From: @cogcommunications.com To: lukalist@info.kulak.ac.be
Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2001 11:08 AM
Subject: [Lukalist] USA Tour
Urgent message to Americans thinking of attending Luka shows in the US.
It's Wednesday morning. I should be in the US, preparing for shows.
Due to the total disregard of US immigration, my work visa application has
yet to be examined; despite the fact that the application went in months ago.
So, here I am at home waiting to know if or when I can begin my tour.
The Amagansett show is OFF. I am waiting daily for news, and reviewing daily
the situation. If I don't have the visa by tomorrow, then Irving Plaza will
be off, and so on......... I will update each morning.
Sincere apologies to all who were going to Amagansett. I am completely powerless in this situation.
Ciao,
Luka
From: @cogcommunications.com To: lukalist@info.kulak.ac.be
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2001 8:36 AM
Subject: [Lukalist] luka
Greetings,
I'm sitting in Dublin on the day of my first show in the US. Despite the
fact that this tour has been under construction since April, I still do not
have the necessary work permit to enter the US.
I'm a singer, not a lawyer, agent or manager, so I must delegate to others
the responsibility to deliver these documents on time. Sadly, this has not
happened. Heartbreaking though it is, I have made the decision to let go of
the tour. Efforts have been made to acquire the permits, but it has been in
vain. Perhaps the documents will emerge in time, but not in time for me to
perform my duties in concert, and in PR for BARNONE Records.
At this moment, I simply don't know the precise cause of this mess; whether it's the fault
of some new restrictive policy in US immigration, or whether it is simply
due to inneficiency within my chosen representation. What I do know is that
I must now make a stand, and a difficult decision. I want my work in America
to be celebratory, as everywhere; this means that the various aspects of
putting a tour together are properly attended to. Obviously at the moment,
this is not the case.
I am absolutely gutted that I have been denied in this way, the opportunity
to sing in the US. I apologise wholeheartedly to all the people who bought
tickets for the shows, or who considered doing so. I will do my best to
learn from this. I promise you that when given the opportunity, I will
return to the US to sing for and with you all.
In the greater scheme of things, it's not the end of the world. But it is a
tragedy for me, and I'm really sorry this has happened. We'll rise again.
God bless,
Luka
From: Jan Whalen To: lukalist@info.kulak.ac.be
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2001 11:33 AM
Subject: [Lukalist] Luka's update
Greetings,
Thursday evening. I should be singing in Amagansett, and getting ready
to go to Irving Plaza, and so on...... I still have no visa. I've
missed a weeks work. After another disappointing morning at the US
embassy, I finally surrendered.
Even if the visa came in tomorrow, I'd have missed the NYC and
Philadelphia shows. It's totally heartbreaking. Going to America is
such a positive uplifting experience, and so it should be. Since
April, I've been looking forward to this tour, and it is absolutely
shocking to me, that I have been so unnecessarily denied this great
opportunity. Rather than try to scratch out a section of the tour, I
have decided to make a stand, and say there is a right way and a
wrong way to do things, and this is wrong. From the bottom of my
heart, I apologise to all who looked forward to these shows.
Please God, I will make it up to you soon. I want to come to the US
and do great shows. This has been one of the toughest decisions in my
working life. It was made for me, more than by me. I also suspect
there is a policy change in the US, regarding visiting artists. I'm
not the only one to have suffered this fate. That discussion is for
another day. For now, I'm sad, and sorry.
Best wishes,
Luka
From: @cogcommunications.com To: lukalist@info.kulak.ac.be
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2001 8:25 AM
Subject: [Lukalist] luka bloom
Greetings,
Thank you for your collective understanding; I really appreciate it.
Though the visa would have come through in time for the last few shows, I
took the extremely difficult decision to make a stand, and protest this
treatment. One can't expect respect, if you don't respect yourself.
Here's a copy of the letter I just posted to the US ambassador in Dublin:
Dear Ambassador,
My name is Barry Moore. I'm an Irish singer/songwriter; working under the
professional pseudonym of Luka Bloom. I am writing to you, as the foremost
representative of the US government in Ireland. I know you are a busy man.
However I hope you can spare a moment to hear my story, and protest, at the
disgraceful treatment I have just experienced, at the hands of US immigration.
Since signing to Warner Bros. in Los Angeles in 1990, I have toured the US
many times. It is always a thrilling experience; your countrymen and
women being among the greatest of music lovers. There is a bureaucratic
process one automatically engages in, at the onset of each visit. In the
case of the US, it is always rigorous, but always worth it.
Until now.
Knowing we were releasing a new cd in the US in May, my american agent,
record company, and I, began planning a US tour last April. As a matter of
course, an application was sent in to immigration, to grant to my
technician, and myself, a simple 3 week entertainment visa for August 6th.
About 3 weeks ago, I suddenly realised that nobody was contacting me
regarding visas. I was busy putting the finishing touches to my tour plans.
Promotional work, preparation for concerts. Suddenly there was a panic.
There was no sign of approval, and immigration was talking to nobody. As my
US agent was dealing with this directly, I¹m a little unclear about the
precise details, but this is the essence of it. In the 11th hour, my agent
was informed that he could Ofastrack' the process, if he produced $2,000.
Despite the surprise at this request, of course he agreed. The situation was
desperate. We waited.And waited. Each day that passed last week, I lost a
show. Shows in Manhattan, Philadelphia, the Hamptons. By the end of the week
I had lost all my promotional activities, and 5 concerts. The momentum of
the tour was lost. After 3 months, my approval had not arrived a whole week
after the scheduled commencement. I cancelled the rest of the tour, in
disgust, and in protest.
I have since learned that this is proving to be a particularly difficult
year for artists visiting the US. The centre piece of my tour was to have
been next weekend's Irish Fest in Milwaukee, the biggest celebration of
Irish music in the world. They have confirmed to me, that they are having a
nightmare year, processing visas. Many wonderful Irish performers are being
denied entry, being deemed to be of 'insufficient eminence'!
I do not know if there is a shift in policy; but I am simply astonished at
the shabbiness of my treatment. This treatment has a serious knock-on
effect for many Americans.
My US record company, agents, promoters, all suffered. The cancelled hotel
rooms, flights, all cause hardship. Not to mention the people who bought
tickets to attend my concerts, US citizens, who simply assumed I would show
up as always, to sing my songs for them.
I simply cannot believe that this is the way Americans wish to be
represented, or that this is the way Americans would want visiting artists
to be treated. I respect the fact that immigration is intensely busy, and
that immigration is entitled to deny anybody entry to the US. All I feel
entitled to expect for my application is a little respect, something I have
experienced in every country I have sought to work in for 15 years. Except
the US, in 2001.
Yours sincerely,
Luka Bloom |