A concert in Antigua by R&B sensation Alicia Keys was canceled because the concert's promoters didn't pay her appearance fees, her agent said. Scheduled for Friday night, the show was advertised as the first of a Caribbean tour. The amount of the contract was reported to be $60,000.
"The promoters ... did not live up to their contractual obligations," said Keys' agent, Rob Light of the Beverly Hill-based Creative Artists Agency, in a letter sent to Antigua Junior Finance Minister Asot Michael. "Their total disregard for the agreement left us great concern as to the viability of the production, ticketing, and security."
Antigua-based Tower Promotions blamed co-promoters Itchi Baba of Trinidad and Baby Brother of Miami for the failure to pay. The co-promoters did not say why they allegedly failed to pay. But Itchi Baba manager Al Taylor and Clarence Smith of Baby Brother said on Thursday in a statement that they approached the government of Antigua and Barbuda for assistance in salvaging the show.
By that time, Keys' management refused to continue with the concert and requested the show be postponed, the statement said.
Light said the Antiguan government "has been incredible in trying to resolve this unfortunate situation" and the government would like "to try and reschedule [the] show for September." The government did not comment on the matter.
Keys kicks off an extensive North American tour July 2 in Milwaukee and will be on the road through early September.
Posted by Jen on Monday, June 24, 2002 @ 12:54 p.m.
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