By Steve Penhollow
The Journal Gazette
Hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg angered the management of Piere's Entertainment Center and some patrons Thursday by showing up late and taking the stage even later, Piere's owner, Stan Liddell, said Friday.
The rapper was contracted to start performing at 10 p.m., Liddell said, but didn't take the stage until after midnight.
"I have no respect for him," Liddell said. "He's a piece of (expletive)."
According to Liddell, the rapper pulled into the Marketplace at Canterbury parking lot at11 p.m., then did not leave his tour bus for another hour.
At 12:10 a.m. Friday, Snoop took the stage. At that point, some disgruntled fans already had gone home. Other fans booed, Liddell said.
"I have booked 700 acts, and I have neverever had anybody do this to me," Liddell said.
The rapper performed for just over an hour, then left the stage at 1:15 a.m., Liddell said.
17th Floor, a band that was scheduled to perform after Snoop Dogg, was prevented from entering the building by Snoop Dogg's security staff, according to Bret Sanders, marketing director for Piere's.
Once inside the venue, Snoop Dogg's entourage was reluctant to leave, said Piere's entertainment director, Sandy Golden.
"We had to kick them out at 3 a.m.," she said.
Sanders said Snoop Dogg's conduct reflects badly on Piere's, even though there wasn't much the venue could do beyond what was done.
"We take the brunt of the criticism for this, unfortunately. We've been getting calls from people who say, 'I'm never coming to Piere's again!' It's a shame, considering the hundreds and hundreds of shows that have gone perfectly."
