Move to block Elton John concert in SW France

BORDEAUX, France, Feb 24 (AFP) – Two councillors in France’s southwestern city of Bayonne launched a bid Tuesday to block a concert by British singer Elton John which the municipality has offered to organise.

The pair, both members of the Basque nationalist party Abertzaleen Batasuna, urged their fellow councillors to vote against signing the contract with the concert’s organisers when the matter comes up for review on Thursday.

“We don’t have anything against Elton John,” one of the councillors, Xabi Larralde, told a press conference alongside his colleague, Gisele Lougarot.

They said they were opposed to the concert because of the “indecent” cost of the tickets at between EUR 50 and EUR 300 (USD 63 and USD 380), and because the deal came after the city had cut subsidies to certain associations by 10 percent.

Under the terms of the contract, a copy of which the councillors made available, the organisers of the event scheduled for May 28 intended to pay the municipality of Bayonne EUR 370,000 for the hiring of the venue, and for a group of workers to set up the stage.

The concert is so far the only listed date for by John in France this year.

The British entertainer owns a villa on the French Riviera.

© AFP

                                                              Subject: France news