Beijing Rocks, the World Listens

As Midi celebrates 10 years, Beijing’s burgeoning rock scene continues to garner international attention, with the publication of Sound Kapital: Beijing's Music Underground, a book of photographs by Matthew Niederhauser documenting the faces of the local scene.

Niederhauser's images of Beijing's rockers regularly pop up on the pages of The Beijinger and other local mags. If the publisher’s spiel is to be believed, his new book sounds like an innovative little publication:

“Photographer Matthew Niederhauser captures the energy of the personalities and performers at D-22, Yugong Yishan, 2 Kolegas, and Mao Livehouse… Included with the book are concert posters and illustrations that encapsulate the underground scene in Beijing, as well as a CD sampler of the new music being produced.”

Niederhauser’s book, as well as the Beijing scene, were featured recently
on the website of Intelligent Life, sister magazine to The Economist that focuses on “life away from work.” The article is rather unimaginatively entitled, "China's Underground Punks," and it doesn't say anything that local fans won't already know. But for those living outside China it's a nice little introduction to the Beijing scene.

The Bookworm will be stocking Sound Kapital, which is also available on Amazon.