Westlife concert organizers deny preparing unauthorized firm logo

Do Thu Giang from event organizer AMO Vietnam met the press on Thursday to answer their questions regarding the incident.

Prior to the meeting, many concert-goers pointed out on Wednesday, the second night of the concerts, that the logo of an unauthorized cryptocurrency trading platform was featured on various items present, including bandrolls inside and outside the venue, as well as fans and glow sticks distributed to the attendees.

Current laws have not accepted Bitcoin and other virtual currencies as legal currencies and means of payment in Vietnam.

It is reported that the bandrolls mentioned had been placed outside the stadium several days before the show, and thousands of concert-goers had taken photos with them.

Local police were informed and arrived at Thong Nhat Stadium, the event’s venue, after the shows concluded to make a record of the case.

A concert-goer takes photos with a bandroll allegedly prepared by Westlife’s Vietnamese fan club, which reportedly features a censored image of the logo of an unauthorized cryptocurrency trading platform. Photo by Hue Nguyen

Giang reported that the fans and glow sticks given to concert-goers were distributed by third parties and 100% not related to AMO.

She also said the bandrolls featuring the trading platform’s logo were prepared by Westlife’s Vietnamese fan club, not AMO.

"Concert organizers approved fans’ request to prepare promotional bandrolls at the venue," she said. "But we had asked them to censor the logo of the organization, which did not have any connection to the concerts."

She added that organizers had held an internal meeting to reflect on the mistakes they made out of carelessness as soon as they spotted the irrelevant logo.

Admitting that this was the first time that AMO Vietnam had organized such a large-scale event, Giang said it was impossible to avoid mistakes. She said her organization would learn from the situation and improve in the future.

The incident is not the first controversy AMO encountered with this event. Many concert-goers also complained about the last-minute addition of standing-room tickets, restricted views of the stage, an irrational ticket map, and dirty seats. These issues prompted AMO Vietnam to apologize.

Irish pop group Westlife. Photo from AMO Vietnam's Facebook

Westlife were formed in 1998 in Dublin with five members. The group disbanded in 2012 before reuniting again in 2018. The current lineup consists of Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne.

They are holders of four Guinness World Records, including the top-selling group in the 21st century in the United Kingdom.

Part of their "The Wild Dreams Tour," the group’s recent shows in HCMC marked their second time performing in Vietnam, after their 2011 show in Hanoi.

As the shows concluded, the artists departed from Vietnam for India, the next stop of their ongoing tour, on Thursday.