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Late venue switch for Ed Sheeran’s Indonesia show

Ed Sheeran’s upcoming stadium concert in Jakarta, Indonesia has been relocated just two weeks ahead of the show.

The + – = ÷ x (Mathematics) Tour had been set to grace the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium on 2 March, but will now switch to Jakarta International Stadium (JIS). All tickets remain valid.

Organisers PK Entertainment, AEG Presents Asia and Sound Rhythm say the decision has been taken as a result of Indonesia’s upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier with Vietnam at the GBK on 21 March.

“We recognise the importance of the Indonesia national football team’s matches, especially when we are hosting. Our support aligns with the government’s goal to advance national sports,” PK co-founder and COO Harry Sudarma tells the Jakarta Globe.

“We also believe that JIS, as the largest international-standard football stadium in Indonesia, can provide an unforgettable experience for Ed Sheeran’s fans. Our team is currently working closely with JIS to ensure a smooth and enjoyable concert experience for all fans in Jakarta.”

“We need to make special preparations to keep the venue in prime condition”

Voi reports there had been controversy in the past when the national football team was forced to move venues due to concerts by One Direction and Coldplay at GBK, while two nights by Blackpink last March also caused concern as a result of “the damaged and alarming condition of GBK grass” in the aftermath.

“The GBK Main Stadium will be the location of the match between the Indonesian national team and Vietnam,” says GBK director Rakhmadi A Kusumo. “We need to make special preparations to keep the venue in prime condition.”

The promoters are working alongside JIS and several partners “to provide additional parking spots, shuttle buses with a few pick-up and drop-off points, as well as motorbike taxis and ride-hailing services” for the relocated show.

Sheeran, who is several shows into his AEG-promoted + – = ÷ x Asia tour, set another record last week with his sold-out show at Singapore National Stadium. The 16 February concert broke the venue’s all-time capacity record after attracting 59,000 people.

The singer-songwriter also has further shows in The Philippines  and India scheduled before the Asian leg of the tour wraps up in mid-March.

 


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88rising cancels new Jakarta festival

Asian-American music powerhouse 88rising has called off its new festival, 88 Degrees & Rising.

The one-day event was supposed to take place on 9 September at the JIExpo convention centre in Jakarta, Indonesia, but has now been called off due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

NIKI, Rich Brian, Warren Hue and Stephanie Poetri, along with XG, MILLI, Atarashii Gakko! and Spence Lee were lined up to perform.

Other events that will not take place in 2023 include Made in America (US), Fest Festival (Poland), Falls Festival (Australia), Rolling Loud (US), Summerburst (Sweden), Hills of Rock (Bulgaria), InMusic (Croatia), Wireless Germany, Hear Hear (Belgium) and Tempelhof Sounds and Tempelhof Sounds Presents (Germany).

“We love our fans in Indonesia and can’t wait to bring you a great show in 2024”

“We are saddened to share that due to unforeseen circumstances, 88 Degrees & Rising Jakarta will not be taking place this year,” 88rising wrote in their statement. “All tickets will be automatically refunded to point of purchase. We love our fans in Indonesia and can’t wait to bring you a great show in 2024.”

88 Degrees & Rising would have been the company’s second festival in Indonesia after debuting its Head in the Clouds festival in Jakarta at the end of last year. A second edition is scheduled for this autumn.

The festival brand also has a presence in Los Angeles, New York and Manila, with a new edition launching in China this September.

 


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Head in the Clouds festival to launch in China

Asian-American music powerhouse 88rising is launching Head in the Clouds festival in China this September.

The expansion follows successful editions in Los Angeles (US), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines) and most recently, New York (US).

88rising today (24 July) confirmed that the China debut will take place in Guangzhou, a sprawling port city northwest of Hong Kong, on 23 and 24 September.

88rising todayconfirmed that the China debut will take place Guangzhou on 23 and 24 September

The venue and line-up are yet to be announced but as always, the festival will spotlight Asian acts. The likes of NIKI, Rich Brian, Warren Hue, Jackson Wang, eaJ, Joji, BIBI and Itzy have graced previous iterations of the festival.

88rising also announced that Head in the Clouds will return to Jakarta on 9 September for a second edition. Following that, 88rising will host a special showcase as part of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix on 15 September. Confirmed to perform so far are Jackson Wang, NIKI, Rich Brian, Warren Hue, XG, BIBI, MILLI and Atarashii Gakko!.

Meanwhile, the original LA event will return on 4 and 5 August at Brookside at The Rose Bowl with Rina Sawayama, DPR LIVE + DPR IAN, XG, YOASOBI and more.

 


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K-pop concert in Indonesia cut short after crowd crush

K-pop band NCT 127 had to cut short their first-ever concert in Indonesia after 30 attendees fainted during a crowd crush.

Around two hours into the Jakarta concert, the band handed out freebies causing fans to surge toward the stage until the barricade fences collapsed.

“Because of it, 30 people fainted. To prevent other incidents, we decided to stop the concert at 9.20pm,” said police spokesperson, Endra Zulpan, adding that the collapsed fans had recovered.

Police allowed a second NCT 127 concert to go ahead on Saturday (5 November), but banned the distribution of merchandise to fans and required stricter measures to separate fans and performers.

“To make amends [for the crush] and give the best experience, we will add more paramedics and security personnel for the day 2 show,” the concert organiser Dyandra Global Edutainment said on Instagram.

It is the third crowd control incident in Indonesia in just over a month, prompting concerns from the Association of Indonesian Music Promoters about whether the remainder of this year’s concerts and festivals would be able to secure the necessary permits.

Last weekend, police cancelled the third day of the Berdendang Bergoyang music festival in Jakarta after nearly 30 people fainted due to overcapacity.

While, last month, 131 people were killed and hundreds injured in a stampede as they attempted to leave the Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, after a football match.

AMPI has claimed officials could have a tougher stance on concerts and festivals, which would effect forthcoming events such as Soundrenaline, Head in the Clouds and Djakarta Warehouse Party.

However, the music body has stressed that the incidents at the live music events should not be equated with the Kanjuruhan stadium disaster.

“To make amends and give the best experience, we will add more paramedics and security personnel for the day 2 show”

Overcrowding was also the cause of two massive tragedies the weekend before last, in South Korea and the Congo.

The former incident happened following the Halloween celebrations in Itaewon in Seoul on Saturday (29 October). It was reported that over 100,000 people gathered in the district, which witnessed the crowd crush that killed over 150 lives and injured more than 100 others.

On the same day, 11 people died following a crush at an overcrowded stadium concert in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa. Two police officers were among the victims at singer-songwriter Fally Ipupa’s hometown headline show at the Stadium of Martyrs on Saturday.

The two disasters came just weeks after nine people died in a stampede at a rock music festival in Guatemala.

In other news, a foundation has been launched in memory of 23-year-old Madison Dubiski, who was killed during the deadly crowd surge at last year’s Astroworld Festival, in an effort to ensure concert safety.

The Pink Bows Foundation is aiming to promote stronger safety protocols at concerts and provide scholarships to students interested in pursuing a career in risk management.

“Pink Bows Foundation promotes stronger safety protocols to be consistently implemented at entertainment venues, while encouraging safe spaces and protecting attendees to prevent avoidable injuries or death,” reads the charity’s mission statement.

The organisation is also working to establish legislation, possibly named Maddie’s Law or Showstoppers, that would stop events that don’t adhere to necessary safety measures.

The first wrongful death lawsuit settlements over last year’s Astroworld festival tragedy were reached at the end of last month.

 


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Indonesian festival halted due to major overcrowding

Three-day Indonesian music festival Berdendang Bergoyang was cut short due to major overcrowding.

The Jakarta-based event was initially set to run from 28 to 30 October at Gelora Bung Karno stadium but local police shut it down on the second day, following multiple reports of fainting.

The authorities reportedly found that the organisers sold more tickets than the venue’s 10,000 capacity, ending up with a crowd of over 20,000 attendees each on the first and second days.

Initially, the event was only permitted to welcome up to 5,000 people per day, central Jakarta police chief commissioner Komarudin revealed. The police are currently investigating whether the organisers intended to sell passes that exceed what was granted in their permit.

Ticket holders will be refunded for the cancellations that occurred on the second and third days. Artists including Pamungkas, .Feast and Isyana Sarasvati were due to play the fourth edition of the festival.

“We will continue to evaluate and prepare maturely by following procedures and prioritising the safety of the audience”

“We deeply apologise for this incident,” reads a statement posted on Berdendang Bergoyang’s Instagram. “In the future we will continue to evaluate and prepare maturely by following procedures and prioritising the safety and security of the audience.”

Overcrowding was also the cause of two massive tragedies over the weekend, in South Korea and the Congo.

The former incident happened following the Halloween celebrations in Itaewon in Seoul on Saturday (29 October). It was reported that over 100,000 people gathered in the district, which witnessed the crowd crush that killed over 150 lives and injured more than 100 others. The country is currently in a period of mourning for its victims.

Meanwhile, in the Congo, 11 people died following a crush at an overcrowded stadium concert in the capital, Kinshasa. Two police officers were among the victims at singer-songwriter Fally Ipupa’s hometown headline show at the Stadium of Martyrs on Saturday.

The disaster comes just weeks after nine people died in a stampede at a rock music festival in Guatemala.

 


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Live Nation, 88rising add to Asia festival boom

Live Nation and 88rising are the latest promoters to announce new events in Asia, buoying a festival boom on the continent.

The news comes shortly after Rolling Loud announced plans to expand its hip-hop franchise to Thailand in 2023, and Lollapalooza revealed intentions to launch in Mumbai early next year.

Live Nation’s contribution to the uptick is a one-day urban festival in Tokyo, Japan, in collaboration with the country’s leading promoter Creativeman.

Tonal Tokyo will take place at the Ariake Arena (cap. 15,000) on 29 October this year, featuring a mix of domestic and international acts.

Charli XCX, Jamie xx, Years & Years and Lany are among the artists slated to perform across the main arena and the sub arena.

“We aim to create a new-generational music festival that brings together the diverse sounds and colours of Tokyo”

“This autumn, a new urban festival will be born in our Tokyo. Tonal means ‘timbre’ or ‘colour’. We aim to create a new-generational music festival that brings together the diverse sounds and colours of Tokyo and sends them out from Tokyo to the world,” says the event’s organisers.

Tickets for Tonal Tokyo go on sale on 3 September, with general admission billed at ¥16,500 (€123) and VIP tickets going for ¥30,000 (€224).

Elsewhere, Asian-American music powerhouse 88rising is preparing to bring its US-festival Head in the Clouds to Jakarta, Indonesia, this winter.

The festival will take place at Community Park PIK2 on 3 and 4 December, featuring performances from “artists around the world” – though the line-up is yet to be announced.

Head in the Clouds Jakarta will follow the California edition on 10 and 11 August, which is co-produced with AEG Presents.

Jackson Wang, Jay Park, Rich Brian, MILLI, Chung Ha, eaJ and Bibi are among the artists slated to perform in Los Angeles.

 


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