Posted on: Friday, December 7, 2001

Concert Cancellation
Visa delay sinks Coco Lee show

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

Local promoters of a concert by international vocal star Coco Lee were forced to cancel her upcoming Honolulu concert yesterday, after the singer's management was unable to secure work visas for the show's crew.

The concert, originally scheduled for Dec. 15, at the Waikiki Shell will not be rescheduled.

Lee's management had applied too late for work visas for Lee's musicians, dancers and technical crew, said Ed Nishioka, spokesman for the concert's local promoter Big Wave Honolulu.

"And coming at a date when we're just over a week away from the concert, and in a time when security is very strict, very little could be done," Nishioka said. "Obviously we're very disappointed. We worked over a year on this."

Nishioka said ticket refunds will be offered sometime next week through the Blaisdell box office. For more information, call Big Wave Honolulu at 597-8212.

Widely known as "the Mariah Carey of Asia," Lee, who recorded the Oscar-nominated theme song "A Love Before Time" for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," has sold more than 8 million records worldwide.