2010 Apr 21 Festival Countdown: Midi Music Festival (Haidian Park, Beijing)
After a year off in Zhenjiang, China's very first rock music festival is back in Beijing at Haidian Park on May 1-4. Last Year, Midi School of Music hosted its own award ceremony, and most of the winning acts will appear on stage during the May holiday. But some of the bands from Modern Sky seem to be missing - whatever happened to solidarity...
News just flashed in that British punk legends Sham 69 have postponed their scheduled Asian Tour, so it seems inevitable to compare this turn of event to what happened to The Buzzcocks last year, however the Midi organizer has informed us that Sham will definitely play on May 1. So keep your fingers crossed and keep your eyes on the Beijinger Blog for an interview with guitarist Dave Parsons.
What else can I say? I mean it's Midi. Of course there's going to be a flea market, which is always a good place to get CDs that are too expensive on Amazon, or some t-shirts saying "I'm a dickhead", or something worse than that...Then on Tuesday (May 4), you can skip work when everyone's in office, how's that for rock n roll?
When: May 1-4
Where: Haidian Park
How Much: RMB 80 (per day), RMB 240 (four days)
Tickets at: 6417 7845, 400 610 3721 or here
Fop more information, visit www.midifestival.com/english
Line-up (click artists' names to listen)
DAY ONE: May 1 (Saturday)
TANG STAGE
13:30-14:00 Zuo Bin (左斌)
14:20-14:50 Alt Senior
15:10-15:50 Mr Chelonian (海龟先生)
16:20-17:00 Yu Yang (虞洋)
17:30-18:10 Stalingrad Cowgirls [Finland]
18:40-19:20 Shan Ren (山人)
19:50-20:30 Second Hand Rose (二手玫瑰)
21:00-21:40 He Yong (何勇)
SONG-PILOT STAGE
13:00-13:30 Finger Family (指人儿)
13:50-14:20 24 Hours (24小时)
14:40-15:20 The NONAME
15:50-16:30 Nine Eleven [France]
17:00-17:40 Yu Fei Men (与非门)
18:10-18:50 King Ly Chee (荔枝王) [Hong Kong]
19:20-20:00 Sham 69 (UK)
20:30-21:10 Twisted Machine (扭曲的机器)
MING STAGE
13:00-13:30 Xiao Meng (小猛)
14:00-14:30 Zhao Lei (赵雷)
15:00-15:30 Lidong Band (立東乐队)
16:00-16:30 Li Jianbin (李建傧)
17:00-17:30 Dong Zi (冬子)
18:00-18:30 Zhang Weiwei & Guo Long (张玮玮和郭龙)
19:00-19:30 Wang Juan & Band (王娟乐队)
20:00-20:30 Zhao Muyang (赵牧阳)
YEN STAGE
13:00-14:15 Elmar
14:15-15:30 Poppy
15:30-16:45 X lee
16:45-18:15 Jerryson
18:15-19:30 Blackie
19:30-21:00 Youdai
DAY TWO: May 2 (Sunday)
TANG STAGE
13:30-14:00 Inch Chua [Singapore]
14:20-14:50 Candy Monster (糖果怪兽)
15:10-15:50 Audio’s Pain [Spain]
16:20-17:00 The Swamp (沼泽)
17:30-18:10 Ming’s Pretty Heroes [Holland]
18:40-19:20 Voodoo Kungfu (零壹)
19:50-20:30 Asaf Avidan & the Mojos [Israel]
21:00-21:40 X.T.X (谢天笑)
SONG-PILOT STAGE
13:00-13:30 K-Jell [Norway]
13:50-14:20 Steely Heart (钢铁的心)
14:40-15:20 The Prophecy [UK]
15:50-16:30 Secret 7 Line [Japan]
17:00-17:40 Honey Gun (糖果枪)
18:10-18:50 Mnemic [Denmark]
19:20-20:00 The Reflector (反光镜)
20:30-21:10 AK-47
MING STAGE
13:00-13:30 Qing Tian (晴天)
14:00-14:30 Hu Pan (胡畔)
15:00-15:30 Xiao He (小河)
16:00-16:30 Zhang Tie & Band (张铁乐队)
17:00-17:30 Chen Fangtao (陈方涛)
18:00-18:30 Chuan Zi (川子)
19:00-19:30 Slap (耳光乐队)
20:00-20:30 Ma Tiao (马条)
YEN STAGE
13:00-14:15 Yang Qing
14:15-15:30 Fish
15:30-16:45 LYDNB
16:45-18:15 Huang Weiwei
18:15-19:30 Jerry K
19:30-21:00 Dio
DAY THREE: May 3 (Monday)
TANG STAGE
13:30-14:00 Exit A (出口A)
14:20-14:50 Proximity Butterfly (变色蝴蝶)
15:10-15:50 Hanggai (杭盖)
16:20-17:00 Turdus Musicus [Norway]
17:30-18:10 Supermarket (超级市场)
18:40-19:20 Gammalux [Germany]
19:50-20:30 Sahara Hotnights [Sweden]
21:00-21:40 Tang Dynasty (唐朝)
SONG-PILOT STAGE
13:00-13:30 Rubber Phonograph Needle (橡胶唱针)
13:50-14:20 Djizoes [Switzerland]
14:40-15:20 Mosiac (马赛克)
15:50-16:30 SUBS (杀不死)
17:00-17:40 Mike TV [UK]
18:10-18:50 The Verse
19:20-20:00 CMCB (中国说唱兄弟)
20:30-21:10 Suffocatted (窒息)
MING STAGE
13:00-13:30 Gang Zi (刚子)
13:45-14:15 Zhou Laoer (周胜军)
14:30-15:00 Wang Shengnan (王胜男)
15:20-15:50 Zhang Zhi (张智)
16:10-16:40 Liu Er (刘东明)
17:10-17:40 Xishan Laoyao (西山老妖)
18:10-18:40 Ajinai (阿基耐乐队)
19:10-19:40 Song Yuzhe (宋雨喆)
20:10-20:40 Wu Junde (吴俊德)
YEN STAGE
13:00-14:15 Suki
14:15-15:30 Bobby
15:30-16:45 Kay C
16:45-18:00 Kamikaze
18:00-19:30 Liushuai
19:30-21:00 Ben Huang
DAY FOUR: May 4 (Tuesday)
TANG STAGE
13:30-14:00 Chaine (拆呢)
14:20-14:50 Lao Liu & Sand (刘冬虹 & 沙子)
15:10-15:50 Gemini (简迷离)
16:20-17:00 Narakam (冥界)
17:30-18:10 Fall Insects (秋天的虫子)
18:40-19:20 Carsick Cars (晕车车)
19:50-20:30 Muma & Third Party (木玛 & Third Party)
21:00-21:40 Miserable Faith (痛仰)
SONG-PILOT STAGE
13:00-13:30 Velvet Highway (丝绒公路)
13:50-14:20 Army of Jade Kirin (玉麟军)
14:40-15:20 Nanwu (南无)
15:50-16:30 Perdel (逃跑计划)
17:00-17:40 Caracal (新加坡)
18:10-18:50 Free The Birds (放飞)
19:20-20:00 Brain Failure (脑浊)
20:30-21:10 Yaksa (夜叉)
MING STAGE
13:00-15:00 DJ Tatu CREW
15:00-15:30 B.O.K
15:30-16:00 Fan Quan Liang (反犬良)
16:00-16:30 Nanzheng Beizhan (南征北战)
16:30-17:00 Xinjiekou (新街口)
17:00-17:30 B.M.W
17:30-18:00 Li Meng (李萌)
18:00-18:30 Stone Unit (石头公社)
18:30-19:00 Modeng Pohuai Nian (魔登破坏念)
19:00-19:30 Man Ren (满人)
19:30-20:00 Zhang Nan (张楠)
20:00-20:30 Yang Fan (杨帆)
20:30-21:00 Yintsang (隐藏)
YEN STAGE
13:00-14:15 Elemental
14:15-15:30 Baozi
15:30-16:45 MHP
16:45-18:00 Harry Ho
18:00-19:30 Eddie Lv
19:30-21:00 Ouyang
You might also be interested in :
Festival Fashion Tips: What (Not) to Wear to Midi, Strawberry and Music Valley
For once, we’re aiming to spend the entire long weekend in Beijing. Why, you ask? See here, here, here and here – need we say more?
Our Music Editor has been doing a fine job prepping us on what to expect from the music festivals. This year we can choose from Midi, Strawberry or Music Valley – or hit up all three, since they each take place over the span of three days (April 30-May 2).
Once you've settled on the lineups of your liking, however, you still face another dilemma: finding the perfect outfit.
Festival Countdown: Ditan Park Music Festival (Ditan Park)
We've been hearing stories on how Midi was better than Strawberry, and I tend to agree because I'd rather see less bands but survive with enough water supplies. Anyway, the May holiday was fun, but it's not finished yet. Since Beijing now only has two seasons (where else in this world will soar to 31 degree from 15 in one day?), we definitly need more varieties in music genres. Ditan Park Music Festival features the city's leading folk and world music artists, with honorable line-ups including Hanggai, The Redbucks, Zhang Quan, Mamer, Afrokoko Roots, Shan Ren, Mademoiselle and many more.
Festival Countdown: Strawberry Music Festival (Tongzhou Canal Park, Beijing)
Yeah I know, what is Tongzhou Canal Park (I have the same question with "world music")? Well, before recently moving into the city, Tongzhou was my neighborhood (said with unreasonable pride), as well as the habitat for many rock stars in Beijing - the rent is cheap, the traffic is wild, the streets are lined with real estate agencies selling apartments at ridiculously high prices, and the Batong Line is crowded enough to make the law of inertia powerless since you never fall without holding a thing...I'm gonna stop now so we can go straight to the point. After the premiere last year, Modern Sky is throwing the 2nd Strawberry Music Festival on May 1-3 in Beijing's eastern suburb. With more than 100 acts on six stages, boss Shen Lihui is clearly showing his ambition.
Festival Countdown: Zebra Music Festival (Poly 198 Park, Chengdu)
As always, May is the festival season for live music. the Beijinger Blog will be running a festival series in the following days, offering round-up of congregations around town in springtime.
We are going to start from out of town in Chengdu, since the success of this event last year (see our review here) makes it difficult to ignore what they’ve been up to this time. In contrast to an overwhelming number of Beijing bands last year, the 2010 Zebra Music Festival brings local talent together on their "Sky Stage", and some of the biggest names in Chinese pop music will also make it to Chengdu - I'm talking about pop icon Chang Chen-yue, indie rock group Sodagreen, and Taiwanese rapper MC Hotdog. Of course some of us are too cool for them, so the choices are Manchester rockers Exile Parade and Israeli folk rock band Asaf Avidan & the Mojos (both will also perform in Beijing, stay tune for more details), and our Beijing heroes includes Xiao He, Long Shen Dao and Pet Conspiracy. For a bit of quirkiness, Reading-based disco punk band Does It Offend You, Yeah? (they are called DIOYY, apparently) share the stage. Just take a look at that video below, what a bunch of happy people. It must be nice to hop along with their music while holding your drinks, in hot pots.
Rock Heroes of the Year - Midi Awards' Nominations Reveal
The third annual Midi Awards will be held at Tango on December 10. (Keep an eye on the site and our newsletter for ticket giveaways). It's no doubt one of the biggest events of the year in China's rock scene. The committee for the Midi Awards revealed the nominations a few days ago. While this year's list has some of the same names as last year's, it is probably a little more interesting. It is starting to show a slight hint of PR workings, but also has a lot of affection towards avant-garde works. Folk music has started to mark its territory - this year marks the first award for "Folk Musician of the Year," while metal bands still remain the big brothers.
Zuoxiao Zuzhou's four nominations make him the favorite of this year, alongside Longshendao. Midi's events' regulars like Miserable Faith and Yaksa are, of course, all considered. Omnipotent Youth Society has become a real hit ever since they released their debut album last year, and their song "Kill That Shijiazhuanger" made it into the nominations for "Song of the Year" for a second time. Read on to see who the Chinese music people love and click on the links to see if you agree.
lodgerly
Re: Festival Countdown: Midi Music Festival (Haidian Park, ...
Line-up (click to listen)
Doesn't work...Wang ge, please edit it.
Show Oligarch
danedwards
Re: Festival Countdown: Midi Music Festival (Haidian Park, ...
Hi lodgerly ,
I think he means click on the individual artists.
Register and post your own events on the beijinger website.
lodgerly
Re: Festival Countdown: Midi Music Festival (Haidian Park, ...
Oh, those r dou ban links.
Haha.
Sorry, wang ge. Come out and have a smoke!
Show Oligarch
badr
Re: Festival Countdown: Midi Music Festival (Haidian Park, ...
fantastic lineup this year... maybe the most diverse and solid on offer since they started! Not sure how strawberry is gonna fare against this competition!
and the Leningrad Cowgirls are HOT
BeijingDaze.com: Live Music & Underground Rock from Beijing
The Noodle Diaries: Tales of Food & Noodles from China
wange1002
Re: Festival Countdown: Midi Music Festival (Haidian Park, ...
what a fun office...