Chris de Burgh in Tehran

Pop singer hopes to hold concert for Iranians

Reuters: "This has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy (to visit Iran)... I am here to see and play for people," Chris de Burgh said at a press conference in Tehran. "We are not politically naive ... I am not here for any political reasons. I am a humanist," he added. Born of British parents and brought up in Ireland, de Burgh enjoys fame in Iran and his concert would be the first time since the 1979 revolution that an Iranian pop band had played alongside a Western singer inside the Islamic Republic. "I want to play a concert here. That is all I have to say and that is why I am here," he said. When asked about Iranian authorities, de Burgh said: "I don't get the impression of a big, powerful state body crushing people. There appears to be freedom." Western pop songs with lyrics are banned by Iran's authorities although state radio sometimes plays instrumental versions.

13-Dec-2010
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Dirty Angel

that's torture for you;

by Dirty Angel on

it tours!

"What's three times worse than war?" "Three wars?"


Darius Kadivar

FYI/Robert de Niro calls on Iran to release Sakineh Ashtiani

by Darius Kadivar on

December 13, 2010 | 12:12 

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Among those who signed the letter are actors Robert Redford, Robert de Niro, singer Sting, former French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and others, RIA Novosti reported.

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  //news.am/eng/news/41478.html    


KingReza

Old news

by KingReza on

"He was dubbed Chris de Burqa when he announced that he planned to become the
first western artist to play a gig in Iran since the Islamic revolution in
1979.

But now Chris de Burgh says that he has cancelled all plans to stage a concert
there following “what appear to be blatant violations of basic human rights”
during the recent protests on the streets of Tehran following the disputed
presidential elections.

The singer, known for inoffensive soft-rock ballads such as the Lady in Red,
says he is concerned that performing in Iran would now be seen as an
endorsement of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s regime.

His manager, Kenny Thompson, said that De Burgh had intended to ask Iran’s
cultural ministry for permission to play a concert following the elections,
but had now decided against going ahead with his application. “We should
have been finalising the details at this stage, but it would be like asking
the devil for permission to play in hell at the moment,” Thompson said.

“We can’t deal with a regime that is slaughtering exactly the type of people
who are fans of Chris’s music. The people on the streets are the same people
he wanted to play for. It’s impossible to contemplate going there in the
near future.”

De Burgh was invited to play in Tehran by the Taraneh Sharghi music production
company, whose leading act, a pop band called Arian, has recorded a duet
with the Irish singer in a mixture of English and Persian.

Arian was the first band to receive a permit to perform in public since the
revolution and it gigged in Tehran in 1999. The 11-piece group was also the
first to feature male and female performers sharing a stage since the
revolution.

Their manager, Mohsen Rajabpour, said last year that he had obtained oral
permission for De Burgh to play a series of gigs at the Azadi Indoor Stadium
in the capital. But because tensions were high between the west and Iran
over Tehran’s refusal to suspend sensitive uranium enrichment operations,
the Irish singer chose to wait until after the June elections to proceed
with his application to the Ministry of Culture. Had Mir-Hossein Mousavi
been elected, he would have led a more reformist government more sympathetic
to western music."

 

 

//www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/irelan...


Benyamin

HUM

by Benyamin on

He is a good guy with good intentions, but he is not informed.


Darius Kadivar

The Front row Seats will be for the apparatchik's Sons ...

by Darius Kadivar on

and daughters if they behave ...

No Green Rights 

Idiot Indeed ! 


Jahanshah Javid

Oops

by Jahanshah Javid on

This is an old clip... havasam neest :)...


No Fear

Wow ... JJ

by No Fear on

Are you telling me after posting numerous video clips on your site, you still haven't noticed that freedom of expression, press and the music scene has improved greatly in Iran under the administration of Dr. Ahamdinejad?

How could you deny this?

 


Jahanshah Javid

Idiot

by Jahanshah Javid on

"I don't get the impression of a big, powerful state body crushing people. There appears to be freedom."

Chris, stick to singing!


Cost-of-Progress

Reminds me of those college days...and nights!

by Cost-of-Progress on

I've always liked Chris de Burgh. His music is without a doubt one of the most sensual kind around.
I recommend, if you have not already heard before, one of his earlier albums called Eastern Wind. Just great!

//www.amazon.com/Eastern-Wind-Chris-Burgh/dp/...

Thanks for the blog.

____________

IRAN FIRST

____________


Arthimis

Awesome!!! What a

by Arthimis on

Awesome!!! What a Character!!! Love this man and grew up with his music in Tehran as a kid .... Sailor, can you hear me?.... :-)

Love and Peace