Brooklyn Summer Concert Series Cancelled

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN — Two popular outdoor concert series in Brooklyn have been abruptly cancelled after their organizer was sued by American Express for unpaid credit card debt.

A Facebook post from the Seaside Summer Concert Series and the Martin Luther King Jr. concert series announced the news. Seaside took place in Coney Island while the Martin Luther King Jr. series was held in East Flatbush.

"After over thirty years of free concerts in the summer, the Seaside Summer Concert Series and the Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series will not be presenting any shows in the 2017 season," the post said. "We wish to thank our many corporate and product sponsors who have generously funded these concert series over the years, many of them from the beginning."

No specific reason was given for the cancellation of the 2017 seasons, but Debra Garcia was recently sued by American Express for failing to pay $36,000 in credit card dues, the New York Daily News reported.

AmEx sued both concert series to make up the debt, the Daily News reported.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said in a statement that he is working to find a replacement for the free performances.

"I am vigorously working to identify and secure an organizer that can make free performances happen this summer in our communities," Adams said, according to a statement circulated by Brooklyn Community Board 8.

"As I have shared in the past, the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President has no control over either concert series; they have been run by independent non-profit organizations that determined the number of shows each year and who would perform in those shows."

Patch has reached out on Facebook to try and reach concert officials, and we'll update this post if we hear back.

Image: Fans attend the 26th annual Martin Luther King Jr. concert series featuring Musicians John Legend, Vaughn Anthony and Estelle at Wingate Field on July 21, 2008 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images)