POP & ROCK

India’s very first major international rock ‘n’ roll fest went down Friday night, with the acts from Amnesty International’s “Human Rights Now!” tour working out for some 65,000 in attendance at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in the Indian capital, New Delhi. It was the first time an Indian audience ever has seen such high-profile international artists (Bruce Springsteen, Sting) and the elaborate sound and lights systems now standard in the West. The performance began amid some controversy when the artists criticized the New Delhi sponsor, the Times of India, for high ticket prices and promotions that slighted the human rights aspect of the tour. But a tour official and a Times of India official said privately that the newspaper had downplayed the concert’s connection with Amnesty International on orders of the Indian government, which has been criticized by Amnesty International for human rights abuses this year.