Four upcoming concerts hang in the balance<\/p>\n
Hera Diani
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Local music aficionados hungry for outside talent may have to
\nbrace for more disappointment, due to the possibility that
\nupcoming concerts will be canceled due to Thursday's bombing at
\nthe Australian Embassy in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Four artists are scheduled to hold concerts here -- German pop
\nmetal icon Scorpions, British boyband Blue, American diva Alicia
\nKeys and British classic crossover quartet bond.<\/p>\n
Scorpions is scheduled to perform on Thursday, Sept. 16, while
\nconcerts of Blue, Keys and bond are planned to be staged on Sept.
\n23, Oct. 5 and Oct. 12, respectively.<\/p>\n
However, with the latest bombing, everything hangs in the
\nbalance.<\/p>\n
In 2002, after the Bali bombing, artists like Deff Leppard,
\nRed Hot Chili Peppers, Yngwie Malmsteen and George Benson called
\noff their performances here.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, news of concert cancellations were heard a few
\ntimes, especially after last year's JW Marriott Hotel bombing.<\/p>\n
Blue previously canceled scheduled concerts twice.<\/p>\n
The most recent cancellations were Missy Elliott and Boyz II
\nMen a couple of months ago due to a travel warning from the U.S.
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"The (Thursday) bombing is very unfortunate. Just when we
\nthought the situation had gotten better, an incident like this
\nhappens,\" promoter Tommy Pratama from Original Production told
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Since the beginning of 2004, the concert scene had started to
\nliven up, with a diverse range of foreign artists, including
\nPatti Austin, rock groups Korn, Toto, Deep Purple and Linkin'
\nPark, as well as pop diva Mariah Carey, Latin heartthrob Enrique
\nIglesias, singer Brian McKnight and pianist Maksim, coming to
\nperform.<\/p>\n
But the bombing may put paid to it again.<\/p>\n
Tommy, who is handling the Scorpions, said there was no news
\nyet of a cancellation by the group.<\/p>\n
\"We hope they will still be willing to perform. Last year, Air
\nSupply was really committed so they still performed on schedule,
\na week after the Marriott bombing,\" Tommy said.<\/p>\n
Promoter Adrie Subono from Java Musikindo, who invited Blue,
\nKeys and bond, also said there was no news yet from the artists'
\nmanagement. \"We'll see what happens,\" he told the Post.<\/p>\n
Adrie was particularly shaken by the latest bombing. Last
\nyear, he narrowly escaped injury during the Marriott bombing. His
\noffice in Plaza Mutiara, which is located next to the hotel,
\nsuffered damage in the blast.<\/p>\n
\"This brings back all the trauma from last year,\" Adrie said.<\/p>\n
Tommy said concerts by foreign artists here work as good
\npublic relations for the country's tarnished image, and the
\nlosses were not counted in rupiah..<\/p>\n
\"Rather than a financial loss, it's more the morale damage
\ncaused by a concert's cancellation, as we get our money back if
\nthe artist calls off the performance here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
So get your fingers crossed, and hopefully the concerts will
\nstill go on as planned.<\/p>\n
I-BOX:<\/p>\n
Concerts schedules<\/p>\n
Scorpions World Tour, Sept. 16 at Senayan Indoor Tennis Stadium
\nin Jakarta and Sept. 18 at Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Denpasar, Bali.
\nTickets cost Rp 200,000, Rp 250,000 and Rp 350,000. Check out
\nwww.tommypratama.com for information.<\/p>\n
Blue concert, with opening act Derek McDonald, Sept. 23, 7.30
\np.m.. at Senayan Sports Stadium in Jakarta. Tickets are Rp
\n150,000 (standing), Rp 185,000 and Rp 200,000 (standing)<\/p>\n
Alicia Keys World Tour 2004 Concert, Oct. 5, at the plenary
\nhall of the Jakarta Convention Center in Jakarta at 8 p.m..
\nTickets cost Rp 300,000 for festival (standing) and Rp 750,000
\nfor tribune class.<\/p>\n
bond \"Classified\" concert, Oct. 12 at the Senayan Indoor Tennis
\nStadium in Jakarta at 8 p.m.. Tickets are Rp 200,000 (tribune)
\nand Rp 400,000 (VIP)<\/p>\n
For the last three concerts, contact Java Musikindo, at (021)
\n57988623\/4\/5, e-mail info@javamusikindo.com or check out the
\nwebsite www.javamusikindo.com.<\/p>",
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