Bryan Adams to stage quake relief concert
Pop star Bryan Adams is taking to the stage in Pakistan tonight to raise money for victims of the South Asian earthquake that killed 87,000 and left millions homeless.
The concert was billed as the first by a major Western pop musician in Pakistan since the September 11 terror attacks in the US.
Adams, best known for hits like “Summer of ’69” and ”Cuts Like a Knife”, arrived in Karachi just days after the US State Department issued a travel advisory for the country, citing concerns about terrorism.
But that didn’t faze the Canadian-born singer.
“The whole idea of coming to Pakistan is very exciting on many levels,” Adams told a news conference. ”It’s exciting because I know we are the first Western artists to come and play a big concert here.”
Proceeds from the concert will go toward rebuilding schools damaged by the quake.
Sponsors said they have sold 22,000 tickets at prices ranging from 3,500 rupees to 5,000 rupees (€66 to €94).
“We’re going to raise a lot of money to hopefully help rebuild some schools in the areas that have been devastated,” Adams said.
The 7.6-magnitude quake struck northern Pakistan’s Kashmir region and surrounding areas on October 8, destroying roads and schools and leaving 3.5 million people homeless. UN-led relief efforts are ongoing as survivors struggle through the harsh Himalayan winter.
