​Promoter Jade Presents declares bankruptcy

By Bryce Vincent Haugen

The curtain has come down on Jade Presents. Fargo-Moorhead’s largest event promoter has brought thousands of shows — more than 150 per year — and hundreds of artists to the area over the past 36 years.

On May 28, the company posted a message to its Facebook account calling it quits, leaving a music scene devastated by the loss of a promoter, Jade Nielsen, who allowed the F-M area to punch above its weight as far as acts brought to town. Nielsen booked shows as varied as The Shins and Modest Mouse to Sturgill Simpson and Chance the Rapper, just to name a few.

At the same time, there are scores of angry ticket holders for cancelled shows scheduled at the Bluestem Center for the Arts and UP District Festival Field, who are unlikely to see full or partial refunds. The Fargo Theatre and The Aquarium are working to keep their scheduled Jade Presents shows on the calendar.

The sudden announcement caught the average concertgoer off guard. But according to a few people in the music industry and those adjacent to it (who spoke to High Plains Reader on condition of anonymity), the writing has been on the wall for months. That speculation circulating around social media infuriated some ticket holders, who were upset the company continued to sell tickets for shows they allegedly knew would be canceled up until — and in at least a few cases, after — the May 28 Facebook announcement on the company’s page. Jade Presents’ closure also left another urgent question: Who will fill the void in bringing top name acts to the area?

On June 8, KFGO reported that Jade Presents filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on June 6 in the District of North Dakota. The company, KFGO reports, lists assets of around $393,000 and liabilities at nearly $2.9 million, with the estimated number of creditors between 5,000 and 10,000.

Jade Presents announces

“Since day one, we knew this industry has operated on faith and momentum. The impact, the job, the community building, and the shared experiences made that worth it,” Jade Presents wrote in their closure announcement. “Which is why this ending is so incredibly painful…These events were never just concerts to us. They were memories, traditions, community gathering points and shared experiences that mattered deeply to our audiences, partners and team.”

The live entertainment industry changed dramatically over the past several years with rising costs, shifting touring economics and increasing pressure on independent promoters, the Jade Presents closure announcement said.

“Our team fought incredibly hard to keep this going for as long as possible,” the post continued, “and we are proud of the passion, sacrifice and heart that went into that effort.”

The company added that, because legal matters were still unfolding, they “cannot provide definitive information regarding ticketing refunds, reimbursements, credits, claims or related processes.”

Community reacts

Jade Presents is a “giant of Fargo-Moorhead,” said Diane Miller, a Twin Cities radio host and multi-genre musician who got many of her first opportunities on Jade stages in her hometown of Fargo. They included opening for Nelly and Sir Mix-a-Lot.

“I literally can’t think of anybody (to fill the void),” said Miller, who is also a former editor of the High Plains Reader. “That’s what makes this so disappointing and devastating for people. It made Fargo a cooler place to live because you could see hip, out-of-town acts. I think it’s important for musicians to have a place to get inspiration and that inspiration is live music. You don’t stick around as a musician in a place like Fargo unless there are opportunities.”

Jade Presents wasn’t a “perfect business,” Miller said. “But they provided a niche that no one else was doing. They did incredible work for the community.”

Hip-hop artist Dakotah Faye has worked with Jade Presents since 2014, having once opened for Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. He said it’s important to remember the human dimension to the closure, all the people in the industry who suddenly find themselves out of work.

“I’m sad because I know a lot of people there,” Faye said. “Ending that way can’t feel great for anyone, but now there’s a huge hole in the Fargo scene.”

“Jade Presents was nothing but great to me,” Faye continued. “Everyone there always treated me professionally and fair. I can’t speak for anyone else, but that was always my experience with them. I believe this can go one of two ways for the industry. Either a giant company like Live Nation comes in and really puts a squeeze on it. Or another local promoter picks up the slack and creates a new era.”

HPR solicited comments from the general public via the Fargo/Moorhead/Area Community Page and received a panoply of responses. Many were sympathetic to Jade Presents’ struggles.

Adrian Baldwin said he worked at some of the Jade venues as a third-party selling drinks. He stated that it’s hard to see the company go under.

“The joy each show brought me is indescribable,” Baldwin said. “There is a deep-rooted pain in my heart that bleeds for the people of this community. They lost.”

Logan Flay wrote that Jade brought his favorite artists to Fargo-Moorhead, including Marilyn Manson, Devil Driver, Guns N’ Roses and GWAR. He got to meet and get autographs from some of them.

“If not for Jade Presents, those meetings and concerts may never have happened,” Flay wrote. “And so, for getting those opportunities, I wish to extend my thanks to Jade Nielsen and his family…Thank you again, for all the memories. You will all be missed.”

Anger is palpable

But for every person who waxed nostalgic about Jade shows, there were several who were highly critical of the way the company’s dissolution occurred.

Mitch McLane said he bought tickets for Sip and Sail, which was scheduled for May 30. It was canceled along with all other Bluestem shows on May 28, just a couple of days before the show.

“My credit card payment was still ‘pending’ after they announced the show cancellation,” McLane wrote. “My payment went through two days later anyway. That should be illegal. I am now disputing it through my credit card company but if Jade Presents is bankrupt probably no refunds.”

Several other people also recommended calling banks and credit card companies to dispute charges, because this isn’t the first time Jade Presents business practices have been questioned. A couple of people who went to the canceled due-to-weather 2025 Rainbow Kitten Surprise show at UP District Festival Field expressed disappointment about how that event’s refunds were handled.

These ticket holders (who asked not to be identified by High Plains Reader) said Jade Presents promised refunds for the show (which cost $70, minimum) within 30 days. But when the time had elapsed, the company said it was reimbursing in batches, so it might be a while before they were refunded. These attendees said they were threatened with blacklisting from Jade events if they pursued a merchant chargeback — and essentially had to chase their refund before it ultimately arrived.

“I’m sad for our city and its people,” Shannon VanOverbeke Thilquist wrote on Facebook. “Jade brought many fun and exciting experiences to us here in Fargo. We’ve seen dozens of shows here and loved that we didn’t have to travel. We had $800 worth of tickets for upcoming events, not only are we not getting to attend them but now we’re out all that money. I bought tickets on Monday and found out Friday Jade was closing… you really didn’t know when you sold us tickets 4 days prior?! I hope someone else is able to take over and continue to provide us with entertainment opportunities.”

Misty Kramer said she spent nearly $600 in May for the now-canceled Rock Orchestra concert at Bluestem. “Today the phone numbers are disconnected and messages sent to Jade Presents page are ignored. I’m terribly disappointed with how this has been handled by a business that was well respected in our community,” she wrote.

For Facebook user Amy Jo, it was beyond the pale for Jade to have been selling tickets up until the moment of the closure announcement.

“You don’t magically go bankrupt overnight,” she wrote. “How rude and unethical to sell a ticket the day of. Horrible.”

Some shows will go on

Although all the UP District Festival Field shows and all but one event at Bluestem were canceled (the June 16 Alison Krauss and Union Station concert was relocated to Scheels Arena), Fargo-Moorhead won’t be left completely music and comedy free with the absence of Jade Presents. The Fargo Theatre is one bright spot.

“At this time, I think our only comment would be that the Fargo Theatre team is working on options that would allow all on-sale shows to move forward as planned,” said Emily Beck, Fargo Theatre executive director. “Live entertainment has been part of Fargo Theatre’s programming for 100 years and we look forward to continuing the tradition for generations to come.”

As far as whether they plan to keep booking in-house or through other promoters, Beck was noncommittal.

“We’re exploring our options and gathering information,” she said. “We are trying to move as quickly as possible, but it will take a bit of time.”

Another downtown Fargo staple, The Aquarium, intends to have all shows booked by the venue itself or other promoters go on as planned, according to Ryan Hoffart, co-director of The Aquarium since 2019. That includes Jade Presents events.

“The agents and the artists have been very understanding of the very difficult situation and are trying their best to make sure (they) work directly with the venue moving forward,” Hoffart said.

Besides the ten to fifteen shows that Jade Presents books at the venue annually, the closure “doesn’t affect us as much as the public thinks it has,” Hoffart said. The Aquarium is independently owned and managed and facilitated almost 200 events in their space in 2025.

“The Aquarium has been booking the next up-and-comers (sometimes megastars) for the last twenty plus years and will continue to do so,” Hoffart said.

As tough as the loss of Jade Presents is, Hoffart said music will continue to thrive in Fargo-Moorhead.

“Will we see a gap time between the next few larger shows? Maybe, maybe not,” he said. “But what I know is that if there is a want for entertainment there will always be a way for it to happen. Fargo-Moorhead is one of the most creative and unique atmospheres in the country and I encourage anyone to keep it that way. Go to shows at Parachigo and see the youth expanding the limits of genres. Go to Harold’s on Main and see a loud show on a tiki-themed patio. Go to the Sanctuary Events Center and be blown away inside a historical building. Go to The Aquarium to see the next big thing you’ll be kicking yourself for not seeing next year. Music will find a way in our community as it always has and always will.”

Kayla Cash, partner at the Sanctuary Events Center, said Jade Presents brought an average of 15 or so concerts to their venue each year. The venue didn’t have any upcoming events influenced by the promoter’s closure, but staff members had worked with Nielsen for almost a decade.

“We appreciate all of the hard work that Jade and his team put in over the last nine years to bring such incredible shows to our community,” she said.

Sanctuary Events Center will welcome any new artist to the venue “now, more than ever,” Cash added. “We’ll continue to bring live entertainment to our community.”

The largest venue by size in Fargo-Moorhead is the Fargodome. But it does not have any shows on its calendar that were promoted through Jade Presents.

“The closure of Jade Presents is quite unfortunate for those it affects, however Fargodome is not one of those entities,” said Rob Sobolik, the venue’s general manager. “Fargodome continues to have good relationships with a variety of national promoters, including Live Nation, AEG Live, Outback Presents, JAM Productions, Frank Productions, etc., located throughout the United States.”

Jon Kram, general manager of the Scheels Arena, said he would rather not comment on the situation. However, AnnMarie Campbell, spokeswoman for Fargo Public Schools — whose Trollwood Performing Arts School leases Bluestem Center for the Arts from the city of Moorhead — said her organization was “saddened by the news Jade Presents was closing” after collaborating for 17 seasons, since the venue opened.

“Jade Presents provided audiences in our region the opportunity to experience legendary arts and an extraordinary range of talent and events,” Campbell said. “Their impact on the cultural life of our region has been significant and lasting and we are incredibly grateful for the partnership, the memories and the experiences we created together for nearly two decades.”

Campbell said the closure does not impact Trollwood’s 2026 production of the musical “Frozen.”

“FPS and Trollwood are currently reviewing our next steps related to leasing the Bluestem venue for future concerts and acts,” she said.

A fickle industry

Jade Presents did not collapse in a vacuum. A study conducted by the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) found that 64 percent of independent venues, promoters and festivals were not profitable in 2024. When a single promoter controls access to regional venues, handles ticketing through its own box office (like Jade Presents’ Tickets300) and has dominated the market for more than three decades, the departure of that promoter leaves a structural, not just competitive gap.

Who fills the gap? Smaller local promoters have coexisted with Jade Presents for years (such as the aforementioned Aquarium). Those operations do not have the infrastructure, capital or venue relationships to step into a void that includes a 3,000-seat venue like Bluestem.

The more immediate opportunity may be for venues themselves to become their own promoters, as it appears several of those listed above are attempting to do. This is a model that has worked in other markets, but it does require venues to absorb significantly more risk on each show.

Nielsen did not respond to email, voicemail and text requests for comment. When reached via text, Jade Presents Vice President and Senior Talent Buyer Carly Pritchard declined to speak with HPR. Instead, Jade Presents directed questions to info@jadepresents.com, adding that “due to the number and nature of anticipated inquiries,” the company may not be able to answer individually. They said that the company will provide additional updates, subject to “legal and practical limitations.”

“To everyone who supported Jade Presents over the years: Thank you,” Jade Presents wrote in their Facebook announcement. “We are heartbroken but deeply grateful for the artists, audiences, partners, venues, vendors, sponsors, employees, and community members who believed in what Jade Presents was building and were a part of this journey.”

The live music scene in Fargo-Moorhead will survive the closure of Jade Presents. It survived Prohibition, the pandemic and tough winters each year. But surviving and thriving are different things, and the structural question — who assumes the promotional function for large-scale live entertainment in this market — does not have an obvious answer.

For 36 years, that call went to Jade Nielsen. Now it goes nowhere. And someone will have to build the infrastructure to receive it again.