Bad News for Spring Scream and Peacefest Update
I received an email from a friend regarding some bad Spring Scream news:
Today, being April Fool’s day, almost 30 bands were notified that they aren’t play Spring Scream due to performance VISA issues.
Except it wasn’t a joke, and it’s well past noon already.
If any of the bands that aren’t allowed to play, actually play, there are threats of instant deportation, fines to each person and huge fine for the event. Up to 300,000 a person.I don’t want to go into too much yet, but I’m personally friends with at least 5 of the bands dropped, and they aren’t happy about it.
A lot of them being some of Taiwan’s best.
That is terrible news and hopefully some more information will be coming soon. It would be a shame if bands can’t perform because of government intervention.
Regarding the Peace Festival, they have finished the new website and have the information regarding donations and this years event up. Check it out:
Peace Festival
That is not good news…and a big blow to bands that work hard at their craft. I did see the visa requirements and truth be told…didn’t really pay attention as I have a marriage visa that let’s me do pretty much anything…. If you get a list of these bands maybe you should publish as some might be travelling just to see their favorites and might not be aware…Now I was thinking of doing the Peacefest…are the same rules true for all venues…paid or unpaid? I’m gonna go take a tylenol…better yet a shot of scotch. KDC
what’s the issue? English teachers playing in bands? is this a new crackdown deal?
This isn’t new (but the enforcement may well be). Foreigners aren’t legally allowed to play music in Taiwan. It is one of their xenophobic rules set up to protect the jobs of the locals. That’s one reason every foreigner is an English teacher or an engineer. Seldom do people get visas for doing other jobs.
It really pains me that Taiwan could be like this, taking away a form of expression from foreigners. It is obvious too, that as Taiwan tries to become a more appealing for students to study, that they need to revise their working rules. So many students (who aren’t allowed to work) are taking jobs and working illegally.
Maybe they are just trying to let Spring Scream know who the boss is.