Definitely Maybe Not: Oasis China Shows Nixed Over Band’s Links to Tibet
UPDATE 3/4: The saga of the canceled Oasis shows continues… The Guardian published a story today claiming that China’s canning of the two concerts had nothing to do with Tibet, and everything to do with the finance troubles of the concert promoter. This would not explain why the government would shut down the shows, but the guy actually went on the record with Reuters and admitted to being broke. Check out the Guardian story here.
—
According to a Guardian reportAs McClatchy reporter Tim Johnson aptly put it in an article Tuesday, Oasis got “Bjorked.” The term refers to the concert fiasco in Shanghai last year when Bjork repeatedly yelled “Free Tibet” during her performance. As a result, the Chinese government has been extra wary of a Western act pulling a similar stunt. And for those of you who know Oasis, those guys are fucking crazy and capable of anything.
The British band was scheduled to perform two shows in early April, one at the Beijing Capital Indoor Arena and one at the Shanghai Grand Stage, as part of the world tour promoting the release of their latest album Dig Out Your Soul. However, according to a statement from the band released Monday, musicians and promoters were informed Saturday that both shows were canceled. Ticket vendors were ordered by the government to cease all sales for the show and reimburse all those who had already purchased tickets.
The reason given for the abrupt cancellation was guitarist Noel Gallagher’s ties to the Free Tibet movement. Here’s part of the band’s statement:
The licensing and immigration process for the two shows had been fully and successfully complied with well before the shows went on sale. The Chinese authorities action in cancelling these shows marks a reversal of their decision regarding the band, which has left both Oasis and the promoters bewildered.
According to the show’s promoters, officials within the Chinese Ministry of Culture only recently discovered that Noel Gallagher appeared at a Free Tibet Benefit Concert on Randall’s Island in New York in 1997, and have now deemed that the band are consequently unsuitable to perform to their fans in the Chinese Republic on 3rd and 5th of April, during its 60th anniversary year.
At this point, when one of these high-profile Western shows in China is scheduled, it is more likely to be canceled than to go on — a shame considering the strides China’s live music scene has made in the last few years. Whereas a decade ago it would have been unthinkable to have a major live act perform in the mainland, as of late these shows, or at least rumors of these shows, have become routine. In the past three years alone, Shanghai has hosted the Rolling Stones, Linkin Park, Eric Clapton, Ziggy Marley and The Roots. For those music fans in Shanghai or Beijing, it would have been nice to add Oasis to this list.