BTS “Highlight” tour ends after disastrous tour management by TGM Events

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After a very rough start which eventually lead to a major disaster for hundreds of fans left stranded for hours in the rain only to be left disappointed again in Atlanta, Georgia, BTS‘ Highlight tour has officially completed with a high.

TGM Events was the main promoter and producers of the BTS Highlight tour held in collaboration with old school urban clothing brand Community 54. Highlight kick started on the west coast of the United States with San Francisco on the 22nd before heading off to Houston on the 24th, and Atlanta on the 26th.

With already a rough start concerning seating, VIPs, hi-touch, and fan signing events going slightly awry, the worst came from the Atlanta stop when over a hundred fans were not allowed in and left in the rain due to overselling “tickets” (entrance gained by buying a $50-$70 t-shirt) to the event.

Instead, fans left outside were promised not only a refund but a hi-touch and group photo with BTS after the concert, which approximately took over two hours. Unfortunately, after ushering the fans left outside inside the empty venue, the promise was unfulfilled when it was revealed that not only would they not be getting the promised events, TGM had also failed to let the group know, leaving highly angry fans with nothing after over seven hours of waiting outside.

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Another fan later updated and shared a video revealing TGM staff with BTS arriving in Houston for the second stop of the tour [*]. An alleged TGM staff can be seen turning around towards fans following and supposedly giving them the middle finger, flipping them off.

The promoters have since left a lengthy letter of apology on their Facebook and Twitter account:

With the events of Atlanta spreading throughout social media like wildfire, ARMYs in Toronto were understandably nervous at the outcome of their own event to occur the next day, September 27th, also the final stop of the tour.

According to an “Event Rundown” notice released by TGM on the 23rd, concert goers can pick up their shirt and wristbands starting at 10am. However, with a large lineup already building, TGM staff was nowhere to be found as fans were left stranded outside.

“If you were like at least 1 hour late to check-in people..that’s forgivable.. but are you serious? It’s 3.5 hours!” complained one fan on Twitter.

Fan accounts reveal that Phoenix Concert Theatre venue staff had come up to the large line asking who the organizer for the event was “because no one is [here]” while another notes, “[…] AKA TGM isn’t even here yet,” nearly fours hours after the initial pick-up time.

With the knowledge of the mess that occurred in Atlanta just a day before, leaders emerged from the ARMYs as the fans took it upon their own hands to get organized with the help of the Phoenix Concert Theatre staff and security.

Around 3pm, BTS’s van was spotted driving to the venue by awaiting fans, which undoubtedly cheered them up despite a supposed no show from the organizing company. According to some reports, the group had landed in the city late.

https://twitter.com/kkaebsong/status/648212789656428544

With a seemingly cheerier mood, fans also tweeted praises towards the venue’s security as they began to take charge to organize fans to their events.

“Phoenix security is directing everyone, NOT TGM,” said one Twitter. “HUGE shoutout to this security guard. The most nicest, funniest, and organized security guard,” praised another.

https://twitter.com/Vivian_BTSGOT7/status/648231665681211392

According to the “Event Rundown” notice, autograph sessions began at 5pm.

Around 4:50pm, a fan account reveal that three alleged TGM staff finally appeared outside to check off names but eventually disappeared inside the building after a few minutes.

One fan notes this account with security, asking them, “‘What is happening inside?’ Security: ‘Literally nothing.'”

Wristbands for fans separating them into VIPs and GAs began to be handed out by security and venue staff, making sure that VIPs are VIPs and GAs are GAs.

https://twitter.com/LalalooMT/status/648245809616678912

https://twitter.com/LalalooMT/status/648249322321149952

Around 5:45pm, fans were finally allowed in for autograph sessions…

…while fans outside shared cookies and sang “O Canada.”

https://twitter.com/CADETJIMIN/status/648256526151348224

BTS’s manager was also spotted bringing the group food by fans, three box full!

With some minor technical difficulties with the screen prior to the concert, no major complaints seem to have arose from the Toronto stop with ALL fans who paid for this event able to get inside as the #BreadstickARMY, security, and venue staff worked together to pull off a successful event together.

[*] Correction in the article stated it may have been from Atlanta, but was corrected to arrival in Houston.

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