JUE festival magic comes to Beijing and Shanghai

"People really like the format. They can see lots of different things in a short time and the way that we promote it means that music fans can see some film screenings, poetry fans can check out some psych rock and so on. The cross pollination is extraordinary and the reaction is always amazing," Hamilton says.

Since moving here in 2005, Hamilton founded his company Split Works with his partner, Nathaniel Davis, who has been living in China for more than 15 years. As for the JUE festival, he regards it as a deep and broad way "to co-create something with the rest of China's creative communities".

"Naming festivals in China is always difficult, but JUE was one of the easier ones. The festival is an arts festival - music, art, cookery and lots more besides. You can lose all five senses in it. JUE means 'to sense', which seemed like an appropriate description," he adds.

Though the first couple of years were hard and lost money, things started to change in the third year and people started to realize that, by being part of the JUE festival, they can reach a wider audience and become a part of something much bigger.

"We always wanted the JUE to be a magical time to be in Shanghai and Beijing, with things exploding from every corner of these two great cities," Hamilton says.

Since it was born, the JUE festival has aimed at shows at small bars or theaters, where the experience of music with fans is much more intimate and direct. During the past 10 years, Hamilton and his partner Davis have built up two festivals, an agency to help brands connect with target markets through music, a website called China Music Radar, a booking agency and a creative conference.