Aerosmith Cancels Jakarta

Indonesian concert promoter Ismaya announced May 3 via Facebook that Aerosmith cancelled its Jakarta concert scheduled for May 11.

The Boston band cites “security concerns” in its own statement apologizing to fans. However, promoter rep Sarah Deshita told news service AFP Aerosmith did not offer the company any “specific reason for the cancellation,” adding, “We are sad and disappointed. We did all we could to ensure security was tight and even engaged the marines, but it’s not enough.”

Security was enforced May 4 around the Myanmar embassy and ambassador’s house in Jakarta following the arrest of two men suspected of planning a bomb attack to avenge the deaths of Muslims in clashes with Buddhists in Myanmar.

Another Ismaya rep, Yudha Perdana, told media the band’s security concerns predated the arrests, insisting the company did everything in its power to satisfy Aerosmith’s security requirements.

Lady Gaga cancelled a Jakarta concert last year over security worries following protests by Muslim groups. Nevertheless, Lloyd’s of London, refused to pay on her insurance, saying there was no basis for the artist’s claim that there was a threat of terrorism. Lady Gaga’s management sued the insurer in U.S. court.

Aerosmith is currently in the midst of a tour of Asia and the Pacific region that started in April in New Zealand and Australia and continued to Manila for its first-ever concert in the Philippines, which has its own security concerns.

The band is also releasing a concert film on DVD and in digital format through Amazon and iTunes of concerts they played in Japan just after the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.

At the time, almost every artist who was scheduled to tour the country cancelled because of radiation fears from the crippled Fukushima nuclear reactor, but Aerosmith, who are more popular than The Rolling Stones in Japan, decided to fulfill their commitment.

Stage director Casey Patrick Tebo filmed the concerts and assembled footage into a feature. After he showed it to the members at a rented Los Angeles theater, they agreed to release it and, according to the Boston Herald, Steven Tyler was “in tears” through most of the screening.

It will be released in Japan in June and everywhere else in July. All proceeds will go to ongoing relief efforts.