Phnom Penh Update
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Phnom Penh Update
For all Leonard Cohen fans eager to visit Phnom Penh for the first concert ever in Asia, here's the latest news from the Mekong Sessions:
1. Tickets:
Special group booking discounts now available!
Special travel packages offered by Exotissimo Travel (Official Tour Operator) with a 30% concert ticket discount
Visit: http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=11
2. Exotissimo Travel Profile:
Read themekongsessions.com interview with Exotissimo Travel CEO Olivier Colomes to find out about their special Cohen tours and what lies in store for visitors to the Kingdom of Wonder - the fastest growing destination in Asia.
Visit: http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
3. Mekong Sessions CEO Chris Minko Q=A:
Chris Minko lays it all on the line in an exclusive interview with Asia Life Guide where he reveals plans to bring Bob Dylan to Phnom Penh in 2011.
Visit: http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
4. Mekong Sessions joins in partnership with the Mekong Tourism Office:
Visit: http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
Don't forget to follow the Mekong Sessions on Facebook and visit our YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/themekongsessions
1. Tickets:
Special group booking discounts now available!
Special travel packages offered by Exotissimo Travel (Official Tour Operator) with a 30% concert ticket discount
Visit: http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=11
2. Exotissimo Travel Profile:
Read themekongsessions.com interview with Exotissimo Travel CEO Olivier Colomes to find out about their special Cohen tours and what lies in store for visitors to the Kingdom of Wonder - the fastest growing destination in Asia.
Visit: http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
3. Mekong Sessions CEO Chris Minko Q=A:
Chris Minko lays it all on the line in an exclusive interview with Asia Life Guide where he reveals plans to bring Bob Dylan to Phnom Penh in 2011.
Visit: http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
4. Mekong Sessions joins in partnership with the Mekong Tourism Office:
Visit: http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
Don't forget to follow the Mekong Sessions on Facebook and visit our YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/themekongsessions
- sturgess66
- Posts: 4110
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 2:50 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Re: Phnom Penh Update
Thanks!! I enjoyed reading the Q&A with Chris Minko (Executive Director/CEO of Mekong Sessions) -
http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
This concert looks to be shaping up to what will be an extraordinary event.
"One thousand monks from Neak Leung pagoda will welcome the band, VIP guests and fans with a choreographed traditional Buddhist blessing."
http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
A concert with a difference - Cambodian persons with a disability employed as ushers to welcome fans to Leonard Cohen Live in Phnom Penh
http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
This concert looks to be shaping up to what will be an extraordinary event.
"One thousand monks from Neak Leung pagoda will welcome the band, VIP guests and fans with a choreographed traditional Buddhist blessing."
http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
A concert with a difference - Cambodian persons with a disability employed as ushers to welcome fans to Leonard Cohen Live in Phnom Penh
http://www.themekongsessions.com/index. ... &Itemid=10
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 6:28 am
Re: Phnom Penh Update
I must admit that the interview with Olivier Colomes from Exotissimo Travel was quite supportive of the entire initiative on Leonard's world tour. I have used them a couple of times when traveling in Indochina and they are good. They may not be the cheapest but they do deliver on what they promise. So you if you are going to attend Leonard's tour, then make sure you make the most of it and take a tour with these guys. It's a lot of fun and a great experience.
- sturgess66
- Posts: 4110
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 2:50 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Re: Phnom Penh Update
http://travel.ezinemark.com/leonard-coh ... ed06b.html
Leonard Cohen Coming to You Live from Phnom Penh
By: Pushpitha Wijesinghe on Oct 13, 2010
When you talk about musicians Leonard Cohen stands right at the top. His music and song writing skills are topped with the talent of being a world class performer. The world famous singer and musician has baffled many audiences around the world for many years. Now he's coming to Cambodia to get the Phnom Penh crowd on their feet pumping to the beat.
Canadian by birth Leonard Cohen is an accomplished singer, songwriter, musician, poet and also a novelist. After publishing his first book in 1956 which was a collection of poems he went on to write his first novel in 1963. Very mysterious in nature he has always attracted the attention of the public and critics alike. With beautiful prose and lyrics and uncommon practices such as Zen Buddhism he has always been a step ahead of the rest.
It's been 15 years since his last work tour and the latest tour has been critically acclaimed by many enthusiasts and critics alike. The ones in a life time opportunity for many Cambodians and tourists alike will be complete with his famous nine piece band which will be accompanying him to Phnom Penh. It is expected that many tourists from around the world will be in Phnom Penh to be the incredible experience that is a Leonard Cohen concert.
For many of the visitors the main issue would probably be finding comfortable accommodation and lodging. Looking for a hotel in Phnom Penh? An outstanding Phnom Penh hotel for accommodation would be Raffles Hotel Le Royal which is available to all tourists who wish to spend a relaxed and peaceful time after the concert in the comfort of a world class hotel with the best service around. The brilliant Leonard Cohen is coming to Phnom Penh and it's highly recommended to not miss this chance.
Author Description :
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
- howthelightgetsin
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:51 pm
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- Contact:
Re: Phnom Penh Update
If I win the lottery I'm there or the competition. It looks to be a memorable event and one as a Buddhist I'd love to be at.
Aymi Derham photography - http://www.flickr.com/takenby1
Re: Phnom Penh Update
http://newsstore.theage.com.au/apps/vie ... D38K7PH4HF
The Age A2 magazine
Melbourne http://www.theage.com.au
The amazing story of ex-Melburnian Chris Minko, who persuaded Leonard Cohen to play Cambodia to raise money for the disabled.
A letter to Leonard
Author: Leisa Tyler
Date: 16/10/2010
Words: 1453
Source: AGE
Publication: The Age
Section: A2
Page: 18
Christopher Minko had a bold idea to help Cambodia's disabled and got Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan on side, writes Leisa Tyler.
CHRISTOPHER Minko seems an unlikely hero. Dressed only in black, his bald, sun-blotched head topping an elongated face with stained teeth, this tough-talking, chain-smoking, ex-alcoholic rocker could be Cambodia's guardian angel.
With no connections but a lot of chutzpah, Minko has persuaded one of the biggest touring, entertainment and sporting groups in the world, AEG, to bring superstar musicians to the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, to raise funds for the country's disabled. Called the Mekong Sessions, the first gig, on November 27 this year, features
76-year-old singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen; Bob Dylan is set to play next March.
The challenges are endless. Cambodia is one of the poorest nations in Asia. The indoor arena of the 1960s-era Olympic Stadium, where the concerts will be held, is dilapidated and doesn't have the sound equipment musicians of this calibre require. Nor are there many personnel with the experience and expertise to organise a stadium concert.
Then there is capacity. The arena can hold only 3500 people. Holding it outdoors would not work; Phnom Penh has only 2500 hotel rooms, most of them $10-a-night guest-houses.
But Australian Christopher Minko is a man on a mission, determined to find a stable source of income for charities working with Cambodia's 40,000 landmine and 60,000 victims of polio, a disease which was only eradicated here in 2006. Cambodia still has 2 to 3 million undetonated mines, the bitter left-overs of the Khmer Rouge; there is one chon pika, or landmine amputee, per 290 people.
Minko also wants to put Phnom Penh back on the map. Before 1975, when the Khmer Rouge began the reign that killed more than 1.7 million people, Phnom Penh had an extraordinary art and music scene. This leafy city of grand colonial mansions enjoyed a cultural renaissance after independence from the French. Art and music flourished; talented young architects created "New Khmer Architecture". Psychedelic rock groups played nightly to eager audiences.
"Phnom Penh was amazing once and it can be amazing again," says Minko. "Yes, AEG are taking a risk, but the Mekong Sessions will be unparalleled, with positives far outweighing any negatives."
"The city captured my imagination," says Rob Hallett, the president of AEG Live, who is hoping to bring four international acts a year to the city. "It has such a horrific history but every time I go there people are smiling. As time goes on, the facilities will get better and the number of hotel rooms will increase. Rome wasn't built in a day. But music is an incredible healer; it has the power to build community."
Cohen and Dylan are reducing their fees by up to 80 per cent to play in the Mekong Sessions, with the anticipated $US150,000 profits going directly to the Cambodian Red Cross and Minko's own non-governmental organisation, the Cambodian National Volleyball League for Disabled (CNVLD).
As tickets are priced between $US200 and $US500, the concert is way out of reach for most Cambodians. So Cohen will stage a free concert on November 28 for Cambodians only; 2000 tickets are being distributed to people with a disability, those working in the arts and youth volunteers and the remaining 1500 by raffle.
As a former Zen Buddhist monk whose career has spanned five decades and whose melancholic music has touched the lives of several generations, it seems fitting that Cohen should be staging the first concert in Cambodia a Theravada Buddhist nation.
Cohen was living in a monastery when Rob Hallett "stalked him until he agreed" to put on another world tour. "Ever since I was a kid I wanted to see Cohen live, and I knew the only way this was going to happen was if I put on the concerts myself," says Hallett, who is overseeing Cohen's current world tour, which includes 53 concerts in 45 cities this year, including Melbourne.
For Minko, it is an opportunity to show how corporations are the perfect partners for Third World development.
Born to a Ukrainian Jewish father and German concert pianist mother, Minko grew up with his three brothers in Myrtleford, north-eastern Victoria. Music was in his blood: he played the trumpet in the Victorian Youth Orchestra before, in the 1980s, joining the jazz-rock group Bachelors from Prague and helping to organise the Moomba Goes Musical festival. In between, he spent eight years in Israel and Germany "seeking my roots" and was a founding member of the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Tired of the Australian arts scene, which he felt had become "shallow, pretentious, with endless marketing and hype and no political or social substance", Minko moved to Cambodia with AusAID in 1996 as a technical adviser to the Cambodian Disabled People's Organisation. They were troubled times the following year, former Khmer Rouge soldier and current prime minister Hun Sen staged a bloody coup, deposing Prince Norodom Ranariddh. But Minko stayed, working as an ambulance driver picking up the mangled bodies of the dead and disabled, developing a deep respect for the needs of the Khmers and a repugnance for the international aid world, which he refers to as the "band-aid parasites".
A single dad (his 16-year-old daughter lives with him in Phnom Penh) and self-confessed alcoholic without a penny to his name but a grant from AusAID, Minko started Cambodia's first disabled sports team, a volleyball league. They were a motley bunch of prosthetic-limbed farmers and ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers, but Minko trained and cajoled them to third place in the Volleyball for Disabled 2007 World Cup. It was the first time a Cambodian sports team had been placed in an international event, elevating the amputee sportsmen to national superstars.
But this isn't a straightforward story of triumph over adversity. It is a story of victory and betrayal that features among its colourful characters a lot of guns, some brave nuns and a deceitful Cambodian minister who stole $US250,000 donated to the volleyball team after the World Cup. Written into a film script called By the Rivers Dark, by American journalist Christopher Cox, the story is currently being hawked around Hollywood studios.
Minko won't name the minister, afraid he would be asked to leave the country if he did. He also assures me it's only through his relationship with Prime Minister Hun Sen, anti-corruption minister Om Yentieng and Chinese/Cambodian mogul Oknha Suor Pheng that he has been able to achieve as much as he has.
"Corruption is the tragedy of greed led by 20 years of unbridled handouts by the aid world," says Minko. "But this is nothing compared to the corruption found in the international aid world. Whites have set the agenda for corruption in this country. Some aid workers get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to sip cocktails in fancy bars, drive fancy white four-wheel-drives and advance their own careers. Very little of so-called aid ever makes it to the people it was designed to help."
"Chris is passionate and blunt and not afraid to speak his mind and that offends some people," says Corinne Suor, Oknha Suor Pheng's sister and a key donor to the volleyball team and its associated charities. "But there is no doubt that Cambodia has changed for the better because of him. He has such an enormous and beautiful heart. He made being disabled OK, a part of mainstream society."
Minko was destitute after losing the donations given after the World Cup, so his friend, Australian nun Sister Denise, suggested he return to his roots in the music industry.
"In a very deep state of depression I wrote to the master of depression," says Minko, who contacted Leonard Cohen via his manager Robert Kory, whose contact details he found on the internet. "I had been watching the movie Taking Woodstock, about the community of Woodstock and how they took a chance on life and created the festival. I thought f--- it, went downstairs and wrote a very heartfelt email to Cohen about Cambodia and the state of disabled peoples here, then suggested he should come and do a charity concert. Two weeks later, I received a one-line reply from Robert Kory saying 'Introducing you to Rob Hallett. He will work with you on Cohen's Phnom Penh concert'."
Minko's eyes gleam when he considers the possibilities created by the Cohen concert, including gigs teaming Thai and Khmer bands that he hopes will soften the animosity between the two countries. He is also establishing disabled-people rock groups; the first, called Krom in Khmer ("The Group"), features a pretty lead singer suffering from polio. Their first single, Johnny Cash's Walk the Line, has been released and featured widely on Cambodian television. "The opportunities are endless," he says. "I still wake up every morning and can't believe it's all actually happening."
2009-San Diego|Los Ang|Nashville|St Louis|Kansas City|LVegas|San Jose
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland
Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
2010-Gothenburg|Berlin|Ghentx2|Oaklandx2|Portland|LVegasx2
2012-Austinx2|Denver|Los Ang|Seattle|Portland
Arlene's Leonard Cohen Scrapbook http://onboogiestreet.blogspot.com
- sturgess66
- Posts: 4110
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 2:50 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Re: Phnom Penh Update
Thanks, Arlene, for posting this excellent article. I love the part about the one-line reply Chris received from Robert Kory, after he (Chris) had written to Leonard Cohen.
I have read about this remarkable man - Chris Minko. And I have wanted to post "things" about him for some time now - and this seems like a good time!
Here is a short video narrated by Chris - about his work with that "motley bunch of prosthetic-limbed farmers and ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers" - that volleyball league!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TudIaIPgwmI
In 2009, Chris was presented with a Gold Medal by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akeamohasenapadei Decho Hun Sen for Services to Persons with a Disability of Cambodia. Article at the link -
http://www.standupcambodia.net/headline ... n-sen.html
Here is an older article that I found - from 2007 - written by David Stein, about Chris Minko - from the Encyclopedia Britannica Blog -
http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2007/12 ... -cambodia/
'Introducing you to Rob Hallett. He will work with you on Cohen's Phnom Penh concert'."
I have read about this remarkable man - Chris Minko. And I have wanted to post "things" about him for some time now - and this seems like a good time!
Here is a short video narrated by Chris - about his work with that "motley bunch of prosthetic-limbed farmers and ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers" - that volleyball league!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TudIaIPgwmI
In 2009, Chris was presented with a Gold Medal by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akeamohasenapadei Decho Hun Sen for Services to Persons with a Disability of Cambodia. Article at the link -
http://www.standupcambodia.net/headline ... n-sen.html
Here is an older article that I found - from 2007 - written by David Stein, about Chris Minko - from the Encyclopedia Britannica Blog -
http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2007/12 ... -cambodia/
The Celebration of Life Through Sports Award: Christopher Minko of Cambodia
David Stein - December 20th, 2007
I am less concerned today about whether or not Roger Clemons will wind up in the Hall of Fame. I am less concerned today about what kind of shape Mike Vick will be in when he gets out of prison. I am less concerned today about everything that seems important in sports after spending some time learning about a tough and compassionate Aussie who is “Paying it Forward” in a big way in a land far off.
I would be remiss if I did not confess that the majority of my knowledge about Cambodia consists of bits and pieces gleaned from war movies, Jeopardy, and an old series of strips from Doonesbury when refugees wound up at the homes of Washington socialites.
Here’s another confession. I had to look at a map to make sure where Cambodia sits in Southeast Asia. And-yet another confession: My knowledge of landmines comes from an episode of M*A*S*H and videos of Princess Di (left) walking around with body armor and a face shield and working with landmine victims. What does this have to do with A Celebration of Life Through Sports?
This month’s award goes to an Australian who knows where Cambodia sits. This month’s award goes to a man who has seen the reality of what Alan Alda experienced on a Hollywood set. This month’s award goes to a man who brings that reality to a vision—a vision of sports bringing a people’s tragedy and struggle together in a bond that only a team can understand.
Allow me to introduce you to Christopher Minko (right). Chris is just your regular everyday guy with the ability to get even North Korea to open their eyes to what can be overcome through sports. ‘Nuff said. When part of the “Axis of Evil” thinks you’re doing a good thing…you’re doing a very good thing. As a leader in the sports and cultural event management field including The Australian Football League, Chris has always been led by a heart to help those in need,
“Throughout my career, in all fields I have worked in, I have placed an emphasis on the involvement of the disadvantaged.”
Chris made his way to Cambodia in 1996, a year before landmines became headlines when The Nobel Peace Prize was shared by American Jody Williams for her efforts to ban the hidden explosives, (see Jody’s post at the Britannica Blog).
“My mandate was to work with Cambodian disability groups that we might generate awareness—both intra and internationally—of the insidious root cause of disability in Cambodia: Landmines.”
This was the genesis of The Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled Organization) or CNVLD. Volleyball is tough enough with two arms and two legs. Imagine if you are one of the 40,000 (not a misprint) chonpika, or amputees, in a country where 1 in 290 people have been blown up. That sure does seem like a high rate of people losing limbs in such a small country, but we would see thousands of amputees at the malls of Florida or Georgia or Michigan if each of those states of similar size to Cambodia were littered with 6 million landmines. (By the way, that’s one bomb for every person living in Maryland.) Chris’ organization has taken this human rights disaster and these dis-abilities and created A-bilities with, not only one of the very few national athletic organizations in Cambodia, but one of the few recognized by The United Nations.
The 160 active players in the league are now ranked fifth in the world and have been champions of the Asia version of The Paralympics—a far cry from the genocide of The Khmer Rouge killing fields of the 70’s. San Mao and Som Chak, for example, are friends and teammates. During three decades of civil war they were trying to kill each other. In an interview this year for The West Australian, San said, “We are the victims of the war, but we are friends now. When we chat, we chat for fun.” San lost his leg when he stepped on a landmine while moving munitions as a Khmer Rouge guerilla.
Som lost his while fighting San’s comrades along the Thai-Cambodia border. “My friends in the hospital told me ‘look around you, many people lost legs too, so move on,’” I didn’t want people to laugh at me because I couldn’t do anything. I don’t want anyone to insult us.”
. . . and Barry Bonds couldn’t get along in the dugout with Jeff Kent when they were multi-millionaire teammates in San Fransicso. Shame on the selfish professional athletes of today.
For Chris Minko, it is the vision of what Som and San can do together on a bigger plane. He wants to: draw attention to huge problems—severe physical and psychological damage compounded by social and economic marginalization— facing disabled individuals in Cambodia. I have been working towards these aims with the CNVLD for the last ten years in Cambodia using the unique power of sport to foster social cohesion and civil society development through team sport*
*http://www.sportanddev.org/en/team-play ... -minko.htm
According to a discussion with Chris on www.sportanddev.org, the CNVLD has started an annual program of sporting and recreational activities for children with disabilities. “This includes ‘training the trainers’—which allows foreign sports education experts to work with local teachers to transfer the knowledge, skills and resources needed to teach sports to disabled children.”
2007 also saw the launch of the CNVLD world tour exhibition titled “To Be Deter-mined-At Arms Length.” As for the North Koreans, they are sending a delegation to see the fruits of what Chris has created. It’s the first time North Korea has ever participated in an international disabled sporting event. We say on The Celebration of Life Through Sports Show on Sporting News Radio each night, all sports does is bring families and friends together.
I guess I’ll have to add enemies to that.
Each month we give an individual or a team or an organization The Celebration of Life Through Sports Award and YOU can nominate the recipient! Please make a comment and a nomination in the space below.
This month I have a special honorable mention. This story just came in to me last week. Twelve-year-old DeMarcus Thomas of Hamilton, Ohio, was a linebacker on The Little Blue, the town’s Pee-Wee football team. Last Wednesday, DeMarcus made sure his 11-year-old sister, Deona, got out of the family’s burning home . . . this before succumbing himself to the smoke and flames. Today DeMarcus is being hailed a hero and many confirm that this young man learned much of his strength, courage, and unselfishness . . . on the fields of play. Would Deona have been saved had DeMarcus not had the experience of team sports? Perhaps. We’ll never know. We do know, though, that where DeMarcus is today he will be intercepting every pass, and he’ll be there to inspire every teammate just as he was for his teammate, and sister, Deona.
God Bless You, our young friend.
- sturgess66
- Posts: 4110
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 2:50 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Re: Phnom Penh Update
From "A Letter to Leonard" above -
The title is "I Walked The Line" - words and music by Chris Minko. And you will recognize Chris in the video - singing and playing guitar. And a bit of dancing.
As noted below, Chris has started his own record label "Mekong Sessions Label" for the purpose of promoting singers with disabilities.
But - I love this video. Chris - and Krom - and the sweet Tata - and band matriarch: The Om. I have played it so many times that I was afraid I would wear it out on YouTube.
"But baby, all I really wanna, wanna, wanna wanna do, is baby, sing a love song for you."
I'm looking forward to their next single.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYDnJxbNfpw
I think there is a bit of misinformation about "their first single." The title is similar - but it is definitely not Johnny Cash's song.Minko's eyes gleam when he considers the possibilities created by the Cohen concert, including gigs teaming Thai and Khmer bands that he hopes will soften the animosity between the two countries. He is also establishing disabled-people rock groups; the first, called Krom in Khmer ("The Group"), features a pretty lead singer suffering from polio. Their first single, Johnny Cash's Walk the Line, has been released and featured widely on Cambodian television. "The opportunities are endless," he says. "I still wake up every morning and can't believe it's all actually happening."
The title is "I Walked The Line" - words and music by Chris Minko. And you will recognize Chris in the video - singing and playing guitar. And a bit of dancing.
As noted below, Chris has started his own record label "Mekong Sessions Label" for the purpose of promoting singers with disabilities.
But - I love this video. Chris - and Krom - and the sweet Tata - and band matriarch: The Om. I have played it so many times that I was afraid I would wear it out on YouTube.
"But baby, all I really wanna, wanna, wanna wanna do, is baby, sing a love song for you."
I'm looking forward to their next single.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYDnJxbNfpw
YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION:
Media Release: September 6, 2010
krom (the group) release first single, i walked the line
'i walked the line', the debut single from krom was put on general release on vcd format in music stores across Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Monday, 6 September. The single was also released for free download online at: http://www.youtube.com/user/themekongsessions on the same date.
Built on a Kottkesque roll with Khmer and English vocals and instrumentation, krom are the first band to debut on the newly launched Mekong Sessions label.
krom vocalist, Tata, a Cambodian woman with a disability expressed the desire for krom to act as a catalyst for more singers with a disability to gain greater employment opportunities in the entertainment business.
krom have released little information regarding future material or performances only hinting that their next single, a wee boogie called 'prahok', will be released in six months.
"'Elusive, Exclusive and Reclusive' is the band motto and try as we might we can do nothing to change that," a spokesman close to krom stated on condition on anonymity yesterday.
Only Tata speaks to the media and she can be contacted on 012-494344
krom - the group:
tata: vocals
minko: guitar and vocals
ian white: guitar
jimi baeck: accordion
brian webster: drums
kim bunthan: khmer violin
band matriarch: the om
The single: i walked the line
minko: music + words
ian white: producer
photography: luke duggleby
video: ian white + darren campbell
Re: Phnom Penh Update
Thank you, Arlene and Linda, for posting these articles. A pretty amazing story.
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Mekong Sessions interviews Canadian Ambassador
The Mekong Sessions continues its series of interviews with key players in the organisation of the historic Leonard Cohen benefit concert in Phnom Penh on 27 November 2010 with an exclusive interview with H.E Ambassador Ron Hoffman of the Embassy of Canada for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.
Wednesday October 20th, 2010
Ambassador Ron Hoffmann - Embassy of Canada
Ambassador, thank you for taking the time to speak with themekongsessions.com
The Canadian Embassy for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia has made a significant effort in building support for the Leonard Cohen Live in Phnom Penh benefit concert. Is it only because Leonard is Canadian?
I am of course delighted that the Mekong Sessions concert series is being launched with the headlining performace of a wonderful Canadian poet and musician, who has a global following. Leonard Cohen aside, I believe the Mekong Sessions as a concept has the potential to bring far reaching social and economic benefits to Cambodia, now and well into the future. The iniative can count on the Canadian Embassy's partnership in an enduring way.
The Mekong Sessions has announced its intention to develop Phnom Penh in cooperation with AEG Live as the premier live music hub of SE Asia attracting visitors from the region and globally for legendary performers. How realistic do you think this vision is and how do you see the role of the Canadian Embassy as a long term partner?
Well I think the idea of Phnom Penh as a regional concert hub is an exciting one. It would be wonderful to see the Cambodian capital once again carving out a unique and special place for itself in Asia. While this strikes me as a project which will take time to fully realize, it also seems to be that the initial November 27 concert can serve as a major catalyst. The Canadian Embassy is committed to serving as a long term partner by harnessing the natural interest of Canadians, and friends of Canadians, to attend concerts but also to help sponsor them and build awareness among our networks of relationships.
You recently hosted a luncheon for the Mekong Sessions at your residence in Bangkok attended by CEO’s from leading global corporations and media outlets. How would you characterise their reactions to the Mekong Sessions and what has been achieved as a result?
To be frank, I was somewhat surprised at just how strong the interest and excitement was among this diverse group of corporate players. The Mekong Sessions' vision is clearly capturing the broad corporate goodwill which exists toward the Cambodian people, but there is also clearly a real belief that this concert series can achieve great things for the country.
The Mekong Sessions has built an exceptionally broad and diverse series of partnerships for the first concert as a framework for future growth. Is cross sector cooperation the key to success and what challenges exist in successfully achieving it?
The ambitious scale and long term nature of the Mekong Sessions suggests that it needs a broad based partnership platform to succeed. Happily, the nature of the project also implies that the benefits to Cambodian society are such that all major business sectors can benefit. Support to the disadvantaged, especially land mine victims and young people, men and women and boys and girls, is a winner for everybody in my view. And the economic benefits of a thriving capital city which draws visitors from around the region and invests in its entertainment and tourism infrastructure also helps everybody doing business in the country.
How relevant are the hospitality and entertainment industries as key economic growth catalysts and indicators for Cambodia and SE Asia?
I spend much of my time in Thailand and can plainly see how the country benefits from tourism. Its a big job creator, and it spurs a great deal of independent, small and local business. The tourism and entertainment sectors can achieve tremendous things in building international knowledge of a country and a sympathy in favour of it among foreign audiences. I see no reason why Cambodia can't emerge in coming years as a compelling and successful tourism destination - much more so than it already is. The Mekong Sessions can serve as an exciting contribution to this goal.
With proceeds from the benefit concert being directed to Cambodian persons with a disability though the Cambodian Red Cross and the CNVLD, how important is the humanitarian aspect of the Mekong Sessions to the Canadian Embassy and corporate partners?
Canadian companies are among the most committed of any business community to corporate social responsibility. I've seen first hand time and time again that Canadian business people believe in helping the communities they work and live in. They also recognise that healthy, fair, egalitarian societies, in which everyone has a chance to prosper, are better to invest in. Certainly the Canadian government believes in supporting Cambodia to develop and modernize, and we always consider the interests of vulnerable segments of society. The humanitarian and moral orientation of the Mekong Sessions appeal directly to the Canadian character.
To what extent are Cambodia and the region an area of interest for Canadian businesses, investors and tourists?
Canada has long standing and positive relations with Cambodia. We have some 50,000 Canadians of Cambodian heritage, approximately 35,000 Canadian visitors to Cambodia annually and growing two-way trade and expanding Canadian investment in Cambodia. We also have an active and constructive bilateral dialogue on political matters such as good governance, democratic health and human rights, and mutual security interests. Finally, Canada continues to apply a robust development program in Cambodia, where we have invested heavily in land mine clearance and rural land reform, as well as the rule of law. I consider myself privileged to be Canada's Ambassador and am excited about playing my part to deepen our relations.
How many friends of the Canadian Embassy will be travelling to Phnom Penh for the Leonard Cohen concert on 27 November?
I am having a hard time keeping track of the growing numbers of Canadians and friends of Canadians now intending to come to Phnom Penh for the concert. With awareness growing in the wider Asian region, and attractive joint travel and concert packages now available, I expect many Canadians to be present. My wife and I will of course be there as well.
Ambassador Hoffmann, we look forward to welcoming you and all the friends of the Canadian Embassy to the Kingdom of Wonder for the concert of a lifetime on 27 November.
Wednesday October 20th, 2010
Ambassador Ron Hoffmann - Embassy of Canada
Ambassador, thank you for taking the time to speak with themekongsessions.com
The Canadian Embassy for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia has made a significant effort in building support for the Leonard Cohen Live in Phnom Penh benefit concert. Is it only because Leonard is Canadian?
I am of course delighted that the Mekong Sessions concert series is being launched with the headlining performace of a wonderful Canadian poet and musician, who has a global following. Leonard Cohen aside, I believe the Mekong Sessions as a concept has the potential to bring far reaching social and economic benefits to Cambodia, now and well into the future. The iniative can count on the Canadian Embassy's partnership in an enduring way.
The Mekong Sessions has announced its intention to develop Phnom Penh in cooperation with AEG Live as the premier live music hub of SE Asia attracting visitors from the region and globally for legendary performers. How realistic do you think this vision is and how do you see the role of the Canadian Embassy as a long term partner?
Well I think the idea of Phnom Penh as a regional concert hub is an exciting one. It would be wonderful to see the Cambodian capital once again carving out a unique and special place for itself in Asia. While this strikes me as a project which will take time to fully realize, it also seems to be that the initial November 27 concert can serve as a major catalyst. The Canadian Embassy is committed to serving as a long term partner by harnessing the natural interest of Canadians, and friends of Canadians, to attend concerts but also to help sponsor them and build awareness among our networks of relationships.
You recently hosted a luncheon for the Mekong Sessions at your residence in Bangkok attended by CEO’s from leading global corporations and media outlets. How would you characterise their reactions to the Mekong Sessions and what has been achieved as a result?
To be frank, I was somewhat surprised at just how strong the interest and excitement was among this diverse group of corporate players. The Mekong Sessions' vision is clearly capturing the broad corporate goodwill which exists toward the Cambodian people, but there is also clearly a real belief that this concert series can achieve great things for the country.
The Mekong Sessions has built an exceptionally broad and diverse series of partnerships for the first concert as a framework for future growth. Is cross sector cooperation the key to success and what challenges exist in successfully achieving it?
The ambitious scale and long term nature of the Mekong Sessions suggests that it needs a broad based partnership platform to succeed. Happily, the nature of the project also implies that the benefits to Cambodian society are such that all major business sectors can benefit. Support to the disadvantaged, especially land mine victims and young people, men and women and boys and girls, is a winner for everybody in my view. And the economic benefits of a thriving capital city which draws visitors from around the region and invests in its entertainment and tourism infrastructure also helps everybody doing business in the country.
How relevant are the hospitality and entertainment industries as key economic growth catalysts and indicators for Cambodia and SE Asia?
I spend much of my time in Thailand and can plainly see how the country benefits from tourism. Its a big job creator, and it spurs a great deal of independent, small and local business. The tourism and entertainment sectors can achieve tremendous things in building international knowledge of a country and a sympathy in favour of it among foreign audiences. I see no reason why Cambodia can't emerge in coming years as a compelling and successful tourism destination - much more so than it already is. The Mekong Sessions can serve as an exciting contribution to this goal.
With proceeds from the benefit concert being directed to Cambodian persons with a disability though the Cambodian Red Cross and the CNVLD, how important is the humanitarian aspect of the Mekong Sessions to the Canadian Embassy and corporate partners?
Canadian companies are among the most committed of any business community to corporate social responsibility. I've seen first hand time and time again that Canadian business people believe in helping the communities they work and live in. They also recognise that healthy, fair, egalitarian societies, in which everyone has a chance to prosper, are better to invest in. Certainly the Canadian government believes in supporting Cambodia to develop and modernize, and we always consider the interests of vulnerable segments of society. The humanitarian and moral orientation of the Mekong Sessions appeal directly to the Canadian character.
To what extent are Cambodia and the region an area of interest for Canadian businesses, investors and tourists?
Canada has long standing and positive relations with Cambodia. We have some 50,000 Canadians of Cambodian heritage, approximately 35,000 Canadian visitors to Cambodia annually and growing two-way trade and expanding Canadian investment in Cambodia. We also have an active and constructive bilateral dialogue on political matters such as good governance, democratic health and human rights, and mutual security interests. Finally, Canada continues to apply a robust development program in Cambodia, where we have invested heavily in land mine clearance and rural land reform, as well as the rule of law. I consider myself privileged to be Canada's Ambassador and am excited about playing my part to deepen our relations.
How many friends of the Canadian Embassy will be travelling to Phnom Penh for the Leonard Cohen concert on 27 November?
I am having a hard time keeping track of the growing numbers of Canadians and friends of Canadians now intending to come to Phnom Penh for the concert. With awareness growing in the wider Asian region, and attractive joint travel and concert packages now available, I expect many Canadians to be present. My wife and I will of course be there as well.
Ambassador Hoffmann, we look forward to welcoming you and all the friends of the Canadian Embassy to the Kingdom of Wonder for the concert of a lifetime on 27 November.
-
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 1:49 pm
Win VVIP Leonard Cohen Tickets with Time Out Singapore
Time Out Singapore are running a special Leonard Cohen promotion with two pairs of VIP tickets as competition prizes.
Leonard Cohen - Live in Concert
"At the age of 76, Canada’s high priest of poetic melancholy is still bringing his hauntingly beautiful songcraft to the furthest corners of the globe and winning rave reviews for his concerts. His sole South-East Asia stopover on this tour is at Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium on 27 November, with the show’s entire proceeds being donated to Cambodia’s Red Cross and Cambodians with a disability. Swoon for a great cause as this legendary songwriter performs indisputable classics from the folk-pop canon such as ‘So Long Marianne’,‘Suzanne’, ‘Tower of Song’, ‘Sisters of Mercy’ and ‘Hallelujah’."
Time Out Singapore
Enter the Time Out Singapore Leonard Cohen VIP ticket competition:
http://www.timeoutsingapore.com/competi ... h-750-each
Leonard Cohen - Live in Concert
"At the age of 76, Canada’s high priest of poetic melancholy is still bringing his hauntingly beautiful songcraft to the furthest corners of the globe and winning rave reviews for his concerts. His sole South-East Asia stopover on this tour is at Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium on 27 November, with the show’s entire proceeds being donated to Cambodia’s Red Cross and Cambodians with a disability. Swoon for a great cause as this legendary songwriter performs indisputable classics from the folk-pop canon such as ‘So Long Marianne’,‘Suzanne’, ‘Tower of Song’, ‘Sisters of Mercy’ and ‘Hallelujah’."
Time Out Singapore
Enter the Time Out Singapore Leonard Cohen VIP ticket competition:
http://www.timeoutsingapore.com/competi ... h-750-each
- liverpoolken
- Posts: 3174
- Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2002 11:25 pm
Re: Phnom Penh Update
..with rumours starting to circulate (via minko..of course) in the dylan world that his bobness will be playing phnom pehn early next year let's hope that if mr zimmerman does honour them with his presence his concert(s) are organised far better than what seems to be happening with leonards at the moment......
...the local publicity surrounding leonard's concert is already starting to sound distasteful to say the least...i guess the last line of this article refers to the disgraceful insult that leonard and his management afforded to the people of palestine when he tried to whitewash his playing in tele aviv by offering to play a concert in ramallah
First we take Phnom Penh
30 SEPTEMBER 2010 SOUTHEAST ASIA GLOBE STAFF
As Phnom Penh braces for a performance by the legendary Leonard Cohen, questions arise as to the monumental cost and the lack of transparency surrounding the event.
The ever-gleeful Kingdom of Wonder is getting ready for the appearance of a man who certainly qualifies as the most respected recording artist ever to grace the country. It will be Leonard Cohen’s first concert in the region and his last scheduled performance outside of the United States on the current World Tour. It is also the only benefit concert on his current scoot across the globe.
Yet it is easy to wonder how much the king of the miserablists actually knows about this latest stop. Is he aware, for example, of the uproar caused by the ticket prices? With all due respect, Leonard isn’t quite the international draw of, say, a Paul McCartney or even a Madonna. Although the thought of him delivering a performance while bedecked in a corset and those breast cones might just make the price of admission a bit more bearable.
The cheapest ticket coming in at $226? And the most expensive peaking at $600? Come on. This is a country where most people can’t even afford a new pair of flip-flops. But then again, the organisers are not being shy about the fact that they're mainly targeting "affluent residents in the region" to come and see the Big L.
Perhaps it would be a little easier to swallow if it was blatantly obvious that this was a tour solely designed to swell the Cohen coffers.
Yet this isn’t the case for this charitable concert; the tickets are for the most part only pant-wettingly high here, in Cambodia. On average, they are about twice as expensive as those in Europe and Australia. According to Christopher Minko, CEO of the Mekong Sessions which is producing the concert, the ticket prices “also reflect the high production cost of equipment . . . which is not currently available in Cambodia”. Except that, according to an industry insider, it is. Our source says, Cambodia currently has, for the most part, enough international standard equipment to supply the needs of the concert. We didn’t attend the free Pitbull concert back in May, but we heard he wasn’t exactly busking through a tinny little speaker.
But it’s all for charity, mate, you may protest. Indeed it is. The proceeds from the concert will benefit Preah Say Pagoda School and disability projects run by the Cambodian Red Cross, which is headed by the prime minister’s wife, Lok Chumteav Bun Rany Hun Sen. The other organisation to benefit will be the Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled), otherwise known as CNVLD, which Minko is the secretary general of.
It will be some time before official fundraising figures are released, and the Mekong Sessions has not yet made public how the money will be distributed to the various organisations. With Cohen set to be wheeled out next month, we can only hope such minor details as to exactly where the money is going will be made public soon.
Just when it seems that things are already murkier than a quick lap around Boeung Kak lake, a media secrecy cloud also seems to shadow the entire event. The media partners of the Mekong Sessions will be ok, but even their articles have to be approved by the organisers. Yet because the Southeast Asia Globe didn’t fancy giving up our journalistic independence, we’re left outside tapping at the windows, begging to be let into the party where all the cool kids are
This makes it difficult to make standard inquiries surrounding a charitable concert that you'd expect to be transparent in nature. Our information requests to some of the partners involved – the Cambodian Red Cross, sound equipment companies, Leonard Cohen’s manager and AEG management – were met with more silence than a nun's bedroom. They were almost universally directed back to the Mekong Sessions.
Don't be surprised if, in an attempt to balance criticism over the elitist nature of the concert, the Mekong Sessions stages a free Leonard Cohen performance in Cambodia.
...the local publicity surrounding leonard's concert is already starting to sound distasteful to say the least...i guess the last line of this article refers to the disgraceful insult that leonard and his management afforded to the people of palestine when he tried to whitewash his playing in tele aviv by offering to play a concert in ramallah
First we take Phnom Penh
30 SEPTEMBER 2010 SOUTHEAST ASIA GLOBE STAFF
As Phnom Penh braces for a performance by the legendary Leonard Cohen, questions arise as to the monumental cost and the lack of transparency surrounding the event.
The ever-gleeful Kingdom of Wonder is getting ready for the appearance of a man who certainly qualifies as the most respected recording artist ever to grace the country. It will be Leonard Cohen’s first concert in the region and his last scheduled performance outside of the United States on the current World Tour. It is also the only benefit concert on his current scoot across the globe.
Yet it is easy to wonder how much the king of the miserablists actually knows about this latest stop. Is he aware, for example, of the uproar caused by the ticket prices? With all due respect, Leonard isn’t quite the international draw of, say, a Paul McCartney or even a Madonna. Although the thought of him delivering a performance while bedecked in a corset and those breast cones might just make the price of admission a bit more bearable.
The cheapest ticket coming in at $226? And the most expensive peaking at $600? Come on. This is a country where most people can’t even afford a new pair of flip-flops. But then again, the organisers are not being shy about the fact that they're mainly targeting "affluent residents in the region" to come and see the Big L.
Perhaps it would be a little easier to swallow if it was blatantly obvious that this was a tour solely designed to swell the Cohen coffers.
Yet this isn’t the case for this charitable concert; the tickets are for the most part only pant-wettingly high here, in Cambodia. On average, they are about twice as expensive as those in Europe and Australia. According to Christopher Minko, CEO of the Mekong Sessions which is producing the concert, the ticket prices “also reflect the high production cost of equipment . . . which is not currently available in Cambodia”. Except that, according to an industry insider, it is. Our source says, Cambodia currently has, for the most part, enough international standard equipment to supply the needs of the concert. We didn’t attend the free Pitbull concert back in May, but we heard he wasn’t exactly busking through a tinny little speaker.
But it’s all for charity, mate, you may protest. Indeed it is. The proceeds from the concert will benefit Preah Say Pagoda School and disability projects run by the Cambodian Red Cross, which is headed by the prime minister’s wife, Lok Chumteav Bun Rany Hun Sen. The other organisation to benefit will be the Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled), otherwise known as CNVLD, which Minko is the secretary general of.
It will be some time before official fundraising figures are released, and the Mekong Sessions has not yet made public how the money will be distributed to the various organisations. With Cohen set to be wheeled out next month, we can only hope such minor details as to exactly where the money is going will be made public soon.
Just when it seems that things are already murkier than a quick lap around Boeung Kak lake, a media secrecy cloud also seems to shadow the entire event. The media partners of the Mekong Sessions will be ok, but even their articles have to be approved by the organisers. Yet because the Southeast Asia Globe didn’t fancy giving up our journalistic independence, we’re left outside tapping at the windows, begging to be let into the party where all the cool kids are
This makes it difficult to make standard inquiries surrounding a charitable concert that you'd expect to be transparent in nature. Our information requests to some of the partners involved – the Cambodian Red Cross, sound equipment companies, Leonard Cohen’s manager and AEG management – were met with more silence than a nun's bedroom. They were almost universally directed back to the Mekong Sessions.
Don't be surprised if, in an attempt to balance criticism over the elitist nature of the concert, the Mekong Sessions stages a free Leonard Cohen performance in Cambodia.
Solitudine non é essere soli, é amare gli altri inutilmente - Mario Stefani
-
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2010 1:49 pm
Re: Phnom Penh Update
Thanks for the post Ken and the Mekong Sessions is always happy to respond to enquires from the media and fans regarding the Leonard Cohen concert here.
The magazine in question is a local publication which declined to become a media partner to the Sessions when offered as they were refused absolute exclusvity and their sister promotion company not granted a contract to produce websites and publicity. Their response is clear and negative. The Mekong Sessions is exceptionally proud to be hosting Leonard Cohen and continues to work in a spirit of positivity and dignity as befits an artist of his stature.
The magazine sent a Q+A interview to the Mekong Sessions which was answered immediately as is our policy with all media. While they placed ithe interview online, they declined to publish it in the magazine as part of their article. We are happy to publish it in full below.
Mr Cohen will indeed be performing a second concert with free entry for Cambodian citizens, many of whom will be local artists, musicians and persons with a disability. This has been in the pipeline since the initial planning stages with official announcements soon to be published online and in the media. Comparisons with Palestine are baseless. Cambodia is a nation at peace.
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Mekong Sessions CEO Mr. Christopher Minko
Response to written questions by Ms. Charlie Lancaster, Managing Editor,
Southeast Asia Globe magazine
1. Why do you think the PP concert will stand out from other concerts on the tour?
The Phnom Penh concert stands out for being about more than just the critically
acclaimed performance of Mr. Cohen which continues to speak for itself with his 4 hour
plus concerts in Europe. The concert is exclusive to Asia, it is the first time Mr Cohen has
ever performed in the region, it is his last scheduled performance outside of the USA, it is
the only benefit concert on the tour and it is responsible for bringing AEG Live, the
world’s largest sport and entertainment company, into Cambodia with obvious long term
economic benefits for the nation.
Mr Cohen’s performance has already acted as a vibrant catalyst for encouraging tourists
and affluent residents in the region to visit Cambodia, assisted by Exotissimo Travel, the
Mekong Sessions Official Tour Operator, and Silver Sponsor partner Raffles Hotel Le
Royal Phnom Penh. The concert has also fostered positive relationships between
members of the Cambodian hospitality and corporate sectors with Silver Sponsor partners
Kingdom Brewery and ANZ Royal Bank working together with the Mekong Sessions to
ensure the concert of a lifetime in the Kingdom of Wonder.
The concert has also generated the formation of mature regional media partnerships with
the Bangkok Post, Asia Life Phnom Penh / HCMC, the Phnom Penh Post and F
Magazine that promote the region and foster positive commercial cooperation. The
partnership with the Bangkok Post in particular represents an historic development with
businesses and media in Cambodia and Thailand cooperating to promote events in Phnom
Penh.
Cities on the tour like Florence, Moscow, Berlin, Melbourne etc do not stand out in the
same manner as Phnom Penh as they are already well established cultural and concert
destinations. Ultimately, Mr Cohen’s performance will serve to put Cambodia firmly on
the map as the concert destination of the region and as a cultural jewel of SE Asia. The
Mekong Sessions is exceptionally grateful to Mr Cohen and AEG Live for recognising
Cambodia’s potential.
2. Why is the PP concert the only charity event on his world tour?
Phnom Penh is the only charity event on Leonard Cohen’s World Tour thanks to the
exceptional personal generosity of Mr. Cohen, together with Robert Kory Management
and AEG Live. As an ordained Buddhist monk, Mr. Cohen is known for his affinity for
the culture and his commitments to assist those who have suffered from conflict. Mr.
Cohen’s generosity on humanitarian issues is well known and he also made a substantial
donation to Australian Bushfire victims during his Australian tour last year.
3. Will future gigs for the Mekong Sessions also be charity fundraisers?
Future Mekong Sessions concerts will have a benefit focus always focusing on assistance
to Cambodian persons with a disability.
4. How much do you hope to raise for the Cambodian Red Cross and people with
disabilities? Will that include CNVLD?The proceeds from the concert will benefit the Cambodian Red Cross, the CNVLD and
the Preah Say Pagoda School. The Mekong Sessions will announce the amounts in an
official media release at the completion of the concert.
5. Which CRC projects will the money be donated to?
Proceeds to the CRC will be directed towards projects assisting Cambodian Persons with
a Disability.
6. I tried calling CRC for some quotes, but I was redirected to you, why?
As promoter and producer the Mekong Sessions handles all local media enquiries as
standard practice.
7. How does the Mekong Sessions plan to monitor how the donations are
distributed?As per contractual agreements with AEG Live and Robert Kory Management, all
distribution of proceeds from the concert will be strictly monitored through an audit by a
mutually agreed international financial institution. All CNVLD and Mekong Sessions
finances are overseen by ANZ Royal Bank.
8. Why is there such price discrepancy between concerts on his tour and the one in
PP (for e.g. $38 Portugal for cheapest tickets compared to $226 in PP)With the special packages now available for Phnom Penh tickets, the pricing discrepancy
has been reduced. Fans from outside Cambodia booking with Exotissimo Travel receive a
30% discount on all tickets. Fans who book in groups either online or purchase at the
Mekong Sessions office in Phnom Penh receive discounts of 10% on 10 tickets and 20%
on 20 tickets. In addition, there is a special group rate for volunteers working in
Cambodia of USD200 per ticket.
For the five upcoming concerts in France, the cheapest tickets are USD94. In Hannover,
Germany the cheapest tickets are USD71 in a venue with a capacity of 14,000. In
Moscow, the cheapest tickets are USD130 with a capacity of 6000 while the most
expensive are USD650. In Melbourne, Australia, the cheapest tickets are USD130 in the
Rod Laver arena with a capacity of over 15,000 with two shows running over three
nights.
Phnom Penh is the most intimate concert on the entire World Tour. With just 3500 seats,
every person who purchases a ticket will be able to see the sweat on Mr Cohen’s brow
rather than watching the concert from a distance on a video screen. The size of the venue
has obvious impacts on ticket prices. Ticket prices also reflect the high production costs
for equipment, as required by an artist of Mr. Cohen’s calibre, which is not currently
available in Cambodia as well as the substantial beneficiaries.
The Mekong Sessions is very pleased at the level of ticket sales and is successfully
achieving the objective of attracting large numbers of fans from the region and around the
world to visit Cambodia.
9. Please elaborate on this in AsiaLife's May edition: Minko, who as secretary
general of CNVLD has brought two volleyball world cups to the capital, sees the
concert as the crowning achievement for all the hard work done by the
organisation. “Fifteen years of work leads to Leonard Cohen,” he says.
It took fifteen years to develop the CNVLD into one of the world’s most recognised
sports and development programmes with an established track record of hosting
internationally recognised and highly successful regional and World Cup events and
gaining a Best Practices accolade from the United Nations. The subsequent establishment
of the Mekong Sessions, as Cambodia’s leading concert and event management
company, on the back of this track record led Leonard Cohen and AEG Live to have the
confidence that the Mekong Sessions would successfully host Cambodia’s first truly
international standard concert.
10. There are rumours that Cohen may perform a free concert in PP, is this true? If
so, where and when?The Mekong Sessions declines to comment on rumours.
11. Congratulations on forming krom - when and where can we see you play? What
else should we expect to see from the Mekong Sessions label?
krom have released little information regarding future material or performances only hinting that
the next single, a ‘little boogie’ called prahok, will be released on the Mekong Sessions label in
six months. ‘Elusive, Exclusive and Reclusive’ is the band’s motto and lead singer Tata, a
Cambodian woman with a disability, is the sole media spokesperson. Fans can expect some very
special guest appearances on future tracks. The krom debut single, ‘i walked the line’, is available
on sale in CD stores around Phnom Penh and online via the Mekong Sessions website.
The Mekong Sessions thanks Leonard Cohen and his band, AEG Live and Robert Kory Management for their exceptional generosity in agreeing to perform this historic concert in Phnom Penh and thanks all fans for their ongoing support inlcuding Jarkko Arjatsalo and Marie Mazur.
The magazine in question is a local publication which declined to become a media partner to the Sessions when offered as they were refused absolute exclusvity and their sister promotion company not granted a contract to produce websites and publicity. Their response is clear and negative. The Mekong Sessions is exceptionally proud to be hosting Leonard Cohen and continues to work in a spirit of positivity and dignity as befits an artist of his stature.
The magazine sent a Q+A interview to the Mekong Sessions which was answered immediately as is our policy with all media. While they placed ithe interview online, they declined to publish it in the magazine as part of their article. We are happy to publish it in full below.
Mr Cohen will indeed be performing a second concert with free entry for Cambodian citizens, many of whom will be local artists, musicians and persons with a disability. This has been in the pipeline since the initial planning stages with official announcements soon to be published online and in the media. Comparisons with Palestine are baseless. Cambodia is a nation at peace.
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Mekong Sessions CEO Mr. Christopher Minko
Response to written questions by Ms. Charlie Lancaster, Managing Editor,
Southeast Asia Globe magazine
1. Why do you think the PP concert will stand out from other concerts on the tour?
The Phnom Penh concert stands out for being about more than just the critically
acclaimed performance of Mr. Cohen which continues to speak for itself with his 4 hour
plus concerts in Europe. The concert is exclusive to Asia, it is the first time Mr Cohen has
ever performed in the region, it is his last scheduled performance outside of the USA, it is
the only benefit concert on the tour and it is responsible for bringing AEG Live, the
world’s largest sport and entertainment company, into Cambodia with obvious long term
economic benefits for the nation.
Mr Cohen’s performance has already acted as a vibrant catalyst for encouraging tourists
and affluent residents in the region to visit Cambodia, assisted by Exotissimo Travel, the
Mekong Sessions Official Tour Operator, and Silver Sponsor partner Raffles Hotel Le
Royal Phnom Penh. The concert has also fostered positive relationships between
members of the Cambodian hospitality and corporate sectors with Silver Sponsor partners
Kingdom Brewery and ANZ Royal Bank working together with the Mekong Sessions to
ensure the concert of a lifetime in the Kingdom of Wonder.
The concert has also generated the formation of mature regional media partnerships with
the Bangkok Post, Asia Life Phnom Penh / HCMC, the Phnom Penh Post and F
Magazine that promote the region and foster positive commercial cooperation. The
partnership with the Bangkok Post in particular represents an historic development with
businesses and media in Cambodia and Thailand cooperating to promote events in Phnom
Penh.
Cities on the tour like Florence, Moscow, Berlin, Melbourne etc do not stand out in the
same manner as Phnom Penh as they are already well established cultural and concert
destinations. Ultimately, Mr Cohen’s performance will serve to put Cambodia firmly on
the map as the concert destination of the region and as a cultural jewel of SE Asia. The
Mekong Sessions is exceptionally grateful to Mr Cohen and AEG Live for recognising
Cambodia’s potential.
2. Why is the PP concert the only charity event on his world tour?
Phnom Penh is the only charity event on Leonard Cohen’s World Tour thanks to the
exceptional personal generosity of Mr. Cohen, together with Robert Kory Management
and AEG Live. As an ordained Buddhist monk, Mr. Cohen is known for his affinity for
the culture and his commitments to assist those who have suffered from conflict. Mr.
Cohen’s generosity on humanitarian issues is well known and he also made a substantial
donation to Australian Bushfire victims during his Australian tour last year.
3. Will future gigs for the Mekong Sessions also be charity fundraisers?
Future Mekong Sessions concerts will have a benefit focus always focusing on assistance
to Cambodian persons with a disability.
4. How much do you hope to raise for the Cambodian Red Cross and people with
disabilities? Will that include CNVLD?The proceeds from the concert will benefit the Cambodian Red Cross, the CNVLD and
the Preah Say Pagoda School. The Mekong Sessions will announce the amounts in an
official media release at the completion of the concert.
5. Which CRC projects will the money be donated to?
Proceeds to the CRC will be directed towards projects assisting Cambodian Persons with
a Disability.
6. I tried calling CRC for some quotes, but I was redirected to you, why?
As promoter and producer the Mekong Sessions handles all local media enquiries as
standard practice.
7. How does the Mekong Sessions plan to monitor how the donations are
distributed?As per contractual agreements with AEG Live and Robert Kory Management, all
distribution of proceeds from the concert will be strictly monitored through an audit by a
mutually agreed international financial institution. All CNVLD and Mekong Sessions
finances are overseen by ANZ Royal Bank.
8. Why is there such price discrepancy between concerts on his tour and the one in
PP (for e.g. $38 Portugal for cheapest tickets compared to $226 in PP)With the special packages now available for Phnom Penh tickets, the pricing discrepancy
has been reduced. Fans from outside Cambodia booking with Exotissimo Travel receive a
30% discount on all tickets. Fans who book in groups either online or purchase at the
Mekong Sessions office in Phnom Penh receive discounts of 10% on 10 tickets and 20%
on 20 tickets. In addition, there is a special group rate for volunteers working in
Cambodia of USD200 per ticket.
For the five upcoming concerts in France, the cheapest tickets are USD94. In Hannover,
Germany the cheapest tickets are USD71 in a venue with a capacity of 14,000. In
Moscow, the cheapest tickets are USD130 with a capacity of 6000 while the most
expensive are USD650. In Melbourne, Australia, the cheapest tickets are USD130 in the
Rod Laver arena with a capacity of over 15,000 with two shows running over three
nights.
Phnom Penh is the most intimate concert on the entire World Tour. With just 3500 seats,
every person who purchases a ticket will be able to see the sweat on Mr Cohen’s brow
rather than watching the concert from a distance on a video screen. The size of the venue
has obvious impacts on ticket prices. Ticket prices also reflect the high production costs
for equipment, as required by an artist of Mr. Cohen’s calibre, which is not currently
available in Cambodia as well as the substantial beneficiaries.
The Mekong Sessions is very pleased at the level of ticket sales and is successfully
achieving the objective of attracting large numbers of fans from the region and around the
world to visit Cambodia.
9. Please elaborate on this in AsiaLife's May edition: Minko, who as secretary
general of CNVLD has brought two volleyball world cups to the capital, sees the
concert as the crowning achievement for all the hard work done by the
organisation. “Fifteen years of work leads to Leonard Cohen,” he says.
It took fifteen years to develop the CNVLD into one of the world’s most recognised
sports and development programmes with an established track record of hosting
internationally recognised and highly successful regional and World Cup events and
gaining a Best Practices accolade from the United Nations. The subsequent establishment
of the Mekong Sessions, as Cambodia’s leading concert and event management
company, on the back of this track record led Leonard Cohen and AEG Live to have the
confidence that the Mekong Sessions would successfully host Cambodia’s first truly
international standard concert.
10. There are rumours that Cohen may perform a free concert in PP, is this true? If
so, where and when?The Mekong Sessions declines to comment on rumours.
11. Congratulations on forming krom - when and where can we see you play? What
else should we expect to see from the Mekong Sessions label?
krom have released little information regarding future material or performances only hinting that
the next single, a ‘little boogie’ called prahok, will be released on the Mekong Sessions label in
six months. ‘Elusive, Exclusive and Reclusive’ is the band’s motto and lead singer Tata, a
Cambodian woman with a disability, is the sole media spokesperson. Fans can expect some very
special guest appearances on future tracks. The krom debut single, ‘i walked the line’, is available
on sale in CD stores around Phnom Penh and online via the Mekong Sessions website.
The Mekong Sessions thanks Leonard Cohen and his band, AEG Live and Robert Kory Management for their exceptional generosity in agreeing to perform this historic concert in Phnom Penh and thanks all fans for their ongoing support inlcuding Jarkko Arjatsalo and Marie Mazur.
- sturgess66
- Posts: 4110
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2009 2:50 pm
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Re: Mekong Sessions interviews Canadian Ambassador
Thanks Mekong. Interesting Q&A with Canadian Ambassador Ron Hoffman - particularly in light of the upcoming concert - and Leonard Cohen's Canadian roots.
Looks like you will have people flying in from all over the globe for this event! This "Canadien Errant" will be attending the concert "virtually" from Philadelphia - and is looking forward to hearing all about it. Hoping for video!! And pictures! And reports! Lots of all those things!!!I am having a hard time keeping track of the growing numbers of Canadians and friends of Canadians now intending to come to Phnom Penh for the concert. With awareness growing in the wider Asian region, and attractive joint travel and concert packages now available, I expect many Canadians to be present. My wife and I will of course be there as well.