Rick Wakeman Plays a Private Show for 150 Rescued Moon Bears in Vietnam
British keyboardist Rick Wakeman recently performed a private concert inside a bear rescue sanctuary at Tam Dao National Park in Vietnam — for an audience of 150 rescued Asian black bears. The news was first reported by Stereogum on September 29.
Who was in the audience
The bears are known as "moon bears" for the crescent-shaped patch of white fur on their chests. All 150 were rescued from Vietnam's bile-farming industry, in which bears are kept caged for years while bile is repeatedly extracted from their gallbladders with needles, a practice tied to demand in parts of traditional medicine. Vietnam has since banned bile extraction, and confiscated or surrendered bears have been relocated to sanctuaries like the one at Tam Dao for rehabilitation.
What happened at the show
Wakeman performed inside the enclosure area of the sanctuary, where the 150 rescued bears currently live. The performance was not a ticketed public event — it was a standalone private show staged specifically for the bears themselves, according to Stereogum's report.
Show details
- Performer: Rick Wakeman
- Location: Bear rescue sanctuary, Tam Dao National Park, Vietnam
- Format: Private, non-ticketed performance for an audience of 150 rescued Asian black bears
- Source: Stereogum