Maroon 5 tour dates in China that were scheduled for September 2015 have reportedly been called off. According to various news outlets — including CNN and the BBC — there’s speculation that a tweet may have upset Chinese authorities and led the band to be banned from performing in the country.
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The band was apparently set to perform in Shanghai and Beijing. According to CNN, Live Nation announced the cancellation of a Shanghai tour date on Thursday, July 16. Meanwhile, Time Out Beijing wrote the following about a Maroon 5 tour date in its city: “We hear musings about Maroon 5 being prevented from performing by our political friends up above.”
Fans and media are speculating that a post from band member Jesse Carmichael about the Dalai Lama, which has since been deleted, caused Maroon 5 to be prohibited from playing in China. A Twitter update allegedly read: “Happy Birthday America (and The Dalai Lama too) sang happy birthday to his holiness today,” followed by a link to an Instagram photo. Reports say that Carmichael attended a celebration of the Tibetan spiritual leader’s 80th birthday in the Los Angeles area on July 4.
A number of other musicians — including Linkin Park, Bjork and Oasis — have been restricted from touring in China due to connections with the Dalai Lama, who was exiled in 1959 after a failed uprising against Beijing’s rule. Linkin Park, however, will return to the country for four concerts in July — and Maroon 5 fans in China are likely hoping that the “Sugar” hitmakers will eventually be back, too.