No NOC, rains too…Bryan Adams Delhi concert called off (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI - After much flutter, organisers of the much awaited Bryan Adams concert said Tuesday that the event would not take place as scheduled in the evening because of the rains and had been postponed. The mandatory no objection certificate (NOC) from Delhi Police has also been refused.

After a prolonged meeting with Delhi Police and Delhi fire department, the presenter of the concert, Netsurf Entertainment, announced Tuesday afternoon that the concert by the Canadian rock star had been postponed due to heavy rains and technical difficulties to a later date in the national capital.

We are rescheduling the concert to a later date because it will be difficult for the technical teams of both the sides, the musicians, crew and the organising committee to install complicated sound equipment at the NSIC ground because it would be wet. The police and fire department in consultation with the rock star’s team and our technicians decided against it, Sujit Jain, CEO of Netsurf Entertainment who has brought Bryan Adams to India, told IANS.

Jain said Adams was keen to perform in Delhi and was interested in returning to the capital after his concert in Nepal.

But we are working out on the logistics of the visa and travel details. He has a busy schedule because he has two back-to-back concerts in Bangladesh and Nepal.

Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said: The NOC is not given to the event organisers because of security reasons.

Adams, popular with music lovers across generations, tweeted: “Police have cancelled the New Delhi concert tonight due to public safety…”

Awaiting eagerly to catch the well known rock star in live performance, Delhiites had grabbed tickets for the concert slated for Tuesday evening at the NSIC exhibition grounds in south Delhi’s Okhla industrial area. Tickets in excess of the capacity of the ground had apparently been sold.

The promoter said those who were not interested in the rescheduled concert would get full refund of the tickets. He advised them to get in touch with his company and the counters from where they had purchased the tickets.

Jain said the musician was personally very disappointed and was quite downcast since the morning.

Naturally, fans were disappointed with the turn of events.

Rohit Chauhan, a resident of Chandigarh, who reached Delhi early Tuesday for the concert, said: “I and my wife drove all the way down from Chandigarh for the concert and now we come to know that it will not happen today. I am really disappointed.”

Added Charu Singh, a Delhi-based student: “I cut down my pocket money to buy the Rs.2,000 ticket for the concert and now am hearing that it will not happen. I am keeping my fingers crossed! I am a big fan of his and I really really hope it happens”.

The organisers have, however, not yet announced the rescheduled date of the concert.

Adams had been hopeful about the concert going through.

He tweeted at midnight: “I’m in New Delhi, waiting to hear from the police about the concert. As far as I’m concerned the show is on - we’re 100 percent here for the fans.”

Earlier, an officer of the Delhi Police licensing branch, which is authorised to give the NOC, said: “We have stopped the NOC as the local police has informed us that the event organisers have sold tickets beyond the limit.”

“So the event will be difficult to manage,” he added.

Adams, who has to his name superhits like “18 Till I Die” and “Summer of 69″, has a large fan following in India and attracted huge crowds at his concerts at Pune and Mumbai. He is currently on a five-city tour of India that began Feb 11.