As we all know, VIP sections are a very common and inbuilt feature embedded deep within the cultural fabric of the majority of concerts staged locally and worldwide. Tickets for VIP sections naturally cost extra as compared to regular seating opportunities and areas.
Just recently, Ali Zafar has written an open letter to event organizers in an attempt to raise his voice against the physical divide and discrimination between different classes of people, at concerts and shows. His voice was, of course, directed to schools, institutions, and all kinds of promoters as well.
It is alleged that Ali Zafar’s exclusive note came as a retaliation to his and Atif Aslam’s concert at loBM last week which received undue criticism for barring student attendees from entering the designated VIP section close to stage.
In his open letter, Ali quotes that this kind of set-up, “defeats the purpose of having artists such as myself perform for audiences, where both of us are denied any direct interaction.“
“In such an arrangement, the students or indeed actual fans are almost always made to stand and watch and participate at a considerable distance from the stage…. which creates a huge distance between me the artist, and them, my audience, who have often paid to be there.”
He further added, “concerts are arranged mostly for students to be able to enjoy a form of healthy entertainment and by having them stand huge distances from the stage to allow for other more ‘special’ guests, I feel is setting a very wrong precedent.”
Here is his complete Facebook post:
