Bad coordination blamed for fest foul-up

MIAMI, March 18 (UPI) -- Poor coordination reportedly is being blamed for the absence of several big-name performers at Florida's Calle Ocho festival last weekend.

Chaka Khan, Rihanna, Eldar, Herbie Hancock, Buster Poindexter and Harry Connick Jr. were scheduled to perform at the Flash Energy Drink Supersite stage Sunday, but revelers arrived to find neither the stage nor the stars, The Miami Herald reported Tuesday.

Silvia C. Vieto, director of community relations with the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, which sponsors Calle Ocho, told the newspaper the performers were confirmed as of Saturday night, but didn't arrive Sunday as planned.

David Galvao, vice president of Braza Enterprises, which distributes Flash Energy Drink, told the Herald Monday that High Impact Productions was responsible for coordinating the stars and the stage.

High Impact Productions couldn't be reached Monday, the Herald said.

"The person that was supposed to bring everyone disappeared at the last minute," Galvao told the newspaper. "It was a product of bad coordination with the person who was supposed to bring in all the artists from High Impact Productions. I trusted him because I have worked with him before. I am very disappointed with what happened."