arseniuk (contact)

Published Monday, July 6, 2009 | 3:23 a.m.

Updated Monday, July 6, 2009 | 5:38 p.m.

UFC officials have pulled the plug on Friday’s Limp Bizkit concert at Mandalay Bay.

The UFC 100 weekend kick-off concert would have been the band’s first show in the United States in more than eight years.

The recently reunited group was set to headline the UFC-sanctioned event at Mandalay Bay but the deal apparently fell through after the band’s label, Interscope Records, and UFC officials couldn’t agree on issues that included DVD rights and the venue.

The news was posted recently to the Limp Bizkit and UFC Web sites.

The band indicated it was not its decision to pull the plug on the show.

“Limp Bizkit did NOT, in any way, cancel the UFC100 concert in Las Vegas,” it said in a June 27 blog post on the band’s Web site. “We are HUGE UFC fans and will always be.”

UFC president Dana White had expressed his excitement last month when it was announced that Limp Bizkit had been chosen to headline the kick-off party for UFC’s centennial event.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Limp Bizkit, so we are excited to have the group perform at UFC 100 event weekend,” he said in the June statement.

The band explained that issues involving DVD rights and the specific location of the concert ultimately led to the cancellation.

“Truth is UFC and Interscope Records could not come to an agreement on certain DVD rights,” according to a blog post.

The rockers indicated more problems arose when they requested moving the live show inside the casino, from the Mandalay Bay pool area to the House of Blues concert venue.

The band said the beachy outdoor venue had an “inappropriate layout for a heavy rock concert” so it requested “a more standard concert venue also located at the Mandalay Bay which was the House of Blues.”

While the House of Blues is inside Mandalay Bay, it is not owned by the casino. The UFC’s official statement, also issued June 27, offered no explanation. It stated “UFC announced today that the Limp Bizkit concert event planned for Friday, July 10 at the Mandalay Bay Beach has been cancelled. Tickets will be refunded at place of purchase.”

The UFC hasn’t announced plans for any replacement act.

Meantime, the band has criticized the UFC for using the promise of a Limp Bizkit concert to help attract people to the event, only to play a role in cancelling the concert less than two weeks before it was set to take place. The band wrote that it was “unfair” to fans.

Acknowledging that many music lovers “have rearranged their lives and bought tickets to be in Vegas,” the band pledged last week to make good on its part of the ill-fated deal and perform in Las Vegas this weekend.

“We will still be performing on the same night out of respect for our fans,” the band stated on its blog, adding, “The details of when and where will follow shortly.”

Several days later, however, no further details have been released.

But Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst indicated this past weekend that the show would be moved to the Pearl and take place a week after the originally scheduled date.

“Concert moved to July 18 at the Pearl bro,” Durst posted on his Twitter page.

The Palms hadn't announced any concert featuring Limp Bizkit and the band was not listed on the Pearl’s Web-based calendar of events when Dust posted the statement.

While Duran Duran is set to play the venue on Friday and the New Kids on the Block will take to the stage this coming Saturday, there was nothing currently scheduled for July 18, according to the Web site.

Limp Bizkit also hadn't announced a replacement show on its Web site.

However, Interscope and Palms later conirmed that the show will take place. Details of what will be a free concert were issued in a statement this afternoon.

The band appears to remain cordial toward the UFC. Despite the fallout, Durst and his bandmates said they will remain faithful UFC supporters.

“All respect to UFC for inviting us in the first place,” the band said in its June 27 blog entry. “We will continue to support the UFC because it is our favorite MMA event.”

Melissa Arseniuk writes about Las Vegas entertainment and celebrity events. She can be reached at 702-948-7823 or by e-mail at melissa.arseniuk@lasvegassun.com.