Foreign performers cancel all concert plans

Foreign performers cancel all concert plans

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

First, violinist Vanessa Mae. Second, punk/pop band Ash
followed by Irish group band The Corrs.

Next on the schedule were jazz pianist David Benoit, pop
alternative band Sugar Ray, jazz/pop singer George Benson and
saxophonist Kenny G.

But the last four performers have postponed their tour plans
worldwide, including to Indonesia, due to the Sept. 11 attacks on
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and the ongoing U.S.-led
retaliation against Afghanistan.

Once again, Indonesian concert-goers must swallow a bitter
pill and accept they won't be seeing their idols in live
performances.

Peter Basuki, president director of concert promoter Buena
Produktama, said the performers had postponed their whole tours.

"So they didn't just postpone their performances here, but in
other countries as well. Whether in Asia or Europe," he told The
Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Benoit was supposed to stage a two-day concert starting last
Monday, while Sugar Ray was scheduled to perform on Nov. 4 and
Nov. 5.

Benson has postponed his Nov. 26 and Nov. 27 performance while
Kenny G was due to perform here some time early next year.

Peter said the postponements expressed the artists' concerns
over the tragic events occurring in their country.

"On the other hand, they are also afraid to go outside the
States, especially to countries with a Muslim majority where
anti-American sentiment has been growing," he said.

The concerts, he added, will be rescheduled for next year.

But there is still hope that two other international events
will be staged: the 46th Asia Pacific Film Festival (APFF) from
Oct. 16 to Oct. 20 and the Third Jakarta International Film
Festival (JiFFest) from Oct. 26 to Nov. 10.

The APFF is scheduled to be attended by delegates from
countries all over Asia and the Pacific. As for JiFFest, 10
foreign filmmakers will attend the event.

The organizing committees said there was so far no plan to
postpone or cancel either event.

APFF's head of public relations and publication, Firman
Bintang, told the Post it was impossible to call off the
festival.

"The panel of jurors has been assessing the films since
September. None of the participants from other countries has
canceled either. Besides, participants are only a small part of
the festival. The most important thing is the film screening," he
said.

JiFFest committee also said none of the filmmakers had
canceled their schedules to come here.

"They all have confirmed their arrivals, which will be in
early November," said a committee member, Vivian.

For information about the events, please visit www.apff46.com
for APFF and www.jiffest.com for JiFFest.