Music Scene Mourns Mao Livehouse's (Absolutely) Final Show
Like a cat with nine lives, Mao Livehouse has miraculously defied death in 2016. The revered music venue limped onward for four months after founder Li Chi declared in December that rising rent, meddlesome officials, and a vicious copyright spat would soon lead to its demise. As the live house quietly continued to put on shows throughout the winter and spring, Beijing’s mosh pit rats held out hope for a happy ending. But alas, the inevitable finally appears to be upon us – Mao Livehouse show promoter Qian “JIDE” Zhiyuan tells the Beijinger that its last gig will be held on April 24.
Li did not respond to repeated requests for comment before presstime, so specifics remain scarce about how the venue has remained open since he initially detailed its dire straits, why the closure is happening now, and what he plans to do next. Qian did say that the April 24 swan song gig will feature beloved diva Li Wenqi (of The Voice of China fame), veteran local indie rock troop Escape Plan, and post-punk darlings Residence A (both of whom are also managed by Li). Residence A frontman Gou Zhaozhao says it’s an honor to help bid Mao adieu for one last climactic performance. “We have a special feeling for this stage, not only because of our relationship with Li Chi, but also because it feels like we grew up together with Mao. This live house has witnessed us from the beginning.”
Numerous music insiders are also lamenting the venue’s departure. Among them is Sophia Pederson, who coordinated numerous gigs at Mao when she was the media and project manager at Split Works, before moving on to work at LeTV as a business development manager. She calls the soon-to-be defunct venue “a staple of the Chinese rock scene.” Aside from its legacy of hot gigs, Pederson says the live house left an even greater impression because it, “like many of its peers … encouraged growth in the music industry by hosting international bands and also giving local artists a place to call home.”
And while Mao’s shuttering can be seen as part of a troubling overall trend in Beijing’s music scene – given the recent closures of 2 Kolegas, XP, its predecessor D22 and more – Pederson remains optimistic. She can’t deny that the slew of closures has “left a gaping hole, that I hope will be filled with similar artist friendly venues.” But she insists that “even though venues are shutting down, Beijing still has hope. Indie record labels are flourishing and local artists are getting international recognition. It's a positive sign.”
Indeed, many local music diehards would agree that there’s no reason for complete despair; Mao’s fellow midsize live house Yugong Yishan is still going strong; School Bar continues to flourish as a hotspot for in-your-face, gritty grimy punk and hard rock; Temple Bar remains a hot spot for a wide swath of acts; Dusk Dawn Club (DDC) has quickly ballooned as a preeminent platform for folk and avant-garde since its 2014 debut, while the neighboring Jianghu Bar has also maintained a strong folk following. What’s more, Mako Livehouse survived a recent closure and relocation from Shuangjing to Sanlitun, leaving a positive precedence for music fans that are already mourning Mao Livehouse's closure.
Mao Livehouse's final gig will be held at 8pm on April 24. Tickets are RMB 200 on the door. Otherwise, catch punks doing what punks do best with Human Centipede, The Diders, LaiSee, and more at Mao this Friday (Apr 15).
Written by Kyle Mullin