Australian Rockers Air Supply to Play Rangoon Charity Gig

By Nadi Htike 13 August 2013

RANGOON — The 1980s rock band Air Supply is scheduled to play live in Rangoon, with the concert’s proceeds pledged to education projects in Burma.

Australian soft-rockers Air Supply are slated to appear at Rangoon’s MCC hall at 7pm on Thursday evening. The well-known Burmese band Iron Cross will provide an hour-long warm-up set.

Bagan Entertainment has organized the concert and will donate all profits to a fund for educating children from Burma’s least developed areas, according to Bagan Entertainment manager Nyi Nyi.The fund will cover the costs of the next academic year for children at kindergarten and primary school levels in Kachin and Chin states, according to information provided by the Htoo Group of Companies, which owns Bagan Entertainment.

Nyi Nyi said Bagan was bringing Air Supply to Burma because of the band’s appeal across ages. “Other international… bands are also going to be invited [to perform in Burma] soon,” he said.

A number of Burmese musicians have popularized Air Supply’s oeuvre with covers of hits such as “Lonely is the Night” and “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.” The group had a string of worldwide hits in the early 1980s.

Banya Naing, a keyboard player from Iron Cross, said he was one of those who had been covering Air Supply songs since the Australian band’s heyday.

“Burmese folk are pretty familiar with the band,” he told The Irrawaddy.

Alongside Air Supply’s founding duo of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock, musicians Rex Goh, David Moyse, Mark McEntee and Frank Esler-Smith are expected to perform.

Iron Cross vocalists Lay Phyu, Ah Nge, Myo Gyi and Wyne Wyne will also appear.

Tickets cost between 20,000 kyat (US$20.50) and 55,000 kyat.