Problems For SY in China
 

Sonic Youth's gig Tuesday night in Shanghai apparently went off without a hitch-- but the night before in Beijing, things got a bit dicey for their hand-picked openers, local power-trio Car-Sick Cars. According to Berwin Song at web publication That's Beijing, China's Ministry of Culture-- the final word on permit-issuance for rock shows-- scrapped the Car-Sick show roughly an hour before showtime, reportedly due to Sonic Youth's involvement in the Free Tibet cause. Sonic Youth's performance went on without incident, and they reportedly threw a shout out to the embattled Cars before their take on "Kool Thing".

A representative from Sonic Youth's camp confirmed the Car-Sick cancellation, but said SY are not commenting on the matter.

Was that SY's first time playing in China?

yes it was their first show in the country, and to be honest i am not at all surprised. i was shocked that SY would choose to play there after their involvement with FT - but at least the chinese fans got to see them i suppose.

I would interpret this as well the Chinese politics involved, a country that is trying to "westernize" in many ways especially in the area of industrial and technological growth, though the government there is still restrictive of many things... so i'm sure it was a sad compromise between the Chinese government who must have obvious influence on the Ministery of Culture to allow SY to play but not let their handpicked opener play... still a good deal of oppression exists and not yet enough of a "free voice" to be occur in that country.

But the sonics always told that they performed in the FT festivals only for promote new SY albums (not for bring support for Tibet exactly)...