As we reported yesterday, two Oasis concerts in Shanghai and Beijing were canceled after the Chinese government allegedly revoked the band’s performance licenses because Noel Gallagher appeared at a 1997 concert for Tibet.
Now a man claiming to be a spokesperson for the show’s promoter, Beijing All Culture Communication Co Ltd., has said that the shows were canceled because of economic hardship. The spokesperson, who will only reveal his last name, Luo, said, “I have no money. It’s normal in an environment of economic crisis…It has nothing to do at all with the Tibet problem.”
Chinese government officials stood by the statement made by Luo, adding that they have launched investigations into the misunderstanding. Oasis, however, are standing by yesterday’s statement that they were told the shows were canceled due to Gallagher’s ties to Tibetan causes.