Two local music talents claim they were spurned by the popular Cowboys nightclub after the establishment allegedly failed to deliver on promotional prizes involving opening for big-name acts.

Catherine Miranda competed in a Cowboys Star contest last month, which advertised online the winner would open for a “Stampede Band,” a band she said she was allegedly told would be Jo Dee Messina on July 7.

Miranda said days before the show she started getting the “run around,” and the night before the show she was told she would need a backup band.

She managed to get a band together, but on the day of the show Miranda was told she wouldn’t be performing. She has since been calling the bar repeatedly but hasn’t been able to find out what happened.

“I just think it’s ridiculous. All my friends came and supported me and spent money in their bar, but they never followed through on the prize.”

Local band Atomic Aura allege they were denied the prize of opening for Collective Soul on Canada Day, and one of the band members even lost his job to compete in the contest, according to band founder Eddie Black.

“It hurts. You feel really cheated and betrayed ... We worked really hard for this opportunity,” he said.
But he said he learned the hard way to get things in writing next time.

“I guess you have to make sure there is a contract,” he added.

Miranda and Atomic Aura were given offers to play different nights but both declined, saying they were cheated out of their real prizes and not given enough notice to play the nights they were asked to.

Comments from Cowboys were made off the record, though repeated requests for an official response went unanswered.