The Great Wonderwall of China?

Oasis claims authorities are barring it from playing its first concerts in China.

There was a ton of buzz around Beijing’s expat community (and elsewhere) this winter when word got out that Brit rock icon Oasis would be hitting town in early April for its first ever concert in mainland China..

The hype was just starting to shift into high gear now with the back page of the March issue of Beijing’s Time Out Magazine featuring a full-page colour ad of the Mancunian foursome and an interview with lead singer Noel Gallagher on the inside (which begins by calling it one of the biggest gigs to ever hit the city).

So there was a fair amount of surprise when the concert was suddenly cancelled on Monday afternoon (as was a second one in Shanghai).

So what gives? Well, according to the band, the fact that frontman Noel Gallagher went to a Free Tibet Concert in the U.S. in 1997 is what gives.

"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 canceled," Oasis said in a statement.

When Chinese authorities discovered Gallagher had appeared at the "Free Tibet" concert the government "deemed that the band is…unsuitable to perform to its fans in the Chinese Republic."

Not so, says the Chinese Government… According to Reuters, a spokesperson claimed the organizer blamed economic problems and the promoter concurred saying it was cancelled due to a "tough economic situation."

I must admit I wanted to go but hadn't gotten around to buying tickets yet (although I know people who had).  Regardless, they ain't coming.

I wonder if they have any specially priced Oasis CDs at my DVD store (see the blog below).

Ben is Global National's Asia correspondent.  He is based in Beijing.