More on the MAO Livehouse Closure

Dan Edwards | Apr 19, 2010 2:00 pm | 8 comments | 4326 reads

Over the weekend we reported MAO Livehouse had closed due to the venue’s failure to meet health and safety regulations for a performance space. Today’s Global Times has a few more details.

The report in today’s paper states: “Popular live music venue Mao Livehouse was shut down Friday for an alleged breach of fire codes… According to the authorities, Mao has until May 16 to meet fire regulations, or face permanent closure… The Dongcheng fire department, supervised by the Jiaodaokou police station, inspected and then sealed the door of Mao Livehouse Friday morning, after receiving a tip-off from a former Mao Livehouse employee.”

The article continues: “According to Li Sanmu, a police officer with the Jiaodaokou police station, the venue has never successfully passed a fire inspection since it opened in 2007. It was shut down in December 2008, and given a chance to make improvements in its fire safety precautions and apply for a license, but never did.”

As we noted on Saturday, it seems a little odd that MAO’s safety standards have suddenly become an issue when the venue has been openly hosting high-profile events for nearly 18 months since the December 2008 closure. The Global Times report carries this hilarious explanation: “When asked how the venue has managed to operate for more than a year after the 2008 closure, Li told the Global Times: ‘They appear closed during the day and open up at night when we are off duty. It is very hard for us to catch them.’”

Those tricksters, sneakily opening their door after the inspectors have knocked off every day. Who would have thought authorities in Beijing could be so easily deterred?

Clearly there is more to this story than meets the eye. When we spoke MAO’s booking manager Li Tong on the weekend, she indicated MAO’s management suspected someone had “stabbed them in the back,” but she declined to provide further details.

According to China Music Radar, rumors have also been circulating Shanghai’s MAO Livehouse is facing demolition, though there is no indication the problems in Beijing are related to those down south.

Li Tong says MAO Beijing hopes to be up and running again in May. When asked exactly when in May, she would only say, “It depends how it goes.”

As always, the Beijinger blog will keep you posted with more news as it comes to hand.

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jarome's picture jarome Submitted by Guest on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 21:50

Come on, this is not why MAO was closed. Isn't it always some kind of guanxi 'relationship breakdown' with these things in China?

I was at Yugong Yishan last month and there were so many people in there, it's impossible for people to escape if there was a fire, it was highly dangerous. MAO was never that bad...

A shame as MAO was cool. But then how often do live venues every stay open here?
First D22, now MAO, who will be left in 2013?

Professional music production, composition, and audio engineering in world class studio. Also experienced in sound design for film. http://www.prosoul.com

esperegus's picture esperegus Submitted by Guest on Mon, 04/19/2010 - 18:49

This comment, attributed to a policeman at Jiaodaokou, says it all:

When asked how the venue has managed to operate for more than a year after the 2008 closure, Li told the Global Times: "They appear closed during the day and open up at night when we are off duty. It is very hard for us to catch them."

Yeah, it's really hard to track down and apply the law to a stationary venue located in a prominent area of town. They're normally so secretive about their events too.

Now the Bus Bar's survival becomes all the more clear. At least it had wheels.

xiaomaomao's picture xiaomaomao Submitted by Guest on Mon, 04/19/2010 - 16:59

This city cares about fire safety.

There is a fire exit on every floor in my 18-storey apartment block.

They are forever locked and bolted, with extra bolts and chains on the handles just in case anyone wants to make a speedy get away in an unexpected fire.

SAFE.

"Who knows what will be remembered of this century in 5,000 years time. It may be Stalin or Islamic fundamentalism or it may just be the stock cube" - Armando Iannucci

danedwards's picture danedwards Submitted by Guest on Mon, 04/19/2010 - 16:31

Well I guess the question is whether the place is really a fire hazard or whether this was a pretext?

And if it is a fire hazard, will it be fixed before it re-opens?

After all, according to the police they let the place host events for 14 months after it failed to pass an inspection in December 2008.

Register and post your own events on the beijinger website.

beijing123's picture beijing123 Submitted by Guest on Mon, 04/19/2010 - 16:22

Better someone "stabbed them in the back", than being burned or trampled to death while attending an event.

How many people died in the nightclub fire last year in Shenzhen? The owner got sentenced to death for breaking the fire regulations, if I remember correctly....

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