COVID-19 Takes Down Beloved Live Music Venue DDC

Original The Beijingers theBeijinger

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DDC, one of Beijing's most beloved live music venues since its opening in 2014, is calling it quits.

In a WeChat post that went out via its official account earlier today, the club said the pressures of a three-month shutdown due to the coronavirus (and still no date on the horizon for permission to resume hosting live shows), as well as increasingly strict regulation of vintage courtyard properties such as theirs, has necessitated the closure.

The venue will be closed for good as of today and thus has already hosted its last gig. After being shuttered since February, it had only reopened as a bar two weeks ago, but even then there were reports that the local neighborhood committee was wary of letting foreigners enter the hutong, if not denying them outright.

The Beijing Beatles at a 2014 DDC gig

DDC is the latest amongst a handful of prominent Beijing venues that have closed their doors for good since the coronavirus hit in January. Also saying farewell has been Caravan, Q Bar, Cannon's, and Fella's, amongst others.

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Over the course of its five-plus years of operation, DDC has held gigs every week without fail in its courtyard location at Shanlao Hutong, showcasing some of the best indie bands from Beijing and around China, as well as from abroad.

Nary a weekend has gone by without a gig at DDC

All is not lost, however, as the spirit of DDC will live on – albeit not anywhere near downtown Beijing. Its sister venue in coastal Qinhuangdao will soldier on, and gigs are slated to restart there sometime in June.

The venue is not entirely giving up on Beijing, either – they're on the hunt for a new venue that they hope to reopen after all this virus nonsense has passed, and hopefully in a location that has fewer licensing issues.

Their ideal location will be within the Fifth Ring Road, on the east side of the city or in the northeast; be between 300 and 500sqm, and will have proper licensing for live music. Leads can be sent via email at jincanzh@gmail.com.