(Updated) Matthew Good boycotts Sault, blames Algoma U

In the future, when Matthew Good passes through Sault Ste. Marie on a national tour, he won't be stopping.

His decision, the Canadian music icon said this afternoon, is a direct result of Algoma University College's response to the reception he received Monday night at the AUC Speakeasy.

And Good is hinting that other artists on Canadian tours may similarly decide to bypass the Sault.

"No one put a gun to your head and made you book the show," the recording artist said in a lengthy written response this afternoon to allegations made by Amanda Osborne, AUC's student centre coordinator.

"Playing it was certainly no favour to me. As I said, I could have simply driven straight through town and not bothered. Unfortunately, because of this, in the future that is precisely what I intend to do," Good said in a 1,390-word account posted this afternoon on his official website.

Good's newly posted blog contains a detailed account of his experiences Monday at Algoma University College.

Good (shown in July 2005 at a SooToday.com-sponsored appearance with Saultites Cheryl Caswell and Crystal Tait) denies that he in any way disparaged the Sault or the university.

The artist was particularly incensed by Osborne's assertion that "it is the job of the performer to keep your audience entertained."

"I am not an entertainer, nor have I ever been. I am an artist," Good said. "Being that this latest record debuted at #1 in this country, and records previous to it have, since 1999, debuted routinely in the top 10, if not the top five, the suggestion that I strive to entertain the drunken insensibilities of college students is insulting."

'It's like I feel like Jesus' - Amanda Osborne

Osborne, who was not present during the concert, posted remarks yesterday that were strongly critical of Good on her personal blog, Good's official website and SooToday.com's News Response forum.

She also forwarded a copy to SooToday.com's newsroom, asking that the AUC rebuttal be included in our news coverage.

Then, earlier today, she removed the criticisms of Good from her blog.

"It's like I feel like Jesus," Osborne blogged late this afternoon, referring to the outcry provoked by her comments. "I just don't understand it. Let's all calm down and hug each other. How can you react to something so strongly? I understand if I'm raping babies and lighting kittens on fire, but this? Ok - but seriously, I'm pretty ok with just letting it go."

Yesterday afternoon, AUC Director of Ancillary Operations and Sales Tom Mauro e-mailed a complaint about Hopper's coverage to SooToday.com News Director David Helwig, accusing us of neglecting to report other public actions he attributed to Good during his AUC visit.

"We gave SooToday exclusive coverage of the event – something we thought would have been a positive experience," Mauro said.

Watch the video

However, the show described by Mauro differed sharply from that experienced by SooToday.com's Donna Hopper, who was actually present during Good's performance and produced both photographic and written records; and that experienced by Tyler Simpson, our videographer.

Click here to view SooToday.com video of the concert

Mauro's version of events was not published by us, for legal reasons.

Helwig advised the university administrator that he was prepared to discuss the issue further by telephone, but cautioned that: "I will be absolutely uncompromising in my expectations of Algoma University College as a bastion of free expression."

Mauro has not contacted our newsroom to pursue his complaint further.

Matthew Good's bookings are handled by S.L. Feldman & Associates, Canada's leading full-service entertainment agency.

Other artists may bypass us too?

In his remarks posted today, Good alluded to the possibility that Algoma University's actions this week may result in other touring artists bypassing the Sault.

"After this incident, I can’t say what Feldman’s attitude will be regarding working with them again," he wrote. "But being that they’re the nation’s foremost booking agency, Miss Osborne should be mindful of how she portrays the show itself, because to me her characterization comes across as if the school didn’t particularly care whether I performed or not. If that’s the position that she’s taking, then her school will, in all likelihood, unfortunately see their accessibility to touring artists decline."

S.L. Feldman's client roster includes The Chieftains; Jesse Cook; Norah Jones; Diana Krall; Sondre Lerche; Joni Mitchell; Sissel; Susan Tedeschi; Ry Cooder; Pink Martini; Elvis Costello; Theory Of A Deadman; k-os; Stabilo; Swollen Members; Ben Lee; You Say Party! We Say Die!; Evans Blue & Diableros; and Nelly Furtado.

A sister company, Allen Talent, represents Bryan Adams, Anne Murray, Martina McBride, Michael Buble and producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Veruca Salt, Bon Jovi).

To read Matthew Good's account of his experiences at Algoma University College, please click here.

Earlier SooToday.com coverage of this story

Local yokels greet Matthew Good (not so good) Matthew and his fans are talking about us tonight Algoma University responds to Matthew Good