“AlienStock,” the EDM music festival arising out of a viral Facebook event, continues to divide its former partners in a way that makes you shake your head and mutter, “Only in Nevada.”
51-year-old Connie West claims in a lawsuit against Matty Roberts, 21, that the Bakersfield College student withheld funds needed to finance the festival from her. West says adult entertainment website PornHub agreed to sponsor “AlienStock,” and provided $70,000 to help stage the show. But, West didn’t see a dime of that money. It instead went directly to Roberts and his associates, through a company called Hidden Sound, LLC, West alleges.
Mitchell Bisson, attorney for Roberts and Hidden Sound, disputes West’s claims.
West runs the Little ‘A’Le’Inn; a bed and breakfast located near Area 51. The highly classified U.S. Air Force facility is believed by many to house extraterrestrial life and proof of UFOs.
Roberts and his associate, 20-year-old University of Arkansas Fort Smith student Brock Daily, approached West about partnering to organize “Alienstock,” at the Little ‘A’Le’Inn after Roberts’ Facebook event, “Storm Area 51,” went viral, according to court documents.
Roberts, Daily and The Hidden Sound agreed to provide funding for “Alienstock” and solicit sponsorships, the lawsuit reads. West says she agreed to secure the event permits and handle other logistical issues.
A month before the festival, a tweeted photo showed both Roberts and West smiling after local government officials approved their special event permit. Then, a few short weeks later, those smiles turned to frowns.
We got our special event permit APPROVED for Alienstock!
— The Hidden Sound (@TheHiddenSound1) August 20, 2019
👽👽👽
We’ll see you guys in Rachel, NV on 9/20!
Big shout-out to Connie & the Little A’LE’INN for helping us make this dream a reality❤️ pic.twitter.com/5eAGUkIZ2Q
Roberts no longer wanted to hold “Alienstock” at the Little A’Le’Inn.
“Due to the lack of infrastructure, poor planning, risk management and blatant disregard for the safety of the expected 10,000+ AlienStock attendees, we decided to pull the plug on the festival,” Roberts said in a statement.
KTNV-TV Las Vegas reported they verified signed agreements with West for over 100 portable toilets, security and first responders.
The very public back and forth between West and Roberts led to defamation and misinformation accusations from them both.
They eventually held their own versions of “Alienstock.” West welcomed 3,000 campers to her event. Roberts hosted an “Area 51 Celebration” at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.
West’s lawsuit says staging her version of “Alienstock” at the Little A’Le’Inn cost more than $100,000. Her supporters set up a GoFundMe to help West recoup some of that money.
Meanwhile, Matty Roberts continues partying in Vegas, where he’ll be the guest of honor at the Fetish & Fantasy ball in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino VIP Lounge.