Normally we always leave private matters off places like this but we think this is in the best interest of any artists/promoters involved in the scene to read this account of our recent experience with Damien Henshaw of New Religion.

We were booked by Damien Henshaw to play New Religion for their 9th February event this year. We decided to accept the booking even though we’ve had issues in the past with money. After our set on the night, as we were heading to the club office to get paid we were stopped by someone very well known and respected in the scene (we’re not going to name name’s) who warned us not to accept a cheque. When we got to the office, Damien tried to cut us down on price (again) and when we stuck to our guns, he issued us with a cheque stating that he had no money there (?). Days later he bounced the cheque and sent this email to us…

Hi Guys
Hope you're both well!
Just a quick email basically the long and short of it we have had major issues getting all of the ticket money from the 9th Feb event so we have had to cancel a few cheques inc yours untill all the money is in to prevent bounced cheques.
Do you have a contact number i can get you on so i can let you know the status on the money.
I’m really sorry this has happened i will keep you updated on progress when it happeneds.
Kind Regards
Daimen Henshaw
Managing Director
One Media Group

...After sending this email we heard nothing from him for a couple of weeks even though we’d been trying to contact him for an update, then he replied again...

Hi Mate
Appologies i've just come across this email.
I'm really sorry about all of this the long and short of it a promoter who will remain nameless who i've known and worked with for years, was ment to be paying on the monday after the event, he didnt have all the ticket money on the night i gave him the benifit of the doubt and has basicly done a runner with £1000 of ticket money.
We are tying our best to recover the money but it isnt looking good at the moment, of course you will be paid for the proformance but it will have to be paid out of my own money in installments
Im really sorry this is has happened and i will try and get this cleared with you asap.
Kind Regards
Daimen Henshaw
Managing Director
One Media Group

...Since this email we’ve heard nothing from him. He’s ignored all our attempts to contact him and so it looks like we’re not getting paid for our set which consisted of a 7 hour round trip, which now looks like it’ll be at our own cost.

It’s a mystery to us that he can’t afford to pay us for our efforts and yet he still manages to find the capital to put on another massive event, where he’s even bragging that 80% of tickets have already been sold (suggesting that he’s doing just fine for cash!)

We do not want to take this course of action but feel it is necessary to name and shame this con-man and prevent more of our fellow artists and performers being ripped off. From talking to people of our experience we're realising more and more people also have had similar issues in the past with him, and as a result are becoming aware of Damien’s shady tactics. We’re sure it won’t be long before he runs out of people to work with, but in the mean time please make sure you get a contract and 100% of your fee’s up front before playing or working for NU Religion.

We thought about this before posting but we really felt that a promoter who takes advantage of his artists should be exposed. We both promote our own events and have always paid every artist their agreed fee regardless of the outcome of the event. After all, if a promoter doubles their expected profit no DJ would get a bonus, so the least a promoter can do is pay the artists agreed fee. Obviously it is up to each individual as to whether they take a booking from Damien but at least now you can make your decision with a little bit more information as to how he does business.
Please can all clubbers refrain from any unnecessary comments as we haven’t put this on here to start people bitching. We just felt certain people needed to know of our experience and felt this way was the best way to let these people know. If he had responded to any of our calls/emails etc this wouldn't have been necessary.

C&J

:o

budz in...

that fuckin sucks!

Don't feel bad for naming and shaming mate. Thanks for the heads up, this sort of thing is happening from the top to the bottom so people need to be aware of this. If people are going to play for him in the future they should get contarcts drawn up to try n avoid this

shocking

Good on ya lads,people who do this to top performers like yaselves deserve to be named and shamed,promoters who are blatantely covering everything cost wise and making a nice little earner are swindlers and crooks and don`t deserve to put on nights ! ! !

I think i have heard that name associated with other nights as well,will check a few things out first though ! ! !

Bear in mind though that if proccedings go to court etc then this probably aint the best idea to post in a public forum :OS

Hope ya get your money off him though,you don`t get that shannanigans at Firewall :O))

Heard alot of bad reports with this dude before.

Buds in and maybe you should start this in the general forum so more people can see it...

ha there should be a name and shame group for performers to be able to check reports on all these little crooks.

iv got a list as long as my arm of people

If he had responded to any of our calls/emails etc this wouldn't have been necessary.

This is it exactly. Hiding away from a situation does't make it better. It just makes it worse as shown.....

iv got a list as long as my arm of people

I`ve met alot of peeps that do that kinda shit and it is well out of order,thank god i only charge a tenner ;o)

a promoter who will remain nameless who i've known and worked with for years, was ment to be paying on the monday after the event, he didnt have all the ticket money on the night i gave him the benifit of the doubt and has basicly done a runner with £1000 of ticket money.

aaaahhh that old chestnut

Some of our guys have had that excuse given to them in the past (not from this guy though)

We drove from bournemouth to birmingham ( three hours there, three hours back) the other week only to be told as we got to the club that they was shuttin the club cos there was no one there. and cos no one was there the 'promoter' couldnt pay the dj we was travellin with. after some argument the promoter agreed to phone in the week and put the money in the djs bank. need less to say this never happened and the 'promoter' in question was out of contact.

It aint the performers fault that the people havent shown up thats the promoters job to get the people in. people like this are a fcukin joke

Hmmmm........ what a cunt!!!!!!!!!!!

Damo-NR

Is this the Guy in Question???

Gutted for ya... its cunts like this that give us promoters a bad name... well done on the "name n shame"

its cunts like this that give us promoters

I'm sticking out of this but you're a bit quick to call yourself a promoter Nat :P

a bit quick to call yourself a promoter Nat

meaning?

Buds in.

I can't believe that he ignored all attempts to get hold of him and then bragged about how successful the tickets sales were for his next event - what an idiot!!

He's a liar and a thief - DJ's be warned!

Thats poor! buds in

Heard alot of bad reports with this dude before.

yeah me too!