This week in Shanghaiist
What were YOU doing in 1997?
Last summer, we hinted that snubs/excuses like this might be likely in the future. Maybe in a less sensitive year things will be different, but you can check here (predictably blocked in China) for names of more bands and artists who may not be playing China anytime soon. (Although, yes, a few names on that page have already been here. But that was before Ms. Guðmundsdóttir came to town.)
Oasis' statement, in its entirety, can be found after the jump.
Oasis were informed Saturday (February 28) by their Chinese promoters, (Emma Entertainment/Ticketmaster China) that representatives from the Chinese government have revoked the performance licenses already issued for the band and ordered their shows in both Beijing and Shanghai to be immediately cancelled. The government have instructed the ticket agencies to stop selling tickets and to reimburse the thousands of fans who have already purchased tickets for these inaugural Oasis shows in the People's Republic of China.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.
Oasis are extremely disappointed that they are now being prevented from undertaking their planned tour of mainland China and hope that the powers that be within China will reconsider their decision and allow the band to perform to their Chinese fans at some stage in the future.
The rest of the South East Asian leg of the band's tour, including the Hong Kong show, will go ahead as planned.
Chinese Republic?
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These folks are a bunch of losers. Had a couple of hits and bombed spectacularly in America and had the gall to diss INXZs. Fvck them.
^And I thought eastman was bad...
Get a fvcking clve. INXS, cvntb@g!
One person's personal opinion of the band, one of the most popular British bands of all time, hardly matters. I wonder why Chinese people put up with a bunch of corrupt, paranoid old men telling them what they can and cannot hear. China's government embarrasses itself and all of China... again. Chinese people are smart, they can manage listening to some pop songs without wanting to subvert the stability of their entire country. Respect your people.
BBC1- is it getting harder to work up the anger you think that you need to post a comment?
Seems like you're struggling with this one.
From a friend who might know:
"I heard that it was actually because Emma had started selling tickets before they had all the relevant licenses. Probably Emma told them the Tibet story to avoid embarrassment. I am pretty sure this is Emma's spin. They never had the licenses, but were selling tickets. Which is completely illegal."
The license, I believe, can be found here:
http://www.ccnt.gov.cn/zwxx/xzxk/t20090203_61169.htm
Ticket sales were also reportedly strong.
The Tibet story could still be bullocks, of course. But it does seem they had a license.
"China's Ministry of Culture deemed the band "unsuitable" for Chinese audiences."
The feelings of the Chinese people are hurt yet again by a bunch of over the hill, not in touch with reality, slick oil hair farts in Peking.
A refreshing 1959 article from the Economist about China and Tibet. http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13172064
We're gutted that the band aren't coming now. Even more so since we'd interviewed both bros - cheeky brats that they are - and were planning on running it in April's that's Shanghai. In any event, for the craic, here's a link to our interview:
http://shanghai.urbanatomy.com/index.php/i-ahearts-shanghai/85-i-love-shanghai/1189-oasis-on-china-exclusive
Good riddance. Bad influence to China's youth.