Sounds & Sights of Silva - Beijing, Inner Mongolia
Summer of Bands
The last time I visited China was in September 2019. I was attending the wedding of my best friend’s younger sister, the second wedding I had ever attended in China (following my friend’s own the year prior). We traveled to Beijing after the ceremony, and now nearly four years later, we are residing in the exact same hotel in the hutongs, which are networks of alleyways that open up to multi-home courtyards, a design most common in Beijing.
My friend Tiantian was my guide this time around, a confidant deeply rooted in the independent music scene of China. She first invited me to an experimental show at the venue Aotu Space, a nondescript room as a perfect canvas for musicians and multi-disciplinary artists to share their visions.
We then went to the (in)famous School Bar on Wudaoying Street. The rock club has served as the launching pad for many of China’s indie rock groups, and this night was celebrating the 15th anniversary of a local favorite punk outfit. The energy was leaking from the cracks in the walls, every person having entered a contract to do one thing and one thing only: have a great time. Even though the venue has become more of a local Tik Tok trap over time, it’s still an authentically kick-ass place to hang out.
Upstairs, the club was also simultaneously hosting a watch party for the new season of 乐队的夏天。Summer of Bands is in its third season, this one being the first since pre-pandemic. The show highlights artists from across all eras and genres of music in China – it’s an impressive array of talent, supported by impeccable production and widespread promotion. It has become an institution, unique in that it places these talents of varying experience on the same stage, a true comparison of the many branches of China’s modern music culture.
Juxtapose this more modern performance with the close-to-ancient traditions of Mongolian song and dance which I experienced not long thereafter. The communities out in the plains and grasslands of Inner Mongolia have a rich performance culture drawn from their cceremonies - weddings, battles, feasts. Features in the music - its timbre, booming rhythms, multi-instrumental soundscapes - have persisted through history and surprisingly can be felt on the television show. Just like the famed family tree of Genghis Khan, turns out you also can trace musical inspiration through generations in China from the ancient ages to the present day.
Fishdoll - “Remember It’s Just A Dream”
The singer opened the show by remarking that stage lights didn’t matter, all that mattered was the music the three shadowy figures on stage would be creating. The mostly-improvised lovely meandering between the musicians was magic, a moment of creative respite from the clattering of the Beijing streets outside.
Xiao Wang - “Sonicbaby”
Xiao Wang has been a staple at School Bar and in the general punk scene of Beijing for a while now. This live performance video captures the massive energy they give their crowds and the amount that is fed right back.
Absolute Purity - “Absolute Purity”
One of the youngest groups on 乐队的夏天, they delivered a powerful opening statement with their eponymous song.
New Pants - “I'm OK”
And finally, legends in the Chinese rock scene who competed on a previous season of 乐队的夏天. Good old-fashioned rollicking rock and roll in the vein of The Ramones.
Follow the full playlist of Sounds of Silva featured tracks.
Listen to Zach’s radio show archive for Friend From A Big City on Deadbeat Radio.
[Zach 2023 Travel Log #2]