Concerts in Wuhan postponed due to virus outbreak
PUBLISHED ONJanuary 23, 2020 7:36 AMByLim Ruey Yan
Several upcoming concerts by Mandopop stars that are set to take place in the Chinese city of Wuhan have been postponed because of the virus outbreak.
China has halted travel from the city, the capital of Hubei province, as it tries to stop the spread of the Sars-like virus which has killed 17 people.
Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, who won Album of the Year for Ugly Beauty and Song of the Year for Womxnly at Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards in 2019, was due to hold her concert at Wuhan Sports Centre on March 7 as part of her Ugly Beauty World Tour.
Organisers announced on Wednesday (Jan 22) that the show has been postponed due to the escalating outbreak in the city. Tsai's manager confirms she has received the notice to postpone the concert.
The concerts of Buddha Jump, the rock band fronted by Malaysian singer Penny Tai, scheduled to take place in Chengdu and Wuhan on Feb 14 and 16 respectively, have also been put on hold. The various ticketing platforms are arranging for refunds for fans who have bought tickets, according to Hong Kong's Ming Pao Daily News.
Taiwanese singer-songwriter Jonathan Lee, who has just completed his concert in Taiwan's Kaohsiung Arena, has also postponed his March 8 show in Huangshi city in Hubei province.
Two Chinese acts - singer Han Hong and rock band Modern Brothers - are also putting a hold on their concerts in Wuhan. Modern Brothers are supposed to perform on Valentine's Day, while Han's show is set for Feb 29.
It is also uncertain if Hong Kong Heavenly King Andy Lau, who held four concerts in Singapore in September 2019 as part of his My Love Andy Lau World Tour, will go ahead with his shows in Wuhan. They are scheduled to be held from April 17 to 19. Lau's agency is now in talks with the organiser.
China's National Health Commission said today (Jan 23) that the Chinese authorities have confirmed 571 cases of the virus and 17 deaths as of Wednesday. The commission also said another 393 suspected cases had been reported.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.