'The show will go on'
0 
 |
|
Chinese singer Cheng Lin, guitar legend Jimmy Page and Michael Jackson's guitarist Orianthi at a press. |
The show — billed as one of Beijing's most spectacular music events — will go on, its organizer insists. There has been speculation the International Show of Peace, a globally televised and star-studded concert set to take place at the Bird's Nest stadium before an audience of between 50,000 and 100,000, will not take place.
But the show's promoter, television and music producer Rick Garson, insists the curtain will rise as scheduled on April 17.
He dismissed skeptics, saying his team has the expertise, experience and, most importantly, government approval, to make it happen.
"I have the trust and understanding of the Chinese government. It's going to happen, despite all the negativity," Garson said.
Garson unveiled his plans for the show at a press conference at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Beijing, on Jan 19, flanked by guitar legend Jimmy Page, Michael Jackson's guitarist Orianthi, UN Pathways to Peace representative Michael Johnson, and representatives from the Ministry of Culture and CCTV.
He also announced Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas and Aerosmith's Joe Perry would perform at the event.
But last week China Music Radar, an English-language blog focused on the music industry in China, brought to light the fact that Lady Gaga was already booked to perform in Yokohama, Japan — the same day as the Beijing concert.
As news spread of the double booking, Garson, who is president of ZZYX Entertainment in Las Vegas, was forced to issue an apology over the mix-up.
"It was anticipated that Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas' involvement in the Show of Peace Concert would be confirmed," he said in a statement.
"Unfortunately, as often happens with music tours, schedules change, and currently Black Eyed Peas is not available to play live at the Show of Peace Concert."
Garson said he is still working to determine if Lady Gaga could somehow take part.
While the Show of Peace website also claims Aerosmith's Joe Perry "will be there taking part in the event", the guitarist's publicist, Paul Freundlich, at PSA Media in New York, told China Daily by e-mail: "The scope of his involvement is being determined."
Currently, the Show of Peace website lists several dozen "invited" superstars including Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Coldplay, Placido Domingo, Green Day, Gwen Stefani, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Justin Timberlake and Prince.
In addition to these international artists, a number of domestic musicians have also been invited to perform.
Garson equated the situation to having a party at your house, where you invite 1,000 guests and only 100 show up.
"Any time you do an event like this people fall in, people fall out, and then they fall back in again," he said.
But with Lady Gaga unlikely to drop the paid Yokohama gig and the Black Eyed Peas officially out, the local music community remains skeptical.
"Garson is working to land the best of the best from the Chinese music community, but he needs to show he can land some big-name foreign artists first," said one Chinese artist who refused to be named due to the sensitivity of ongoing talks. "He appears to have put the chicken before the egg."
Despite the bad press, Garson may be one of the few people with the experience to pull it off. His US credits include the Billboard Music Awards, the Blockbuster Awards, America's Party Live from Las Vegas New Year's Eve TV Special.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments