It's not the first time it's happened and it certainly won't be the last, but one of the worlds top DJs has had to cancel their USA tour dates due to "unreasonable demands by the U.S. Embassy". This time it's the turn of dynamic French DJ Laurent Garnier. Releasing an official statement he has stressed that until the stringent rules are changed he won’t be touring the USA again: "I am very sorry to have to cancel my forthcoming U.S. tour due to what I consider to be completely unreasonable demands by the U.S. Embassy in France in order to renew my work visa. - In order to obtain this new visa, the rules have once again changed since November 2004 and I would now have to not only fill out an exceedingly probing application form, but also be interviewed by a member of the Embassy staff, and provide proof of ownership of my house, details of my bank account, my mobile phone records, personal information on all my family members and more. I consider these demands to be a complete violation of my privacy and my civil liberties and I refuse to comply. I am horrified by these new regulations and feel really sad that this is what some call freedom and democracy. It has now become almost impossible for an artist to come and perform in the United States. And until this new procedure changes I will unfortunately refuse to comply with this nonsense."
The dates he has cancelled follow...
Laurent Garnier’s cancelled USA Tour dates
San Francisco – Ruby Skye - March 4
Los Angles – Avalon – March 5
New York – Cielo – March 7
If you are in Paris on March 17, Laurent Garnier will play at The Rex Club. A website dedicated to the 4th album of Laurent has been created. Just click on Cloudmakingmachine.com and listen to the tracks, watch the video and check the remix contest.