"So if you want to come into your country to blow up something, there's no great problem if it's in the course of a holiday trip - but if you're down as doing a gig of some kind while you are there they check you out rigorously. Somehow that seems the wrong way round."

No, if you want to come into this country to make money you will be scrutinized. Everyone who comes into this country will be scrutinized as well. Terrorism has a way of making people paranoid that is very true.

What people seem to be conveniently ignoring is the fact that this trip is over a year away, there appears to be a lack of communication (probably on both parts) and the orchestra gave up. They threw out a figure and everyone is feeling sorry for them. The U.S. was not charging them 45000 pounds, that is a figure they produced.   There appears to be signs that the Embassy might have been able to work something out for them, but the orchestra seemed just as inflexible in the stories I've read.

Again, it is convenient to only look at the "facts" that support pre-conceived notions. Some things will never change.