Eagles, Usher Land In China

Usher sold out AEG’s Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai March 12 and played before an estimated crowd of 10,000.

Adam Wilkes of AEG released a statement saying, “Ticket demand exceeded even our most optimistic projections; a combination of Usher’s unwavering appeal and the Shanghai market’s appetite for world class entertainment quickly led to a sold out concert. And it wasn’t just an expat audience. I’d say at least 80 percent of the audience was Chinese.”

The same night, the Eagles played in Beijing, but they too had performed at the Mercedes-Benz Arena March 9.

Unlike the Usher show, the Eagles concerts were not being reported as sold out, owning primarily to their price.

Local media said “mid-range” seats for the shows were the equivalent of “two-thirds” the monthly income of the average Chinese worker. The Eagles’ PR company said they performed to 6,000 fans.