Ditch BJ This May Holiday for One of China's Many Music Fests
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It's sad to say, but it’s looking more and more likely that Beijing will be sitting on the bench this May Day festival season. We had an inkling that this would be the case, and while there are some folks hoping for something to swoop down and save the day (Rye Festival just announced May 25-26, so they're out), it might be wise to start looking for alternatives to get your music festival fix this holiday.
With a four day holiday at our disposal this year (longer if you use your off days strategically), you have the opportunity to escape the capital and make a time of it at one of the festivals popping up around China – from the gorges of Jiaozuo to the metropolis of Wuhan – and explore a new region while also sating your need to rock out in the sun.
My recommendation is to dig deep, find a festival that suits you, discover some new bands, and make an adventure out of your May Day holiday.
When: April 26-28
Where: Shanghai Rugby Club/Chengdu International Intangible Cultural Heritage Park
Price: RMB 320-450 (per day) - Ticket link via the QR code above
Who: RADWIMPS (JP), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (US), Sons of an Illustrious
Father (US), Yogee New Waves (JP), New Pants, never young beach (JP),
Sugarcat, Sweet John, So Far So Good, IZ, Ob03, itsogoo, Lil Akin &
Visudy, Cee, GDJYB, HUSH, NEOS (feat. Suss), Glow Curve, Mercader, Chen
Li, Tian Fuzhen, Omnipotent Youth Society, Ding Wu, Tizzy T, Low
Wormwood, Mosaic, Rolling Bowling, Sparrow, Wood Pushing Melon, Wu Xiao
Ren, Zhou Fengling & XY Pattern, Safe Fire Group, Elephant Gym,
Zoogazer, many more.
Hot
Take: The Strawberry Festival still reigns supreme purely in terms of the
sheer number of quality acts they are able to draw. This year is no
different, setting up camp in both Shanghai and Chengdu with a seriously
stacked lineup that seems to cater to the indie kids in China as well
as the increasing demand for acts from Japan and Taiwan. It's also
massive, with 100 acts spread across seven stages over three days,
meaning that there's plenty of variety for fans of just about every
musical preference. If you can't make it to Shanghai or Chengdu, don't
fret as it's likely that the festival will pop up at another second- or
third-tier city in the coming months.
When: May 2-4
Where: Camp MIDI Taihu, Suzhou
Price: RMB 200-260 (per day), RMB 660 (three days) - Ticket link via QR code above
Who: Chinese Football, Re-TROS, Pu Shu, Muma, Betraying The Martyrs, Carsick
Cars, Lonely Leary, Gatsby In a Daze, Beyond Creation, Scarlet Horizon,
Wonder Sea, Zoogazer, Default, Steely Heart, Island Mood, Landfill,
Silent Speech, Demerit, Jiubao, Eggplantegg, Die From Sorrow, Sixi,
Happy Wheel, Nine Treasures, The Star Club, Amber, SUBS, Railway Suicide
Club, Paellas (JP), Dungeon Beijing, No Party for Caodan, Penicillin,
Red Scarf, Zhao Wei, Yaksa, many more.
Hot
Take: While Strawberry may have the goods, MIDI will always have the
spirit. One of China's longest-running festivals returns to its home at
Taihu Midi Park on the outskirts of Suzhou. Expect a strong selection of
homegrown talent rubbing shoulders with a couple of smaller
international acts.
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When: Apr 27-28
Where: Mount Emei, Sichuan
Price: RMB 129 (per day), RMB 229 (two days) - Ticket link via QR code above
Who: Re-TROS, STO.LEN, Jahwahzoo, Xie Chunhua, Caiyilin, Damaxi, Peng Tan,
Angry Navel, Colorful Bar, Wu Qi, Ding Dang, Sha Nanjie
Hot
Take: If you're looking to scratch off one of the Four Sacred Buddhist
Mountains of China off your bucket list, then why not reward that hike
with a day or two of kick-ass tunes. While the lineup is definitely more
condensed and focused on Chengdu (and other Sichuan) acts, that's a
plus in my book – and might allow for some calm and peace between the
sets (and less aggressive advertising).
When: May 3-4
Where: Yun Tai (near Jiaozuo and Zhengzhou)
Price: 168 RMB (per day) - Ticket link via QR code above
Who: Second Hand Rose, Mercader, Queen Sea Big Shark, Longjin, Dawenxi,
Miserable Faith, Hua Zhou, Xu Wei, Diagon Alley, Windsor Forest, Chen
Gongju, Please Take Care
Hot
Take: Another naturalistic retreat – this time in the world geologic
park of Jiaozuo complete with waterfalls, springs, picturesque peaks,
deep valleys and gorges. And a lineup of the China rock scene's biggest
contenders paired off with a slew of up and comers. It's tiny, it's
robust, and might be the closest one to Beijing.
When: May 3-4
Where: Jieteng Jianjiu Music Sports Park, Wuhan
Price: RMB 158 (one day) - Ticket link via QR code above
Who: Lonely Cookies, Peach Illusion, Happy Wheel, Peace & Wave, Echo
Park, Star 69, Ming, DJ Shinoda, Suiki Lor, Silly Function, Ben Huang,
Mariio's, Lisa Ono, Air, Zhao Zhao, Mr. Deer, Pi Yiran, Renyi Men, Zhang
Bu San
Hot
Take: This is a dark horse in my eyes – the festival with the most
interesting array of acts and activities, all located within the city
limits right on the banks of the Yangtze River (you gotta go through the
gorgeous East Lake to get to it though). With an emphasis on city-pop,
indie pop, and hip-hop, there's a low-key charm to the proceedings – a
breezy daytime outing that feels like an extension of Wuhan's musical
personality.
When: May 3-4
Where: Huabohui, Wuhan
Price: RMB 380 (per day), RMB 750 (two days) - Ticket link
Who:
MC Hotdog, GAI, JONY J, J-Fever, MJ116, Bridge, C-Block, Dirty Twinz,
K11, Blow Fever, DamnShine, Ranzer, X!GO, PACT, East, Pharaoh, Lee,
Huang Xu, AiFuJieNi, Gui Bian, Wang Yitai, Wang Timing, Gongfu Pang
Hot
Take: If you’re really looking to get the full spectrum of Wuhan, or
are a hip-hop buff, then the YOLO Festival might just be for you,
featuring some of the game’s most beloved rappers keeping the vibes
sultry and the beats bumping. You know what you’re getting.
When: May 1-2
Where: Tianshengqiao, Lishui District, Nanjing
Price: RMB 280 (per day), RMB 480 (two days) - Ticket link via QR code above
Who: NEXT, Gai, Escape Plan, Mister Lady, VIA, Hua Zhou, Re-TROS, Mr. Deer,
Wang Yiren, Hao Meimei, Chef & Actor, Mao Buyi, Liu Laisi,
Seabuckthorn Grass, Fool and Idiot
Hot
Take: Two days of big acts in the indie pop and folk world, all
performing on the outskirts of Nanjing. It's a bit too mainstream for my
liking, but Nanjing is quite beautiful this time of year, so if you
don't mind being stuck with gushing fans, then you might just find
something you like here.
When: Apr 27
Where: Xuzhou Olympic Sports Center
Price: RMB 420, RMB 360 (advance) - Ticket link
Who: XTX, Second Hand Rose, Nine Treasures, Miserable Faith, Sophie's Garden
Hot
Take: The least festival-esque of them all – it's essentially one day
of some killer acts performing at the coastal city's big sports arena.
So unless you're already planning on being in the area, I wouldn't
bother. But you can't deny the talent on-hand here.
When: May 1
Where: Shanghai National Convention and Exhibition Center
Price: Sold out - Ticket link via QR code above
Who: R3HAB, Kayzo, DJ Snake, Gammer, Holy Goof, Above&Beyond, Yultrom
Hot
Take: Take the corpse of EDM and jam it down the throats of young
spoiled rich kids. It's sold out, so we won't judge you for not going.
Images: gobanma.com, courtesy of the organizers
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