Sydney Fans Bail...

Herald Sun: Whitney Houston's fans' hopes are wilting on the vines
By Marcus Casey From: The Daily Telegraph February 26, 2010 8:33AM

WHITNEY Houston's management team has gone into damage control as her controversial tour lurches from crisis to crisis, with reps insisting the fallen star is in fine health and "having a great time".
A week of toxic publicity and worse reviews for the pop-soul legend has made thousands of ticket-holders nervous about the rest of her tour, which resumes at the Hunter Valley tomorrow.

The phone rang regularly at the Hope Estate vineyard in Pokolbin yesterday with ticketholders - who paid between $165 per person to $699 depending on their packages - nervous about making the trek to the open-air venue, which can hold 19,500 people.

"Yeah, we've had a lot of calls from people ringing up to have a whinge," a Hope Estate spokeswoman said yesterday, saying 12,000 tickets had been sold. "They've been asking if the concert is still going ahead, and, if it does, whether she'll make it back to the stage if she has a break.

"But the show is going ahead - there seems to be an overreaction out there."

Houston's publicist Kristen Foster was also defiant, saying: "Whitney is in great health and having a terrific time on her tour and with her fans."

Foster noted that there were thousands of people dancing and signing along at Houston's concerts this week and said the singer "appreciates their support".

Yet that view contrasts with news reports quoting disgruntled fans who have complained about the star's voice and performance. Video snippets of Houston struggling to hit notes in concerts in Sydney and Brisbane have circulated widely on YouTube and other outlets.

Several people who asked for refunds to the Hunter Vallery concert were directed to Australian tour promoter Andrew McManus, who did not return calls yesterday.

Making matters worse, there are also expected to be travel problems in the area as Tom Jones is staging a concert at nearby Bimbadgen Estate.

Disappointed Sydney fans inundated The Daily Telegraph's website with mostly negative comments yesterday.

"If her voice is shot, and she knows it, how dare she get up on stage and pretend it's not . . ," Pete, of Nowra, wrote.

Ross, of Moorebank, added: "I defy anyone to convince me that last night's performance was anything but awful."

She heads to Melbourne next week.