Billy McFarland, the infamous organiser of the catastrophic Fyre Festival, has become a target of widespread mockery on social media following the lacklustre debut of his latest venture, the PHNX festival.
From Fyre to PHNX: A Troubled Track Record
The saga began in 2017 when McFarland, with rapper Ja Rule's promotion, generated massive hype for the first Fyre Festival. Marketed as an exclusive luxury music event in the Bahamas, it spectacularly collapsed. Guests who had paid between $500 and $12,000 for tickets found themselves stranded on an island with no running water, minimal food, and only a mattress in a tent for shelter.
In 2018, McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison for defrauding investors of $26 million through the festival and over $100,000 via other fraudulent ticket schemes. Ordered to pay full restitution, he nonetheless shocked the public by announcing a second Fyre Festival for 2025. An initial batch of 100 tickets at $499 each sold out swiftly before McFarland postponed indefinitely and later sold the brand to Limewire for under $250,000.
The PHNX 'Comeback' and Social Media Backlash
Undeterred, McFarland pressed ahead with a new event named PHNX, scheduled for December 5 to 8 at Diamond Cay in the Caribbean. Ticket prices ranged from $200 to an astonishing $500,000 for a package promising a private chef, vehicle access, and dinners with artists and McFarland himself. Rapper French Montana was booked as the headliner.
Unlike Fyre, PHNX actually occurred. McFarland documented it on Instagram, but the posts attracted scorn. A video tour showed a modest venue with a fruit stand, bar, and beach stage before a sparse crowd. The top comment quipped, "I know people in high school who do 400 person parties btw." Another asked, "Did he forget to sell tickets to it??"
A later video of French Montana's performance showed a somewhat larger crowd with fireworks, but the top response read, "Great to see dozens of people having an okay time." One X user mocked the event as a "house party on an island" with exorbitant charges.
A Step Forward, But Far From a Success
While not a total cancellation, PHNX was widely reported as underwhelming. The $6.99 livestream peaked at only around 100 active users. Attendees criticised the catering, with one image showcasing a sad-looking corn cob and plain rice as the vegetarian option. Technical issues, including power outages, plagued some performances, and French Montana reportedly struggled to energise a lukewarm crowd.
Given the likely high costs of venue construction and artist fees against a small ticket sale, McFarland probably lost money on PHNX. Despite some supportive comments praising his "redemption," the overwhelming online reaction highlighted a profound scepticism towards the convicted fraudster's latest enterprise, proving that rebuilding trust is far harder than selling a ticket.
