Dylan Nixes China

Agence France-Presse reports Taiwanese-based Brokers Brothers Herald announced in January that Dylan would play Hong Kong April 8. However, when the Chinese government refused to grant permission shows in Shanghai and Beijing, the promoter canceled the Hong Kong date.

“China’s Ministry of Culture did not give us permission to stage concerts in Beijing and Shanghai, so we had no alternative but to scrap plans for a Southeast Asian tour,” Broker Brothers Herald’s Jeffrey Wu said. “The chance to play in China was the main attraction for him. When that fell through everything else was called off.”

The Chinese government has been limiting the number of appearances by Western artists in the communist country since Bjork chanted “Free Tibet, Free Tibet” during a performance two years ago.

Click here to read the complete AFP report.