ADAM Lambert
The Adam Lambert concert, originally booked at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena on March 1, has transferred venue to the Smart Araneta Coliseum on the same date, according to Jacqueline Inductivo, tour manager for the artist’s Manila show.
Lambert, the “American Idol” season 8 runner-up known for his powerhouse vocals and glam-rock image, is currently on a world tour to promote his latest album, “Trespassing.”
He first performed in the country on Oct. 10, 2010. His 2012 album, “Trespassing,” debuted at No. 1 on the same Billboard Top 200 chart.
Inductivo told the Inquirer that the concert’s previous promoter, Diego Pineda of Dayly Entertainment, encountered problems when MOA Arena management asked him to move the show to another venue.
“He was informed that a Korean pop group, 2 PM, will be performing the next day, March 2, and that this production requires a laborious stage set-up that would affect the Lambert show,” she said.
“THE JOYFUL Journey of Tess Salientes” on Thursday, Jan. 24, 8 p.m. at the Manila Polo Club, features renowned Filipino jazz pianist Maritess Salientes with special guests Charito and Andrew Fernando. Meanwhile, Salientes plays Friday, 9 p.m., at the Tap Room of Manila Hotel and all Wednesdays of January, 7 p.m., at Martini’s Bar, Mandarin Hotel.
Inductivo added that MOA Arena management has implemented a new system in which the venue is offered free to concerts in exchange for a percentage of gross earnings from ticket sales.
“In effect, there’s no need for promoters to make a down payment, that’s why it was easy for MOA Arena management to ask the Lambert concert promoter to move to another venue,” said Inductivo. “When Pineda asked MOA to reconsider the move, he was allegedly told, ‘Yung K-pop siguradong kikita, e yung Lambert (The K-pop concert will surely earn money, but what about the Lambert show)?’”
Asked about this, MOA Arena general manager Arnel Gonzales has yet to respond to calls and text messages from Inquirer.
Attempts to move the Lambert concert to Smart Araneta were stalled for several weeks, until Pineda was forced to give up the production to a new promoter, Eric Ngo of Scalatech Events.
Inductivo said that Smart Araneta management finally agreed to accommodate the Lambert concert on March 1 after Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the United States-based talent agency handling Lambert’s bookings, confirmed the Manila show.