Music fest stage used at two major world concerts

KUALA LUMPUR: The much-anticipated Live & Loud KL 07 music fest, that kicks off tomorrow with the Chinese All Stars show, will boast the first Live Earth stage in Malaysia.

The huge platform, complete with extensive high-tech audio and lighting equipment, was used during the tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales concert on July 2 and the Live Earth concert on July 7, both at the Wembley Stadium in London.

Brought all the way from Belgium to the Bukit Kiara Equestrian Park here, it would be the first time that Malaysians will get to see a stage of such scale.

During a visit to the site yesterday, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the smooth setting up of the stage should serve as an example for future concerts here.

He urged travel agents to sell tour packages that include the concert so more visitors would come and share the experience.

Slated as the biggest music festival in South-East Asia, the fest will feature some of the biggest names in show business in Malaysia and the international scene.

It will run in three segments, including an international extravaganza that will present award-winning names like Whitney Houston, Shaggy and Dionne Warwick and a showcase of world arts and heritage and performances by Akademi Fantasia artistes.

In the Chinese All Stars segment tomorrow, the stellar line-up will include Michael Wong, Victor Wong, Fish Leong, Zhang Hui Meng, Andrew Tan, Zhang Zhen Yue, Vincy Chan and Kenny Kwan.

The Turn On The Pop concert on Dec 1, besides featuring Houston, Shaggy and Warwick, will also have a star-studded array of performers that include American Idol Elliot Yamin and the James Taylor Quartet.

Other big names are James Ingram, Kool & The Gang, James Morrison, and Rick Price.

From the local scene are Malaysian Idol Jaclyn Victor, Hannah Tan, Project Pop, Dina, Joe Fizzow, Annuar Zain, Noryn Aziz, Azan from Ruffedge, Lah from VE, Moded, Suffiah Noor and One Buck Short.

The third segment of the music festival is the World Music, Heritage and Culture showcase on Dec 2 that will feature Akademi Fantasia talents and performers from Cambodia, China, Japan and New Zealand. For details on Live & Loud KL 07, go to www.lnlkl.com.

source: http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2007/11/24/soundnstage/19562864&sec=soundnstage