Mao Livehouse Still Lives, But Who Knows for How Much Longer

Declared all but dead last month by its founder due to landlord negotiations, Mao Livehouse remains open with a slew of gigs this month – but for who knows how long.

Hanging over its head, according to the Weibo musings of one of the venue's founders Li Chi, are financial woes, mounting pressure from officials, and a bitter copyright dispute with former partners – all of which have left him to conclude that the livehouse can't survive in the coming Year of the Monkey.

In a private message exchange with the Beijinger, Li explained that police are becoming increasingly more strict about large gatherings of people in the name of public safety. An even greater issue, however, is the rising cost of running a space in Gulou.

"The development is too fast," he says of the neighborhood's skyrocketing prices. This has left him feeling helpless and anxious, he said.

However, Li says he was able to successfully negotiate a delay of the closure with the landlord last month. He says the venue will be able to stay open until maybe March, adding: "The landlord is a good man, but he needs money."
 

That means the venue has been able to continue putting on shows, including bigger names such as Canadian noise rockers METZ courtesy of Split Works, deep into February, as well as a double bill of concerts starting tonight (Jan 8), featuring acts like Scare the Children, Car Car Cars, Toss and One Hung Low.

"It's always exciting to play at Mao because it's one of the best live venues in town," said Scare the Children's drummer and singer Cedric Lebaillif. "This gig is special of course, as it will probably our last show there. Let's hope they reopen soon in a new location."

Li is pleased by the opportunity to squeeze in a few more shows like this before Spring Festival. However, the slow and steady fall of his venue as left him embittered, especially because Mao's recent mounting financial issues have been compounded by a longtime dispute with his former partner, a Japanese company named Bad News.

Li claims that his former Japanese partner stole the trademark and operates venues under the name Mao Livehouse in Shanghai, Kunming and Chongqing. The owners of those other Mao branches, along Bad News, did not respond to interview requests before press time.

In an earlier Weibo post, Li decried Bad News' opening of Mao venues in other locations to be "savage."

"[They have] robbed me out of thin air to pay for nine years. I remind the parties, immediately stop and infringement of Japan's cooperation, otherwise it will bear all consequences arising therefrom," Li wrote

Badr Benjelloun, who blogs extensively about Beijing's music scene in his blog Beijing Daze, believes the original Japanese partners own the legal trademark. "I'm surprised [Mao] lasted this long – they should have changed the name when the Japanese partners came back and opened Mao Shanghai," Benjelloun said.

However, Li Chi, in a later message, said that he disagrees with this, saying that he is in fact the original founder and creator of the trademark.

For now, Beijing music fans will be left to mosh at Mao's few remaining gigs, all the while hoping that that won't be their last time enjoying a gig put on by Li and his team.

Watch this space as the story develops.

Images courtesy of Mao Livehouse