Burbank Show Will Go on Despite Snags

Producers of the “You and Me Because We Care” African relief music festival say they are moving forward with plans for the three-day event next weekend at the troubled Starlight Amphitheatre in Burbank, despite low ticket sales, the absence of a top-name headliner and production difficulties.

“We are really putting it together now,” Michael Evans Boyd said Tuesday. Boyd is executive producer of the concerts, which had to be postponed from last weekend because of poor ticket sales.

Organizers had originally hoped to raise as much as $1 million if all three concerts sold out, but have since scaled back their projections to $600,000.

Burbank officials have expressed skepticism about whether the concerts would ever take place at the city-owned facility.

Focusing on Local Talent

Promoters of the concert now claim that they are concentrating on booking local talent instead of prominent entertainment industry figures. Scheduled to perform at the May 17, 18 and 19 festival are festival are The Chambers Brothers, Jan and Dean, actresses Mabel King and Danielle Brisebois.

“We decided to change the focus, and not go after the really big names,” said A. Michael Pascal, director of operations of the concerts. “Right now, it’s a group of local people who are trying to do something to help the starving people of Africa.”

Pascal insisted that the ticket prices, which range from $20 for lawn seating to $60 for box seats, were reasonable, despite the absence of a big-name attraction. “People who come will get a great evening of entertainment, 25 bands, and they are contributing to a worthy cause,” he said.

Difficulty With Vendors

Lighting and sound arrangements for the concert have been made with local companies but Pascal said he was still having difficulty trying to engage food and beverage vendors. He said that arrangements regarding concessions sales may have to be made with local community service organizations, but that he had been contacted by two “big food-supply houses” who want to donate 36,000 hot dogs and rolls.

The net proceeds from the concerts, Pascal said, will be donated to the Burbank chapter of the American Red Cross, which intends to channel the funds to its national headquarters for its campaign to relieve famine in Africa.