After China ban, Bon Jovi add a second Taiwan date and re-route to Bangkok
James Hendicott
12th September 2015
Support for the Dalai Lama in Taiwan is thought to have caused the ban in the first place
Andy Willsher/NME
After being banned from China last week just a few days short of their planned concerts in Shanghai and Beijing, Bon Jovi have simply re-routed the tour, adding a second date in Taiwan and a new one in Bangkok.
The Bangkok concert falls at a time when the band would have been situated in - or travelling as part of their trip to - China.
The addition of the second Taiwan date has a circular feel to it, as many believe that the reason for the ban coming into effect in the first place connects with the use of Dalai Lama images at a previous Taiwanese concert.
Andy Willsher/NME
Earlier in the week, a Financial Times' Beijing correspondent reported:
"The Communist party's Culture Ministry acted after discovering that Bon Jovi once included a picture of the Dalai Lama in a backdrop video during a concert in Taiwan in 2010, according to people familiar with the matter. That followed a band member's tweet about meeting the spiritual leader."
The Bangkok gig will take place on September 15, while the additional Taiwanese concert will take place the night after the originally planned one, on September 29, and may not be directly linked to the Chinese cancellations.
The Chinese government are thought to be cracking down on Tibetan themes from visiting artists as this year is the 50th anniversary of Tibetan 'autonomy'.
The Chinese government have not officially commented on Bon Jovi's ban to date. Bjork and Maroon 5 are amongst the artists that have previously been banned from China.
nme.com
James Hendicott
12th September 2015
Support for the Dalai Lama in Taiwan is thought to have caused the ban in the first place
Andy Willsher/NME
After being banned from China last week just a few days short of their planned concerts in Shanghai and Beijing, Bon Jovi have simply re-routed the tour, adding a second date in Taiwan and a new one in Bangkok.
The Bangkok concert falls at a time when the band would have been situated in - or travelling as part of their trip to - China.
The addition of the second Taiwan date has a circular feel to it, as many believe that the reason for the ban coming into effect in the first place connects with the use of Dalai Lama images at a previous Taiwanese concert.
Andy Willsher/NME
Earlier in the week, a Financial Times' Beijing correspondent reported:
"The Communist party's Culture Ministry acted after discovering that Bon Jovi once included a picture of the Dalai Lama in a backdrop video during a concert in Taiwan in 2010, according to people familiar with the matter. That followed a band member's tweet about meeting the spiritual leader."
The Bangkok gig will take place on September 15, while the additional Taiwanese concert will take place the night after the originally planned one, on September 29, and may not be directly linked to the Chinese cancellations.
The Chinese government are thought to be cracking down on Tibetan themes from visiting artists as this year is the 50th anniversary of Tibetan 'autonomy'.
The Chinese government have not officially commented on Bon Jovi's ban to date. Bjork and Maroon 5 are amongst the artists that have previously been banned from China.
nme.com