Why the new restrictions on visas is another shot to our scene
Funny that our favorite visa started with F, the same letter that represents what the "temporary removal" of that visa is going to do to a town built on the backs of musicians and artists. Looking past the annoyance of having to call that old boss who you previously rang too many times late Sunday night claiming "pood foisoning" to ask if he wouldn't mind signing off on another visa, the removal of the freelance pass may see our scene lose a lot of what makes this such a funky town.

For those of you reading this in the comfort of your all-inclusive expat package, the previous F visa was, according to the Chinese Embassy website, issued to an alien who is invited to China for "a visit, an investigation, a lecture, to do business, scientific-technological and culture exchanges, short-term advanced studies or internship for a period of no more than six months." But what the F visa allowed for, whether it was intended for this use or not, was for project-based individuals to stay in the country while pursuing creative avenues. Avenues that, more often than not, played out in Shanghai's nightlife scene, be it music, theater, or something else. What the new regulations force artists to do is either take a "normal" job, or go through the back door for an even dodgier slip of paper.

While I don't want to name names, in the past few weeks, I've had more than a dozen friends in the Bohemian crowd either call or email desperate notes of, "Does anyone know how… "And, in the town where money opens more doors than the Ministry of Culture on a Saturday night, the fact that previous staples, like Magic, and the previously smug, such as Emoo, are now posting up notices online saying that "services cannot be guaranteed" makes it even more desolate.

"I'm absolutely f*cked," says a musician who will also remain anonymous. "I just got back from Hong Kong with a six-month tourist visa but with the restriction of only 30 days at a time. With only one night's pay a week, I obviously can't afford to leave every month, but I also can't play without it."

This ain't good--in any sense. We've already seen performance license problems, or lack thereof, result in a good majority of shows being canceled at the last minute. Combine that with only tourists and full-timers being allowed in and we're looking at a creative dry spell... save for the folks who find a loophole and clean up. Free-thinkers haven't had the easiest time here in China and while I don't want to draw any historical parallels, there seem to be some creepy similarities.

Aric S. Queen