Ditch Beijing This May Holiday for One of China's Many Music Festivals

Will Griffith | Apr 18, 2019 8:30 am | Add a comment | 1410 reads

It's sad to say, but it’s looking more and more likely that Beijing will be sitting on the bench this May Day festival season. We had an inkling that this would be the case, and while there are some folks hoping for something to swoop down and save the day (Rye Festival just announced May 25-26, so they're out), it might be wise to start looking for alternatives to get your music festival fix this holiday.

With a four day holiday at our disposal this year (longer if you use your off days strategically), you have the opportunity to escape the capital and make a time of it at one of the festivals popping up around China – from the gorges of Jiaozuo to the metropolis of Wuhan – and explore a new region while also sating your need to rock out in the sun.

My recommendation is to dig deep, find a festival that suits you, discover some new bands, and make an adventure out of your May Day holiday.

Strawberry Festival (Shanghai/Chengdu)

When: April 26-28
Where: Shanghai Rugby Club/Chengdu International Intangible Cultural Heritage Park
Price: RMB 320-450 (per day) - Ticket link

Who: RADWIMPS (JP), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (US), Sons of an Illustrious Father (US), Yogee New Waves (JP), New Pants, never young beach (JP), Sugarcat, Sweet John, So Far So Good, IZ, Ob03, itsogoo, Lil Akin & Visudy, Cee, GDJYB, HUSH, NEOS (feat. Suss), Glow Curve, Mercader, Chen Li, Tian Fuzhen, Omnipotent Youth Society, Ding Wu, Tizzy T, Low Wormwood, Mosaic, Rolling Bowling, Sparrow, Wood Pushing Melon, Wu Xiao Ren, Zhou Fengling & XY Pattern, Safe Fire Group, Elephant Gym, Zoogazer, many more.

Hot Take: Strawberry Festival still reigns supreme purely in terms of the sheer number of quality acts they are able to draw. This year is no different, setting up camp in both Shanghai and Chengdu with a seriously stacked lineup that seems to cater to the indie kids in China as well as the increasing demand for acts from Japan and Taiwan. It’s also massive, with 100 acts spread across seven stages over three days, meaning that there's plenty of variety for fans of just about every musical preference. If you can't make it to Shanghai or Chengdu, don't fret as it's likely that the festival will pop up at another second- or third-tier city in the coming months.

MIDI Taihu Festival

When: May 2-4
Where: Camp MIDI Taihu, Suzhou
Price: RMB 200-260 (per day), RMB 660 (three days) - Ticket link

Who: Chinese Football, Re-TROS, Pu Shu, Muma, Betraying The Martyrs, Carsick Cars, Lonely Leary, Gatsby In a Daze, Beyond Creation, Scarlet Horizon, Wonder Sea, Zoogazer, Default, Steely Heart, Island Mood, Landfill, Silent Speech, Demerit, Jiubao, Eggplantegg, Die From Sorrow, Sixi, Happy Wheel, Nine Treasures, The Star Club, Amber, SUBS, Railway Suicide Club, Paellas (JP), Dungeon Beijing, No Party for Caodan, Penicillin, Red Scarf, Zhao Wei, Yaksa, many more.

Hot Take: While Strawberry may have the goods, MIDI will always have the spirit. One of China's longest-running festivals returns to its home at Taihu Midi Park on the outskirts of Suzhou. Expect a strong selection of homegrown talent rubbing shoulders with a couple of smaller international acts.

Mount Emei Music Festival

When: Apr 27-28
Where: Mount Emei, Sichuan
Price: RMB 129 (per day), RMB 229 (two days) - Ticket link

Who: Re-TROS, STO.LEN, Jahwahzoo, Xie Chunhua, Caiyilin, Damaxi, Peng Tan, Angry Navel, Colorful Bar, Wu Qi, Ding Dang, Sha Nanjie

Hot Take: If you’re looking to scratch off one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China off your bucket list, then why not reward that hike with a day or two of kick-ass tunes. While the lineup is definitely more condensed and focused on Chengdu (and other Sichuan) acts, that’s a plus in my book – and might allow for some calm and peace between the sets (and less aggressive advertising).

Yun Tai Music Festival

When: May 3-4
Where: Yun Tai (near Jiaozuo and Zhengzhou)
Price: 168 RMB (per day) - Ticket link

Who: Second Hand Rose, Mercader, Queen Sea Big Shark, Longjin, Dawenxi, Miserable Faith, Hua Zhou, Xu Wei, Diagon Alley, Windsor Forest, Chen Gongju, Please Take Care

Hot Take: Another naturalistic retreat – this time in the world geologic park of Jiaozuo complete with waterfalls, springs, picturesque peaks, deep valleys and gorges. And a lineup of the China rock scene’s biggest contenders paired off with a slew of up and comers. It’s tiny, it’s robust, and might be the closest one to Beijing.

Jianghu Music Festival

When: May 3-4
Where: Jieteng Jianjiu Music Sports Park, Wuhan
Price: RMB 158 (one day) - Ticket link

Who: Lonely Cookies, Peach Illusion, Happy Wheel, Peace & Wave, Echo Park, Star 69, Ming, DJ Shinoda, Suiki Lor, Silly Function, Ben Huang, Mariio’s, Lisa Ono, Air, Zhao Zhao, Mr. Deer, Pi Yiran, Renyi Men, Zhang Bu San

Hot Take: This is a dark horse in my eyes – the festival with the most interesting array of acts and activities, all located within the city limits right on the banks of the Yangtze River (you gotta go through the gorgeous East Lake to get to it though). With an emphasis on city-pop, indie pop, and hip-hop, there’s a low-key charm to the proceedings – a breezy daytime outing that feels like an extension of Wuhan’s musical personality.

YOLO Youth Culture Festival

When: May 3-4
Where: Huabohui, Wuhan
Price: RMB 380 (per day), RMB 750 (two days) - Ticket link

Who: MC Hotdog, GAI, JONY J, J-Fever, MJ116, Bridge, C-Block, Dirty Twinz, K11, Blow Fever, DamnShine, Ranzer, X!GO, PACT, East, Pharaoh, Lee, Huang Xu, AiFuJieNi, Gui Bian, Wang Yitai, Wang Timing, Gongfu Pang

Hot Take: If you’re really looking to get the full spectrum of Wuhan, or are a hip-hop buff, then the YOLO Festival might just be for you, featuring some of the game’s most beloved rappers keeping the vibes sultry and the beats bumping. You know what you’re getting.

Midou Music Festival

When: May 1-2
Where: Tianshengqiao, Lishui District, Nanjing
Price: RMB 280 (per day), RMB 480 (two days) - Ticket link

Who: NEXT, Gai, Escape Plan, Mister Lady, VIA, Hua Zhou, Re-TROS, Mr. Deer, Wang Yiren, Hao Meimei, Chef & Actor, Mao Buyi, Liu Laisi, Seabuckthorn Grass, Fool and Idiot

Hot Take: Two days of big acts in the indie pop and folk world, all performing on the outskirts of Nanjing. It’s a bit too mainstream for my liking, but Nanjing is quite beautiful this time of year, so if you don’t mind being stuck with gushing fans, then you might just find something you like here.

Happy Live Music Festival

When: Apr 27
Where: Xuzhou Olympic Sports Center
Price: RMB 420, RMB 360 (advance) - Ticket link

Who: XTX, Second Hand Rose, Nine Treasures, Miserable Faith, Sophie’s Garden

Hot Take: The least festival-esque of them all – it’s essentially one day of some killer acts performing at the coastal cities big sports arena. So unless you’re already planning on being in the area, I wouldn’t bother. But you can’t deny the talent on-hand here.