Tag Archives: Philippines

FOREIGN CONCERT ARTISTS UNITE TO BOYCOTT THE PHILIPPINES

New Directions
One Direction

LOS ANGELES, California  (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Foreign concert artists continue to run afoul of the Philippines’ strict moral and other standards, and they are uniting to skip the country for their world music tours.

In 2012, a Lady Gaga Manila concert attracted widespread protest due to supposedly anti-Christian lyrics in one of the singer’s hits. And earlier this year, two members of One Direction paid bonds of roughly $4,500 before their performance in Manila, due to their casual admission of marijuana use in a video released last year.

This week, Grammy Award winner Chris Brown was barred from leaving the country after a one-day concert in Manila because of fraud charges brought against him by an influential church group. The charges stemmed from the singer’s non-appearance at a New Year’s Eve concert at the Philippine Arena, owned by the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ).

Earlier today, Madonna, who had just announced she has chosen the Philippines as the only country in Asia that would be included in her Rebel Heart Tour, said she decided to cancel her February 2016 concert at the Mall of Asia in Manila, in solidarity with Brown.

The boycott could either deprive Filipinos of the chance to see their favorite international artists, or possibly enhance the careers of local singers and performers. After all, Filipino artists are among the best in the world.

 

 

 

IN AFTERMATH OF CHRIS BROWN’S DEPARTURE HOLD IN MANILA, MADONNA CANCELS PHILIPPINE CONCERT

Brown, left, and Madonna
Brown, left, and Madonna

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – Just days after she announced she was holding a one-day-only concert in Manila in February next year, Madonna said she was cancelling the Philippine leg of her Rebel Heart tour.

The shocking announcement came on the heels of the departure hold order for American Chris Brown, who was in Manila for a one-day concert this week.  Brown’s departure was stopped by Philippine immigration authorities in connection with a complaint filed against the him for allegedly defrauding a concert promoter earlier this year. Brown failed to show up for a scheduled New Year’s eve concert at the Philippine Arena after being paid $1 Million in advance.

Madonna sympathized with Brown and said that what happened to the singer is an insult to the freedom and integrity of international performers. She said she was afraid that the same thing might happen to her when she visits Manila for the first time next year.

Madonna fans were extremely distraught over the news as they were preparing to purchase their tickets which go on sale on July 26.  Ticket prices ranged from P3,150 to P57,750 ($71 to $1,312).

 

SINGER CHRIS BROWN HELD UP IN MANILA, LEARNS HIS LESSON NOT TO MESS WITH FILIPINOS

Brown
Brown

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) –  Grammy Award-winning singer Chris Brown has been in trouble many times before, but this time around, he chose to get in trouble in a country that would not put up with his shenanigans.

Brown was barred from leaving the Philippines because of a contract dispute, the official Philippines News Agency reported Wednesday.

Brown was stopped Wednesday morning while preparing to depart on a private jet from Manila’s international airport on his way to Hong Kong for a concert, the news agency said.

The Philippine Department of Justice said that an order had been issued Tuesday night to stop any attempts by Brown, 26, to leave the country.

Brown performed in a Manila concert that evening as planned, but the order was put in place to compel him to pay back money that promoters said was owed to them after he failed to appear for a previous appearance scheduled for last New Year’s Eve.

Encouraged by the departure hold order, promoters of the New Year’s Eve concert amended their complaint against Brown, asking the Department of Justice that they not only be paid what was owed to them but an additional 50% interest compounded monthly.(We’re not good at math but we suspect that with now almost six months since Brown incurred the “debt,” it could mean lots and lots of money for the aggrieved promoters.)

The promoters have the full backing of Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares whose agency is sure to benefit from taxes that will be collected from promoters if and when they get paid by Brown.

Rumors are circulating that Brown is currently detained in an airport holding cell and is being fed rice and chicken adobo three times a day. He had earlier requested for a McDonald’s cheeseburger but the request was denied.

It wasn’t clear how long Brown will be held in Manila but he certainly has learned the lesson of his lifetime: not to mess with Filipinos!