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.