Oasis: China Axed Shows over Free Tibet Concert
The British rock band Oasis claims that the Chinese government cancelled its debut concerts in China, originally scheduled for early April, because lead singer Noel Gallagher once participated in a free Tibet concert. From AP via the Oakland Press:
HONG KONG (AP) — Oasis says China has blocked what would have been the British band’s debut in the country in April because guitarist-singer Noel Gallagher took part in a free Tibet concert in 1997.
[...]A growing number of Western musical acts have traveled to China in recent years, including the Rolling Stones and Elton John, but Beijing closely regulates live performances, especially after Icelandic singer Bjork embarrassed authorities last year by shouting “Tibet!” after performing a song called “Declare Independence” in Shanghai.
[...]Officials at China’s Ministry of Culture “have now deemed that the band [Oasis] are consequently unsuitable to perform to their fans” on April 3 in Beijing and April 5 in Shanghai after discovering that Gallagher performed at a free Tibet concert in New York City in 1997, Oasis said in a statement on its Web site Wednesday.
