The 'no-fun' Olympics

Some press and blog reports are already describing these as the “no-fun” Olympics.

That’s because so many regular Beijing nightlife haunts and restaurants popular with ex-pats are being shut down for the Games. The music scene is also taking a hit. Blame security concerns.

Beijing is usually a hopping place on summer evenings. Bars and restaurants open rooftop gardens. An increasingly vibrant music scene enlivens the city. More and more foreign musicians come through the capital.

But not much of that will be happening in August.

The popular Timeout Beijing magazine is producing a double issue for August and September because there are not enough events in August to justify two separate issues of listings, according to this Newsweek article.

"They want to make sure everything looks clean and goes smoothly," editor Tom Pattinson told Newsweek. "They're not so interested in making sure that everyone ... [learns] what a great, vibrant, exciting city Beijing is."

Two popular venues for live music — D-22 up in the Haidian university district, and the Stone Boat in Ritan Park — have had to halt live performances.

A few days ago, authorities pulled the plug many foreign musicians coming to China, saying that even the songs they play in encores have to be vetted beforehand. This is fallout from the Bjork concern in Shanghai in the spring when the Icelandic singer shouted “Tibet! Tibet” after belting out her anthem about independence.

This Agence France Press story notes that popular bars and restaurants deemed too close to some of the Olympic venues, such as the Workers' Stadium in downtown Beijing, have been ordered shut for security reasons.

A popular pizza joint outside the Workers’ Stadium, the Kro’s Nest, has already shut down for a month or so (much to our family’s dismay).

And then there are the increasingly frequent requests to provide IDs, open bags and purses for searches, etc. The level of grumbling is increasing among foreigners, but not Chinese, who take at face value explanations that the security threat to these Olympics is greater than at any other.

For visitors to Beijing who want an inside look at the nightlife, check out the Beijing Boyce blog, which recently noted how vital it is to carry your passport around with you. Here’s what the blog said:

Question: Do I really need my passport when I go out in Beijing?

Answer: Yes. Most definitely, absolutely, unequivocally yes. Well, unless you like taking unnecessary risks, talking at length with the local authorities, and possibly making a visit to the police station.

Several Sanlitun bar owners told me today that the authorities will be making the rounds and checking patrons’ ID, and that bars are now expected to check patrons’ bags for anything “dangerous.” Add in the general increased security measures in Beijing ahead of The Games and the previous crackdowns in the city, and carrying your passport or a copy of it should be a ‘no brainer.’