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Music Festivals
Editor's picks

Living the indie dream

Cui is actually part of the first wave of music magazine founders who introduced Chinese audiences to the world of western music in the early part of the last decade. He also established his own music company, Sounds Great, which has organized more than 300 live shows in China in the past five years. Now, he has combined all of his past experiences to form an indie music festival.

News

More than a music fest

The 15th International Peach Blossom Music Festival kicked off on April 18 in Pinggu district, Beijing and will last until May 8.

Shanghai music festival kicks off on April 28

The Shanghai World Music Festival will kick off on April 28. Musicians from 11 countries and regions will perform in Pudong, Xuhui and Changning districts during the eight-day event.

Musicians set to awe Chinese audience in French

Mars en Folie, an annual music festival held in China, will present pop, rock and reggae musicians from European and North American francophone music scene.

A record tailspin in music industry

In January, Song Ke, arguably the most popular music producer in China, announced he was quitting the business to run a roast duck restaurant. Five months later, he made an equally surprising return.

Rockers to promote paying for tunes

The huge numbers of pirated CDs and high levels of illegal downloading are forcing Chinese musicians to find alternative ways to make a living.

Taking Midi to the max

A music school with a modern rock outlook has produced an iconic Beijing Midi Music Festival, China's largest and oldest outdoor music festival.

Festival on a high note

The upcoming China Music Valley International Music Festival is set to be bigger and better, and more international than the highly rated 2011 event.

Blonde Redhead to highlight music fest

Art-rock trio Blonde Redhead will join more than 150 acts performing at the Strawberry Music Festival, at Beijing's Tongzhou Canal Park from April 29 to May 1.

Songs of spring in the air

Three outdoor music festivals opening around the country this month will be eager to prove that spring's warm weather is finally here. This year the festival scene is expanding from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to more second-tier cities, after last year's Zebra Music Festival in Chengdu.

Spreading the rock 'n' roll gospel

China's burgeoning music festival scene helps bridge the regional differences when it comes to understanding rock 'n' roll.

Sandstorms fail to break rock spirit

Thousands of music fans in Beijing braved strong winds and sandstorms at the weekend as they flocked to the outskirts of the city for three of China's biggest music festivals.

Rockers arrive to make a noise

In a whirlwind of raucous rock, the capital celebrates the arrival of the warm weather with three of Beijing's biggest music festivals, drawing international and local talent.

Wild Music Festival

More than 100 musical acts will perform at a music festival set in the windswept forests of the capital's Yanqing county, through which snake many of the Great Wall's most famous stretches.

Music festivals on a roll

A genre of music that was once seen as the devil's music and largely ignored by the local media is thriving and even receiving government support.

Features

Tunes that travel

Music industry veteran Song Ke has a new plan to save the business. He is organizing large-scale outdoor music festivals to tour 60 cities around China for a year. Special: Music Festivals

Taking Midi to the max

A music school with a modern rock outlook has produced an iconic Beijing Midi Music Festival, China's largest and oldest outdoor music festival.

Wang starts her new galaxy

Wang Ruo-lin will perform in Beijing on the first day of the annual Strawberry Music Festival, which will be held April 29 through May 1 in Beijing and Shanghai.

Matzka touches hearts of listeners

With his shoulder-length dreadlocks and sunglasses, Matzka looks like a rock star.

'Queen of Beijing Rock' back to dazzle fans

Feng Haining, the "Queen of Beijing Rock", will perform with Nova Heart at the Midi Award concert in Beijing.

A modern revival

Record company survives industry slump to become music festival visionary

Ready to rock

Zhang Fan, founder of what is considered the country's oldest and largest rock music festival

Zebra Music Festival develops by leaps and bounds

Zebra Music Festival founder, Li Dai, experienced her first music festival when holidaying in Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

On stage and behind the rock scene

Chai Dongxin's rise to prominence as a rock 'n' roll photographer seems to have been inevitable.

Rhythms of the night

The 2011 Intro Electronic Music Festival marks a high note in the genre's development on the mainland. Chen Nan reports.

The seed of a musical evolution

Midi Music Festival has been "like a seed growing up fast and strong" over the past 11 years, says Zhang Fan, the head of Midi Music School.

It's a packed hall for Zhang Xuan - once again

Taiwan singer-songwriter Zhang Xuan never fails to impress when she performs in the mainland, whatever the size of the show or promotional campaign.

Rock music tunes into real life

Bands strike a chord by reflecting anxieties, reports Quan Xiaoshu of China Features.

Betting on Brett

The Modern Sky Music Festival keeps to its tradition of putting on foreign acts, including British pop icon Brett Anderson. Chen Nan reports

World needs to hear our music

Six years ago, I went to the Roskilde Festival as a volunteer working for the international camp.

A rocky road for music festival goers

For Liu Xi, a 26-year-old college teacher, the Lake Festival in Chongqing during last year's National Day holiday was his first outdoor music festival - and a life-changing experience.

Photos and comments

2013 Strawberry Music Festival in Beijing

The annual Strawberry Music Festival was held in Beijing April 29 through May 1 this year. It is headlined by Scottish alternative rock band Travis, Australian singer-songwriter Lenka and local rocker Xie Tianxiao.

Singers perform at Golden Beach Inter City Music Festival

A member from "Second Hand Rose" band performs at the Golden Beach Inter City Music Festival in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province, Aug. 18, 2012. The festival, which kicked off on Friday, will last until Sunday.

Music festival rocks fans

People hail performance at Golden Beach Inter City Music Festival in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province, Aug. 17, 2012. The festival, which kicked off on Friday, will last until Sunday.

International Music Festival

The Li Gaoyang Jazz Group performs during the China Music Valley International Music Festival in Beijing, capital of China, May 18, 2012. The 3-day festival kicked off here Friday.

Strawberry Chang Jiang Music Festival 2011 kicks off

The four-day festival kicked off on Sunday, attracting music bands and groups from home and abroad.

Beach Music Festival

The audience watch the performance during the 2012 International Beach Music Festival (Sanya) in Sanya, south China's Hainan province.

2012 MicBox Music Festival starts in Urumqi

Singers Zhou Yunpeng and Xiao He perform during the 2012 MicBox Music Festival in Urumqi.

The scene is rocking

Four music festivals and a marathon concert made this year's May Day holiday the busiest ever for Beijing's pop and rock fans. Each of the events featured dozens of acts and drew thousands of people.

Capital's festive spirit lasts all year round for art fans

Over the past decade, Beijing has become a global city, combining the best of Chinese and world cultures. Nowhere is this more evident than its festivals showcasing music, art and the written word.

Video: Modern Sky Festival

Seventy-eight musicians and bands perform on four stages, over three days October 2-4. The festival mixes veteran Chinese bands with international acts.

World needs to hear our music

Six years ago, I went to the Roskilde Festival as a volunteer working for the international camp.

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