According to insiders, China’s ministry of culture cancelled shows scheduled for September 14 and 17 because they had discovered images of the exiled Tibetan spirtual leader hidden in the backdrop of a video used during a Bon Jovi Taiwan concert in 2010. And similar to the situation behind the recent cancellation of a Shanghai performance by Maroon 5, a member of Bon Jovi was discovered to have made a supportive tweet about the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama is a vilified figure in China accused of advocating for Tibet separatism and extremist actions. This upcoming fall marks a politically sensitive time as China celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

We all suspected he was going down in blaze of glory, but it appeared frontman Jon Bon Jovi was first going to woo China on a bed of roses. Bon Jovi had been promoting the concerts in an online video featuring him singing the Chinese love ballad The Moon Represents My Heart, as made famous by Taiwanese crooner Teresa Teng.

The band also has two upcoming performances in Macao scheduled for September 25 and 26. We’re not sure of the fate of these two shows, but seeing as it’s my life and knowing that we weren’t born to follow, hopefully the personal freedom of seeing a rock show will still carry through in these cases. But if the worst comes to pass and the likes of Bon Jovi aren’t wanted in China – either dead or alive – well then, who says you can’t go home?

And if you’re tired of the Bon Jovi puns, you’ll want to skip all these comments from Twitter today:

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US pop star Taylor Swift is reaching out to her Chinese fans by opening an online store that will exclusively sell her own personal line of clothing in China.

E-commerce retailer Jingdong has secured the exclusive rights to sell Swift’s clothing line in Chinese markets, and will open its digital shop doors on August 8.

If you’re wondering what the Taylor Swift-branded clothing line looks like, here’s a quick peek for you:

If these happen to look like shirts you’d buy at rock concert, you should keep in mind that the clothes are being marketed as “authentic merchandise” and that the opening of the online store coincides with Swift’s upcoming Shanghai performances from November 10 to 12 for her “1989” world tour.

All the same, these clothes may be the only way Swift’s fans may be able to appreciate the pop star’s visit to China since tickets are in such high demand. Swift set a record with her previous China tour by selling 18,000 tickets a minute.

And similar to the way Katy Perry has been dubbed “Fruit Sister” in China, Swift’s Chinese fans have come up with a strange nickname for her: Meimei (霉霉). However, the nickname isn’t as flattering when trying to explain what it means. Although the origin of the name is unknown, thousands of Swift fans use this nickname that sounds like “beauty” or “sister”, but has a literal meaning of “moldy” or “unlucky”.

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Jan. 3rd – Saturday Salsa Night @ Curv Bar – Make your way down to Curv bar for some Salsa with the Fun Salsa Club.

Jan. 3rd – Japanese Legendary Improvising Drummer Sabu Toyozumi @ B10 Live – Let Sabu beat away your boardom this weekend on his drums. A professional famous improvisational drummer from Japan.

Jan. 4th – 2014 Shenzhen Tennis Open – The Shenzhen Open is coming to an end. Come see Li Na defend her title in the 2014 Shenzhen Open as she competes for $500,000.

Jan. 4th – Tap Dance: Rhythm of the Dance – Come experience some true Irish culture through storytelling by song and dance.

Jan. 5th – Sunday Ultimate Frisbee by the SZUPA – Join a growing group of expats and local Chinese players play the fast growing international sport: Ultimate.

If you attend any of these events, please email me at [email protected] and we may include some of your reviews in a future post. Let’s keep your event organizers working to provide better and better events!

(Editor’s Note: We’re looking for dining and nightlife writers in Guangzhou and Dongguan. If you’re interested, please get in touch with us at [email protected])

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August 29th-30th – L A X Bar 1st Anniversary Party – Win a RMB3,000 Wine card, trip to Disneyland, and free champagne with an RMB1,000 purchase for the night. 8:00PM-4:00AM

Club LAX will have it’s 1st anniversary party.

August 29th-31st – International Beverage Exposition and Competition (IBEC) – IBEC is one of the highest quality and most professional beverage shows in China. Meet suppliers and try products. (All Day Event)

August 30th – Stabil Elite LIVE @ B10. The German New Wave Band – STABIL ELITE Tour in Shenzhen, China. Friday 8:30PM-11:00PM

August 30th – Lone I Club Opening Party – 2 free cocktails or glasses of champagne. 8:00PM-4:00AM

August 31st – Ailand – A House and Trance Musical Journey 10:00PM-6:00PM

August 31st – Fresh Presents: Back to School Block Party – Come celebrate the birth of Hip Hop music at an outdoor block party in a public plaza in Dongmen. 6:00PM-2:00AM Jesse has let us know that this has been postponed until a later date.

August 31st – Chinese Folk Songs Concert – A concert featuring Chinese folk songs composed by renowned songwriter Wang Luobin (1913-1996) will be held Aug. 31 in Shenzhen. 8:00PM-10:30PM

September 1st – Ultimate Frisbee @ Happy Valley Park – 2:30-6:00PM Hosted weekly by the ShenZhen Ultimate Players Association

If you attend any of these events, please email me at [email protected] and we may include some of your review in a future post. Let’s keep your event organizers working to provide better and better events!

(Editor’s Note: We’re looking for dining and nightlife writers in Guangzhou and Dongguan. If you’re interested, please get in touch with us at [email protected])

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The 2^nd Annual SZLM Blues and Folk Festival is underway after a huge opening last night. This year’s festival is aptly named “The Pearl River Delta Sessions” in homage to the Mississippi River Delta area where the Blues music and culture were born. Though miles away from the United States, this five night, four venue and 20 band music festival shares a similar tone with those muddy-bottom Blues.

Shenzhen is a 21^st century melting pot with a variety of races and nationalities all finding a way to make it. Like early 20^th century America, Shenzhen residents are learning to live together, work together and grow together, and from this a music culture has taken root.

Many venues in Shenzhen are now taking a chance on local artists and opening their doors to talented Shenzhen musicians. The Shenzhen Local Music Blues and Folk Festival, which is set to run until June 9, is the culmination of this community effort to provide a platform for musical expression and connection.

Last night the festival kicked off with well-traveled and seasoned folk music veteran Gary Hurlstone at Brown Sugar Jar. Hurlstone presented the history of folk music through short films, pictures, stories of his travels around the world and within China, and also performed a few original songs. Following his lead, tonight at Frankie’s American Bar, Chicago born and raised Blues man Corey D. Abrams is presenting the history of Blues music and performing a few original songs. Phoning in on Skype around 9:45pm will be Bobby Taylor, the man responsible for finding and promoting many world-famous acts, such as the Jackson 5 and Whitney Houston. This is definitely a Skype call you don’t want to miss.

This weekend, Coco Park venues Rapscallions Café Bar and La Casa will host more than 15 bands including one Guangzhou solo artist, one Zhuhai Blues veteran and Hong Kong French gypsy folk band, Les Gromechkos.

For full listings of the festival events, check out Shenzhen’s #1 source for live music, shenzhenlocalmusic.com.

See you at the festival!

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Judging from the comments posted at CNNGo, he looks to have quite the fan base on this side of the water.

Due in Hong Kong on May 13 at the Asia World-Expo, Justin Bieber will no doubt be greeted by hoardes of screaming fans as soon as he lands in the city, probably including the ladies from the Hong Kong fan club who were lucky enough to chat with him online last year.

But before he reaches Hong Kong, he will touch down in Australia as well as the Philippines as part of his tour in Asia.

Bieber is so famous, he has his own 3D movie — “Never Say Never,” a documentary about his rise from YouTube sensation to international megastar, due to release in Hong Kong on April 21.

If you happen to have a 12-year old daughter, you’ll either want to shield her from this groundbreaking news or get ready to shell out for some likely rather expensive tickets.

As I Canadian, I’d just like to say I apologize. First k.d. lang, then Celine Dion, and now the Bieb.

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