Spirit of Orgain Music Festival Blames Cancellation on “Their Financier”

Update, Dec. 5, 7pm: Despite the City of Hutto’s press release citing a “headliner issue” earlier this morning, city staff sent an email to media outlets at 5pm updating that the cancellation was actually due to festival financial issues.

Erykah Badu and Thundercat were booked to headline the event this weekend. Hutto Director of Communications Allison Strupeck wrote that the fest organizers, Directors of Chaos, had “clarified to us that it was their financier, not the vendor itself (The Directors of Chaos) who canceled this weekend’s Spirit of Orgain event, and that ALL headliners were still willing and able to perform.” Read the updated portion of the press release below.

“The promoter of the upcoming Spirit Of Orgain 2023, Ellington Music Ventures LLC, made the sole decision to cancel the 2-day event. The vendor indicated this was ‘due to the financial impossibility of moving forward with the show. All artists were willing and able to perform at the event. But due to the decision of the financier and unbeknownst to The Directors of Chaos, the headliner’s performances were canceled outright, and the sole decision was made by the promoter not to move forward with the event.’”

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Dec. 5, 12:12pm: Spirit of Orgain, a new neo-soul festival slated to take over the Brushy Creek Amphitheater in Hutto this weekend, has been canceled following a “headliner issue,” the city announced this morning.

The event was organized by production company the Directors of Chaos, who contracted with the City of Hutto earlier this year to develop concerts at the newly opened venue.

“The vendor made progress on some aspects of program development, including venue marketing, website redevelopment, and initial facility improvements,” the city said in a statement, but cited a “ripple effect” of the unknown headliner’s cancellation as cause to nix the entire event.

“The City will assess this situation and the management contract,” the statement continues. “Hutto City Council had a work session planned for this Thursday evening (Dec. 7) about the venue. City leaders will discuss their future vision to effectively develop and prioritize this hidden gem.”

Refunds will be automatically processed through AXS tickets. The Directors of Chaos registered as a Hutto-based franchise in November 2022, according to state records. In late October, they held a job fair at the amphitheater hiring for "various positions, including guest services, parking personnel, site operations, and general event staff."

The festival posted online: “The City of Hutto has been an exceptional partner, from community relations, public works, and the police, and we greatly appreciate our time working together thus far. Getting to meet all the wonderful residents and business owners, and then having the chance to work with members of the community directly has been extremely rewarding and we can’t express how much that has meant to us.”

Spirit of Orgain was named after enslaved cowhand Adam Orgain, recognized as the first settler of Hutto. Thundercat, Hiatus Kaiyote, Sir Woman, DJ Kay Cali, and Chris Dave & the Drumhedz were supposed to perform on Friday, Dec. 8, while Erykah Badu, Masego, GZA, Pete Rock, BLK ODYSSY, Nai Palm, and Eimaral Sol had sets scheduled on Saturday, Dec. 9. Diversity Awareness and Wellness in Action (DAWA) and KUTX were listed as supporters of the event.

On Instagram stories, BLK ODYSSY teased a potential replacement local performance: “Bunch of fans hmu saying they were flying in for the show on the 9th so we’ll figure out some shit to do since we’ll be in Austin already.”