Forget party platforms, charismatic speakers or campaign handouts. As the final push for votes in Armenia’s May 12 elections intensifies, the race’s two frontrunners -- the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and the pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party -- are fighting it out in music.

Both parties are competing heavily to see who can organize the most sensational pop music concerts, with the best-known stars. The concerts have become nearly daily events for Armenians, and ones in which opposition parties so far have made only a lackluster showing.

The sing-off began for serious on April 26 when scores of Armenian pop singers officially declared their support for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and announced plans to campaign for the party in a series of concerts.

Observers generally contend that the bulk of the super stars have gone to the Republican Party, though Prosperous Armenia has used a variety of popular Russian singers to spice up its own line-up. Town sizes do not seem to matter. On March 20, the party invited Russian singer Mikhail Shufutinski to support its candidate for mayor in Armavir, a small town in southwestern Armenia, The rival candidate is a Republican Party member.

Secrecy is also used to create buzz. The party has kept under tight wraps its plans for a grandiose concert on May 7 near Yerevan’s Opera House; described by a spokesperson as a “surprise for the public.”

The cost of these entertainments is another tightly held secret. Under the election code, political parties can spend only 60 million drams (about $167, 131) on their campaigns. According to the most recent documents filed with the Central Election Commission, Prosperous Armenia has spent just $90,140, the Republican Party $152,000 and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation $130,000. All three are among the campaign’s most frequent concert organizers.

The parties, though, claim that the singers are volunteering to take part in the events free-of-charge. In the case of the Republican Party, many singers state that they perform simply out of gratitude for past help or out of belief in the party’s promises.

“The Republican Party has always been by our side in organizing concerts; it has always helped us on other occasions, so this is the simplest way to express our gratitude to the party,” said Shushan Petrosyan, arguably Armenia’s most famous pop star.

Not all performers agree, however. One singer, who asked to remain anonymous, told EurasiaNet that the parties pay all singers, who look on the campaigns as a good money-making opportunity. “Very popular” singers can ear between $500-$1,000 per appearance, he said; “average” singers less -- $200-$500.

“The prices are higher than usual because there is competition for singers, not to have them sing for a rival,” he said. “So, they offer three times as much [money] and the singer can choose the most profitable offer. “ Prices for Russian singers, he added, are “quite different, with four to five zeroes.”

One well-known Armenian show business producer, who asked to remain anonymous, put the cost of bringing in Russian singers for campaign concerts at least $200,000 - $300,000. Pop star Irina Allegrova once asked for $100,000 for a campaign concert, he said, though gave the organizers some “discounts” thanks to her Armenian heritage.

Prosperous Armenia spokesperson Baghdasar Mherian, however, told EurasiaNet that the party is not planning to spend large sums of money to organize concerts with Russian singers: “Almost all of them know [party leader] Gagik Tsarukian and they do it for him for free.”

Other production costs, however, are far from free. Tigran Arshakian, director of the Forte Music Center, which rents and sells musical equipment, put the price for renting sound equipment for an open air concert at between $1,000 and $2,500, depending on the venue.

One well-known Armenian composer and singer doesn’t hide the fact that he expects payment for his work. Ruben Hakhverdian, known for his criticism of the government, wrote a song for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, a government coalition member, out of sympathy for the party’s 117-year “struggle to change people’s lives,” he told journalists on May 3. “I’ll do my best to get at least $3,000” for the piece, he noted.

Hakhverdian takes issue with singers who, he claims, recently were critical of the government and have now signed on to promote the Republican Party. “It’s unacceptable for me,” he said.

Other singers are willing to perform on either side of the party line. In April, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation organized a large concert featuring composer and singer Arto Tuncboyacian and his ethno-jazz Armenian Navy Band. A week before the concert, Tuncboyacian and his band had played for the opposition Heritage Party.

Opposition parties, generally less well-funded than their pro-government competitors, are less involved in concerts, though the People’s Party of Armenia threw one such event in central Yerevan in May 7. Some opposition members, however, react with scorn to the notion of such events.

“Where is the political struggle here?! I can’t see any difference from Eurovision,” fumed Aram Munkian, a member of the former ruling Armenian National Movement, which has since withdrawn from the parliamentary campaign. “Songs have become a political event!”

In the end, though, despite their crowd appeal, campaign concerts can carry disadvantages for even the most successful of political party producers, notes Kristin Hovhannisyan, head of the Antares advertising and public relations agency. “People may be carried away by the concert,” he said, “and totally forget for what party the concert is organized.”

Editor’s Note: Gayane Abrahamyan is a reporter for the independent online weekly ArmeniaNow in Yerevan.