Hong Kong Immigration Dep’t says Blur never applied for visa, after bandmate claims UK band were denied entry
Hong Kong Free Press
The Hong Kong authorities have denied that British indie band Blur were denied entry to perform in Hong Kong, despite claims on Monday by bassist Alex James.
“The Immigration Department has not received the relevant visa application. The spread of misleading information is unacceptable and has to be condemned,” a spokesperson for the Immigration Department told HKFP on Tuesday.
During a Monday BBC Radio 6 show, James said that the band had hoped to finish their live tour in Hong Kong: “[W]e were gonna finish it off in Hong Kong, which we thought would be brilliant because ‘The Magic Whip’ – the album prior to ‘Ballad of Darren’ – was all recorded in Hong Kong… but then, apparently, the Chinese government consider us to be bad actors, so we’re not allowed back in Hong Kong sadly.”
HKFP has contacted James for comment.
Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
HKFP has an impartial stance, transparent funding, and balanced coverage guided by an Ethics Code and Corrections Policy.
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.
HKFP Dim Sum is a weekly email summary of our best content sent every Saturday and Monday. Unsubscribe at any time. We will not share your details with third parties.