Billy Bragg Promoter Says Concert At Harvard Was Never Confirmed

Rock singer Billy Bragg's representatives never agreed to have him perform in Paine Hall Sunday night, the artist's concert promoter said yesterday.

While organizer Paula Puhak '90 said she confirmed the concert with the promoter in September, yesterday he called her claim "a total, complete fabrication."

"We didn't know anything about this show," said David Werlin, president of Northeast Productions, Inc. Werlin said he found out about the concert from a WHRB answering machine message telling students where to buy tickets for the performance.

Bragg was at McGill University, not Harvard on Sunday night, although WHRB was advertising the Paine concert and two activist groups expected to benefit from it.

Werlin said Bragg's agent told him in June that the artist was interested in a performance at the University during his trip to Boston because he wanted to address Harvard's stand on South African apartheid. Werlin said his staff asked WHRB to sponsor the concert and check whether Sanders Theater would be available.

Puhak, WHRB's rock director, "called back and said Sanders was not available, but Paine Hall was," said Werlin. "We said thanks, but no. That was the last conversation I had with her until I got her phone message saying 'urgent' last week."

But Puhak said she did talk with Werlin between June and October. "The first week in September I called and talked to him briefly. I asked about Paine Hall and he said, 'fine'," she said, adding that she had also spoken with Werlin in August and July.

"We had no conversation of that nature," said Werlin. "That's what you call a rationalization on her part."

Puhak said earlier this week that the promoter had told her not to worry about a concert contract because the performance was a benefit.

"We would never have a benefit concert withouta contract," said Werlin. "Bragg just had abenefit concert in Burlington, Vermont with acontract. I can't speak for all benefits, but it'ssomething we would never do."

"Obviously it's a miscommunication," said Puhakwho said she had trouble reaching Werlin. "Ishould have tried to get through the people whowere screening my calls."

"I would have thought that Harvard, of all theuniversities in the world, would be moresophisticated in dealing with contracts," saidWerlin.

The promoter said tickets for the Friday nightconcert in Boston's Opera House were not sold out,but might have been if students had known it wastheir only chance to see Bragg. He said Bragg wasmore concerned about his fans' disappointment andthe ticket money than he was with attempting legalaction.

"I'm still trying to get in touch with BillyBragg's manager so that I can explain whathappened," said Puhak