Haidian Park has built a reputation in recent years as the base of rock and roll in Beijing after hosting numerous times the successful Midi Music Festival and Modern Sky Festival.
But last weekend, it was electronic dance music that enveloped the park. Local and foreign DJs and party goers flocked to the venue, their bodies gyrating to the beat: a throwback to rave parties of the 1990s.
The two-day music event, titled Zoo, started at 8 pm last Friday. The park’s exhibition hall was divided into the main and secondary stages. Two bars around the smaller stage, COSMO, offered a variety of drinks, while a istance from the stage, cushions were scattered on the ground – a place for dancers to take a break. At the Modern Sky Festival during the National Day holiday, free tickets to Zoo were given to the audience to promote the electronic music show. The marketing strategy worked: university students and residents crowded the dance floor, joining regulars to the city’s live music events. Dancers focused on the music, unlike those in club around the Worker Stadium and Sanlitun who go out to see and be seen.
The following day, the spotlight focused on Top DJs and electronic bands. First off was Sulumi, an 8-bit musician who uses his Game Boy console to create non-stop, refreshing tunes.
The crowd went wild when Pet Conspiracy took the stage, a group that blends punk rock, disco and new wave with artistic chaos. The band consists of electronic producer Huzi, Ziyo lead singer Helen Feng, Italian indie musician Edo and designer Yun Yun. Though Feng has not fully healed from an arm injury and wore a cast, her energy was as high as ever.
