Metallica’s ‘Aidilfitri’ KL Gig: Band Gets Paid Bigger Bucks, PAS Youth Undecided

 

(Malaysian Digest) – Nasruddin added that PAS is not against entertainment, but the policy has to change to ensure that the types of entertainment that come into Malaysia are not against Islam in nature.

Local Metallica fans who are already planning a trip across the causeway to catch the heavy metal band on August 24 can rejoice and forget about having to convert your Malaysian Ringgit to Sing dollar.

According to the latest announcement on the band’s official website, Metallica is set to rock the stage at Stadium Merdeka on August 21, three days before appearing in Singapore’s Changi Exhibition Centre.

The band announced that they are thrilled to include Kuala Lumpur as part of their tour as this would be Metallica’s first concert ever in Malaysia.

Tickets are expected to go on sale from July 6 at 11.30am following an exclusive launch. Purchases over the counter and online will begin on July 8.

Their concert will be managed by Galaxy Group and for more information, fans can visit www.galaxy.com.my.

Tickets will be priced from RM195 to RM680.

Metallica was formed back in 1981 by Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield. To date the band has sold 110 million albums worldwide.

Barely 24 hours the announcement was made about Metallica stopping by KL as part of their tour and the reactions are aplenty.

Hardcore fans who have purchased tickets for the Singapore gig are voicing their disappointment that the band will be coming to KL afterall.

A Malaysian Digest reader who only wanted to be known as Erwan said, “I hope the KL concert will be cancelled! I’ve already bought tickets for Singapore!”

Meanwhile, Rembau member of parliament and Youth and Sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin reacted positively to Metallica’s performance in Malaysia.

In a tweet earlier today, Khairy said that with the likes of Metallica and Smashing Pumpkins slated to perform in Kuala Lumpur, perhaps Malaysia has turned a corner and will not keep losing out to neighboring country Singapore.

Former actress, Wardina Safiyyah however took to comparing Metallica to Egypt in her tweet earlier today: “MESIR or METALICCA??? Which would be your concern?”

Khairy responded to Wardina’s tweet, saying that why can’t it be both as the youth have various interests, at the same time pointing out to the former actress that she misspelled ‘Metallica’.

On the deal to bring Metallica here, a local concert industry observer told Malaysian Digest that negotiations on the matter have been ongoing since 2011.

A quick Google search brought to attention several blog articles mentioning that the band was slated to perform in 2011 however the matter merely died down after a while.

It was brought to our attention by the observer that with regards to Metallica, the deal is different than with any other singers or bands invited to perform in the country.

Usually, payment arrangements would either be a 50-50 deal or the singer/band gets paid one lump sum, regardless of ticket sales.

With Metallica, the deal is reportedly 90-10, with 90% of the ticket sales going directly to Metallica, leaving the concert promoter having to sell 80% of the projected tickets just to break even.

Galaxy secured the deal to bring in Metallica in collaboration with LAMC and Rockstar Touring who are also responsible for brokering Metallica’s Singapore tour.

It is however unclear why Galaxy would agree to a 90-10 deal especially when it means that they’re profit would be considerably lower than bringing in other performers.

Meanwhile, PAS youth chief Nasruddin Hassan Tantawi when contacted by Malaysian Digest said that he has no immediate respond to Metallica coming to Kuala Lumpur.

He added that PAS youth will meet with the ministry responsible before giving a full reaction.

However, Nasruddin said that they have faced similar experiences in the past where they oppose certain concerts and although some concerts were cancelled, it does not solve the root of the problem.

“We cancel one, there’ll be others coming in. We need to address the problem at its source,” he said.

Nasruddin added that PAS is not against entertainment, but the policy has to change to ensure that the types of entertainment that come into Malaysia are not against Islam in nature.

“We need to suggest alternative forms of entertainment. We can be lenient but the performance must not go against syarak,” he told mD.

“We do not want to focus on specific performances because at the end of the day, it is the policy that has to change.

“A guideline needs to be set for entertainment in Malaysia. As for now, we are not saying that Metallica cannot come and perform here, what we are saying in general is that concerts in the country must adhere to a few things; namely the performers do not dress in a provocative manner, they do not spread unhealthy western culture, and the lyrics in their songs do not indicate worshipping of drugs, alcohol, or anything that is haram,” Nasruddin said.

Meanwhile, on the concert date being in the month of Syawal, Nasruddin said that it would be wise for concert promoters to choose dates that do not coincide with significant dates in the Muslim calendar.

“It would be wiser to change the date of the concert,” he added.

PAS youth have been known to ruffle feathers when it comes to foreign singers/bands performing in Malaysia. Previously, PAS opposed to r&b artiste Beyonce Knowles because of her skimpy clothes.

They also took to opposing Rihanna and Elton John, citing the latter’s gay lifestyle as a reason to not allow the singer to perform here.

Mariah Carey was also not spared, however her concert sailed through but the singer was fined for violating the dress code.

The band Michael Learns to Rock also faced the wrath of PAS when the party insisted their concert permit be revoked because the concert was scheduled to take place in the holy month of Ramadhan.

Former Kulim Bandar Bharu member of parliament, Zulkifli Noordin, meanwhile took to making a police report against a concert by Bob Dylan that took place on Maulidur Rasul (Prophet Muhammad’s pbuh Birthday).

With regards to Metallica, it remains to be seen on whether the concert will proceed without a hitch. Given that the date choosen is in the month of Syawal, which is a celebratory month for Muslims around the world after completing a full month of fasting in Ramadhan, it might prove to be a bit difficult for Metallica’s concert in Malaysia to take place without some form of opposition from certain quarters.

The concert promoter should have included it in the negotiations with Metallica’s management and point out that Ramadhan and Syawal are not advisable months for concerts in the country.

To those already ‘salivating’ while waiting for tickets to go on sale, a good advice would be to not put your hopes up just yet. Concerts in Malaysia are known to be cancelled at the very last minute, as was the case with Erykah Badu last year.