BigDog Productions, organizers for this summer's Caos Emergente Open Air festival, scheduled for July 16th - 18th in São Pedro do Sul, Vila Maior, Portugal, have posted the following press release:

It is with great regret that for the first time we find ourselves forced to make a statement of such nature, so we thank all those who read this document, to convey this message to others as accurately as possible.

During the last months we have worked very hard on this project, on its new configuration and logistics and in particular on the line up for the 2010 edition. This cancellation is obviously a huge frustration because of all the work invested, all the bands which were yet to be announced, everyone involved, the long hours spent, the thousands of euros hopelessly lost and, above all, the disappointment to the thousands of followers of the festival.

At the end of 2009, after a series of meetings held with the purpose of relocating the event, BigDog Productions was approached by Guilherme Pinto, developer and producer of Cellus Eventus resident in Vila Maior, in order to arrange a meeting with local political entities and possibly hold the event in that region.

After several meetings, on February 18, 2010 at a meeting which was attended by Dr. António Carlos Figueiredo - Mayor of São Pedro do Sul, Prof. Pedro Mouro – Mayor of Vila Maior, Dr. Victor Leal - Termalistur Administrator, Mr. Manuel - former president of Vila Maior, Marco Pinto – Termalistur associate, Guilherme Pinto - local producer of Cellus Eventus, Alexandre Moreira and José Frade - BigDog Productions, an agreement was sealed between the parties involved which enabled the materialization of Caos Emergente Open Air 2010 in the Town of Vila Maior in São Pedro do Sul.

BigDog Productions immediately began the preparations required, both at the logistical and the artistic levels. All the usual procedures that involve the production of an outdoor event went on naturally, with BigDog Productions assuming all the necessary costs for the essential means for an event like Caos Emergente Open Air.

In the beginning of May, and confronted with the absence of compliance with clauses agreed by the local government, BigDog Productions was forced to stop hiring any more bands and to wait until specific guarantees could allow the completion of the poster. Week after week, numerous contacts were made with local authorities to emphasize the economic consequences and the negative financial impact that this impasse was causing to BigDog Productions, who were thus unable to continue to promote the event and to arrange the logistical planning. During this period we were reassured with promises of compliance, and encouraged to conclude the line up and commercialize the tickets.

Finally, on June 15th, after a strong insistence from BigDog Productions, we were officially informed that the political power representatives in São Pedro do Sul suddenly decided to withdraw all the promised support for the realization of Caos EmergenteOpen Air 2010. This was a dramatic disrespect for the clauses previously agreed upon, confirming a scenario which was totally unexpected.

Other solutions were considered with the purpose of avoiding this cancellation, including the possibility of taking the event to another location, but even with BigDog Productions’ know how and great experience in organizing such events, it was almost impossible to dislocate the festival in such short notice.

With this outcome BigDog Productions sees itself harmed in thousands of euros already spent on contracts with artists and agents, and the irretrievable loss of our largest annual event.

We would also like to underline the fact that throughout this process, and even considering this as a remote possible scenario, our main concern has always been to defend the interests of all the followers and people interested in the event; that is why tickets were never put on sale.

BigDog Productions does not condone in any way with this plot and is now triggering the existing legal means in order to identify and hold responsible the political agents for the damages caused.

We wish to present our most sincere apologies to all the bands, agents and employees, as well as to all the fans, hoping that this situation, over which we had no responsibility, will not undermine the healthy relationship we have been building over the past few years." - Alexandre Moreira & José Pedro Frade