Belgian indie-pop sensation Oscar and the Wolf was scheduled to perform at an eagerly awaited concert at the foot of the Great Pyramids of Giza on April 11, 2024. The event, organized by Egypt-based event organizer Crcl, boasted ticket prices ranging from EGP 1200 to EGP 3000, signaling an exclusive musical experience.

The concert was abruptly canceled, and following the cancellation, Crcl gave ticketholders the option to either receive tickets for the new date, which was never announced, and by the look of things was not happening, or receive a refund.

Max Colombie, the frontman of Oscar and the Wolf, announced the disappointing news to fans:

“With a heavy heart, I’m deeply saddened to inform you that, due to issues beyond my control, my scheduled show at the Giza Pyramids is postponed. The local promoter’s repeated breaches of contract have forced us to this decision. We are actively seeking a new date and will keep you posted. Thank you for your continued support.”

Unfortunately, the process of ticket refunds turned problematic. Promises of refunds by May 1 were unmet, leading to increasing frustration among ticket holders. Investigations by ticket holders revealed that Crcl’s supposed office was merely an apartment, where they found Youssef, one of the co-founders, who confessed to having no funds. Notably, Youssef’s name does not appear on any of Crcl’s legal documents.

An attempt by Youssef to connect ticket holders with Crcl’s founder, Bassel, via phone resulted in promises of an Instapay refund.

However, given the company’s financial issues and Bassel’s evident lack of understanding of Instapay’s limitations, these assurances were met with skepticism. Over 24 hours later, no refunds had been issued.

Currently, Youssef is under police custody, and despite his lawyer’s efforts to organize refunds, no concrete actions have been taken. More than 150 ticket holders have now banded together in a WhatsApp group, seeking legal recourse to recover their money.

We have also received information from a source who chose to remain anonymous that some companies have taken legal actions against Crcl for failing to manage finances and return their funds. This adds another layer to the ongoing concerns about Crcl’s business practices and their impact on stakeholders and the community.

Nour Dawood, the Whatsapp group’s administrator, expressed her resolve:

“I have invested EGP 13,000+ in 5 VIP tickets and have not received anything. I will exhaust every legal option available to ensure we are refunded. We all will.”

This incident is not an isolated occurrence. Crcl has a tarnished history of poor event management. From disorganized concerts to unresolved refund issues, their track record leaves much to be desired.

Crcl, self-described as a dynamic events and ticketing brand with a global reach, has a history of organizing events for DJs and music lovers around the world. Despite this, their commitment to excellence has often been questioned, underscored by numerous typographical errors on their website that undermine their professional image.

From disorganized concerts to unresolved refund issues, their track record leaves much to be desired. Notably, a TikTok video from a previous event features multiple comments criticizing Crcl’s organizational capabilities. In one instance, the comment reads, “Crcl worst organization and worst set up and worst audience selection. I will never attend any of their techno concerts again.”

This narrative of dissatisfaction and mismanagement also mirrors incidents from other organizers’ events, such as the chaotic Marwan Pablo concert in October three years ago, where security failed to manage crowd control effectively, leading to dangerous overcrowding. Moreover, just six months ago, a party in Mansouria ended disastrously, with several attendees injured, reports of underage drinking, and instances of sexual harassment,

As this story develops, it serves as a stark reminder of the need for greater accountability and professionalism in the events industry, a standard Crcl has repeatedly failed to meet.