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Report: #790936

Complaint Review: El-Live Production Company - Internet

  • Submitted:
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  • Reported By: Sherry — Atlanta Georgia U.S.A.
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  • El-Live Production Company N/A Internet United States of America

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This company had too many red flags for any singer or musician to just jump into this "opportunity". El-Live recruits for singers and musicians to perform at clubs and hotels throughout SouthEast Asia and the MiddleEast. Even though this "company" is currently recuriting in 2011, their website copyright ended in 2009!!!! The is NO phone number! NO address! NOT listed in the Chamber of Commerce, NOTHING! I would not be surprised if this is a front for human trafficking! Other redflags show up with this "company" such as:

1. Shouldnt El-Live to heavy marketing of the bands? Why arent band members names listed? Where is video footage showing them touring from city to city? There are very few videos of the bands that are less than 3 mins and NOT recent! The most recent performance videos are from 2010!!!

2. Why does El-live need people touring foreign countries only to do COVER MUSIC??? I am very sure there are many native bands that can do that!

3. There is NO health insurance benefits!

4. NO video footage of the hotel! Places on the youtube videos look like small clubs and bars!

5. The most youtube views bands have is less than 6,000 after video was made 1- 2 years ago!!!

6. WHY the old website? Why hasnt it been updated?

7. "Company" claims to pay for everything (visas, hotel stay, laundry servives, etc)! If all this is paid for, why not pay for a legit copyright website and marketing of the singers and ban members?

8. No listings of the rules and regulations of certain countries such as laws and religion.

There are other suspicions with this so-called "company"! Thy continue to advertise on Craigslist and other various sites! It's sad to see that most auditoners on youtube (from the few audition vids on there) are WOMEN! With all the scams created to lure women out of the country into human trafficking, one would think many would have common sense! Here is something I found on a messageboard reguarding El-live:

There is very little real information about El-Live Productions in the internet, which makes me suspicious that they are a fly by night operation/scam. The BBB has nothing for them and many of such entertainment outfits geared to sending musicians overseas are fronts for sex trafficking or are just out and out frauds. It also irks me that they have been spamming all over the net.

So here is some advice as someone who has worked overseas about how to deal with any agency, including the likes of El-Live Producions.

1. Never, ever give your passport or passport number to anyone from a prospective company or employer. You should hand it only to an official at a consulate, embassy or an officer of a local branch of a country's immigration authority. Do not fall for any excuse the company may want for taking your passport. If they insist, it is a scam.

2. Never, ever give an agency money. The only money you should spend for overseas employment is to a consulate to process the paperwork for your work visa. If a company insists on asking for money it is a scam.

3. Women should avoid entertainment agencies who "place" "talent" overseas. Too many of such agencies are fronts for sex traffickers. There are other ways to work overseas legitimately before moving into entertainment there. Plus you get a feel for the lay of the land by doing it that way.

4. Work visas are for ONE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT ONLY! If an entertainment agency says they want to tour you or have you play at several different hotels, that is illegal in just about every country in the world. Not only that, but most european countries have strong musicians unions that forbid you from playing in more than one place.

Indeed, that is the thing: almost every country has a plentiful pool of musicians to satisfy the needs of club and bar owners. So why is an agency coming over to the U.S. to recruit? It ain't to find the next Mariah Carey or John Mayer, that is for sure.

5. If they won't tell you where you will be working in a way you can check on and if they won't help you with living accommodations it is a scam.

6. Ask about health insurance and make sure that provisions for it are written into your contract. In most countries with socialized medicine, it is required that any foreigner employed for more than 90 days there be given health insurance by the employer. If the agency or employer hems and haws over this it is a scam.

7. Your foreign boss may not lend you out to another workplace. That is illegal in most civilized countries.

8. Question them about help with taxes, There are local taxes in the country in which you work, but also, you may be on the hook for taxes in your native country. For example, in the U.S., you get a $70,000 lifetime exemption from the IRS against whatever you earn as an expat, BUT THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS! If the agency can't explain the tax implications of you going overseas it is a scam.

9. If, upon meeting someone from the agency you get an uneasy sensation in the pit of your stomach it is a scam.

10. They should be able to explain the local laws in the country you are going to, especially pertaining to things such as crime rates, alcohol and drug use, religion, etc. If they can't, it's a scam.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 10/20/2011 03:12 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/el-live-production-company/internet/el-live-production-company-vague-very-little-promotion-for-a-company-that-recruits-for-s-790936. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
0Author
3Consumer
1Employee/Owner

#4 UPDATE EX-employee responds

Praises For El- Live Production

AUTHOR: Shy - (United States)

POSTED: Thursday, February 22, 2018

I'd personsally like to second that of George E. CEO and Presidednt of El-Live Productions.  I worked for ELP for almost 2 years and everything that was promised was delivered.  Look if you haven't traveled in your life then yes it could be challenging getting use to another country, but the KEY it to have an open mind and don't expect the world to yield to you and your ways.  I have nothing but good things to say about "the Family" and yes it is a family when you're out there because all you have is your passion and love for music and entertaining and your fellow musicians......"Your Family".  As for George himself.......he knows what he's doing and he's very hands-on as far as what he wants from his bands.  He treats everyone the same.  You may either love him or you may hate him but he WILL bring out the best in you.....and for that I personally love him.

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#3 UPDATE EX-employee responds

El-Live is 100% LEGIT

AUTHOR: KAT - (United States)

POSTED: Saturday, November 18, 2017

 I was a happy employee for El-Live from February 2011 to July 2012. This is a real opportunity to have a full time career in music in Southeast Asia. While I agree that people, especially women should be careful about employment overseas, this company does everything it promises. My original contract was for a year. I extended because I loved it and I loved my band! When I was a part of the company, my band was Xpress. At the time there were 13 bands stationed all over the continent. The company continues to grow. If I wasn't married I'd probably still be in it! There is tremendous growth potential as well. You might be hired as a singer or musician, but within a few years you could be promoted to admin. The best part is that now I have extended family in music because of El-Live. I now have a successful career as a blues singer and songwriter. I learned a lot of what I apply on stage to my time with the company. It was a lot of hard work as far as a 6 night work week plus rehearsals. However, I loved every minute of it. The company expects a lot from its bands. Standards are high. It's not for everyone... but if it's for you, you'll thrive!

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#2 Consumer Comment

No, no, no no.... No offense but you are an idiot.

AUTHOR: mamboman - (USA)

POSTED: Thursday, December 10, 2015

 I am a musician. I literally lived in Taiwan and played at a club right across the street from a hotel that had El Live bands every four months. I am friends with all of them. They played in Singapore 4 monfhs El Live. Korea 4 months El Live. All your points are sorry, ridiculous. "The clubs look like small clubs". SO WHAT?! It's Asia. Except for in China ALL CLUBS ARE SMALL. And in the world ALL HOTEL CLUBS ARE SMALL. But even that doesnt matter. Its a hotel club. Expensive hotels.

That is the only part that matters. Of course they cant give you hotel names. If you have the hotel name then why do you need them at all?! Duh! And names of band members?! Im sorry but are you insane?! Thats a legal breach of confidentiality. Noone ever does this. Videos?! Who takes videos? Customers. How many venues have you performed at that allow videotaping? How about flash photography? These are dark clubs. Not much good video unless it was planned and they got permission in writing. This is all normal. Basically you definately a woman I know. And I can understand your concern but writing this report was ignorant and selfish. They didnt accpet yiu obviously. I know personally El-Live is a reputable agency and shame on you attempting to discredit their name. I hope people read my post before yours. Mine is informed. You are just guessing for no reason.

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#1 REBUTTAL Owner of company

el-live Productions is very proud of the wonderful company we have built for musicians from around the world.

AUTHOR: Georges Elchakieh - ()

POSTED: Thursday, May 23, 2013

Hello Sherry?

My name is Georges Elchakieh and I'm the CEO of el-live Productions, this post has just been brought to my attention by our team, although it’s an old post but Since you took the time to write this lengthy report you deserve a detailed reply.

I’m sure your heart is in the right place so let me take a minute to explain.We live in a world where anyone can write whatever they want about any company with minimal research and Mr. google will dig out any negative post till the end of time whether it’s true or not.

Although I appreciate musicians and people in general looking out for each other and I’m sure they mean well, we as musicians shouldn’t be scaring each other off, we should encourage each other to go out and play music, musicians have been touring since the beginning of time, look around in every city, there are no clubs to play in anymore, We are one of those rare companies that actually do hire musicians from all over the world, I’m a musician and I spent my whole life on stage,

Our company is one of the easiest companies in the world to verify, our bands perform in the most prestigious hotels in the world, Hyatt, Sheraton, Hilton Etc..  if you go to our website www.el-live.com you will see pictures from all over the world of our musicians, from the great wall of China to the Pyramids of Egypt to the twin tower in Kuala Lumpur, plus tons of pictures with Celebreties such as the Black Eyed Peas to Scotty Pippen to Adam Lambert, and videos of actress Gwyneth Paltrow sitting in with our band Xpress, in Park Hyatt Beijing, I’m sure you’d agree it’s kind of hard to fake all of that.

As well all of or our musicians’ names are listed on the site, all anyone has to do is pick up the phone and call any of the hotels, get connected to the night club and find out what band is playing there and if that band is from el-live Productions, it’s that easy to research our company as well on the site we have news paper ads, TV shows from all over the world of our bands, our your tube chanel: www.youtube.com/elliveproductions has tons of clips of me and all of our musicians.

On our main page we have a  list of every hotel, name of club and what band is presently there, as well as facebook pages for every one of our bands so our families, friends and fans can follow our bands minute by minute in real time, if you’re traveling I invite you to come see these wonderful musicians in action, they are nothing less than amazing.

Please go to my facebook page and leave a message and I will personally contact you back.

Thank you for posting.

Georges

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