SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A promised explanation as to why tickets haven't been refunded for a concert cancelled last July still has not materialized. Garth Mackie, the Hay River-based promoter for last year's Randy Bachman concert, cancelled the concert just days before the show due to low ticket sales.

Seven months later, nearly 400 ticket-holders are still waiting for refunds. Mackie sent a mass e-mail Jan. 27 promising he'd explain everything in an interview with Yellowknifer. Despite repeated requests from Yellowknifer, that interview has not taken place.

"It feels like to me he's just stalling," said Yellowknife resident Steve Lacey, who bought two tickets and received Mackie's e-mail.

"By saying 'I'm going to have an interview with the newspaper,' what he's doing is asking me to trust him that something is going to happen." Lacey said he's not convinced. "It feels to me like he's just putting me off and expecting for me to finally lose interest."

Mackie's e-mail reads, "just to let you know I am going to be doing an interview with the Yellowknifer for hopefully next weeks (sic) paper, at the latest it will be the following week ... At that time I will be announcing the refund process ..."

Lacey has e-mailed Mackie four times. Two months would have been reasonable for refund arrangements to be made, he said. "It's been seven months now and that's not reasonable anymore."

Lacey said on Wednesday he and two others are filing against Mackie in territorial small claims court.

They're doing it for two reasons, he said, both for the money lost and on principle.

"You don't take people's money for something and then give them nothing," he said. "That's unethical to say the least." The tickets aren't a huge amount of money at $60 each, he said, "but it's still money that I could be using for something else."

Colin Hatch is another Yellowknifer determined to see justice. He has nearly 100 ticket-buyers on board to take legal action against Mackie and is in the process of finding a lawyer to take on the case.

"Of course there's no guarantees," he said. "It'll be nice if the people who bought tickets can actually be paid but if not, at least I've tried everything I can try."

Hatch said he can't predict how long the legal process might take. He took it upon himself to take the lead, he said, because "I didn't want this guy to ruin the culture of Yellowknife."

The whole situation makes the city look bad and might deter people from attending concerts promoted locally, he said.

Bachman's agent Todd Jordan, told Yellowknifer in mid-January that promoters do have to pay the artist when they cancel a show, but that it was not for the whole amount. Jordan also said he was shocked to hear tickets had not yet been refunded.

Lacey said he has a "wee amount of sympathy" for Mackie.

"I don't accuse the guy of trying to swindle anybody, I wouldn't go that far," said Lacey. "I think what has happened is he's got himself into a situation where he's going to lose money personally and he's trying his best not to let that happen."

The fact is, Lacey said, it is a gamble that comes with the territory.

"If he loses money, he loses money but he's got to suck it up. I'm sorry for him but that's the risk he took."