Held for the 14th consecutive year the Midi Music Festival can rightly be deemed the most highly anticipated rock event in the Chinese calendar. Attracting thousands of head banging metal heads from across the country and Asia this one of a kind festival in China is also the largest event of its nature in the nation. Organized by the Beijing Midi School of Music the festival is best known for its electrifying atmosphere, energy and the plethora of headlining acts that grace its stages throughout the duration of the festival.
Typically kicked off in the month of May the Midi Music Festival has also been held in the month of October in 2003, 2004 and 2008 for various reasons. Beginning its 14 year run in 1997, the signature Beijing event has come to epitomize the vitality and the relevance of China’s ever growing rock music scene. Held in the capital’s Haidian Park in ’06 the festival drew crowds of up to 80,000 people with the participation of over 50 acts which included nearly 18 overseas bands as well. The impressive line up included popular foreign bands such as The Mayflies, Monokino, The Wombats, Alev and Yokohama Music Association while rock royalty such as the Soundtrack Of Our Lives and Crimea also shared the stage with Dave Stewart of the Grammy winning electro band the Eurythmics.
The 2010 installment of the event was equally jam-packed with bands such as The Agonist, Finntroll, Soulfly, Loudness, Shadows Fall and Kyte headlining the festival’s international participation. China’s very own rock legends Wang Yong, Suffocated, 2nd Hand Rose, Yaksa, Tang Dynasty and Voodoo Kungfu also took the crowds by storm with their unique brand of rock music.
The 2010 Midi Festival also served as a platform for emerging and cult favorite electro bands with one of its stages devoted to this equally engaging brand of music that has garnered countrywide popularity in China. Groundbreaking electro-pop artists and famed DJ’s shared the Yuan stage at the venue with big names such as the Acid Pony Club, Deville, Cavia, Trix and Dj Fish in attendance. Top foreign bands with the likes of Ben Thriller from Sweden and Soya Milk from France also took part in 2010’s installment in addition to EMPFAB and Schluck den Druck from Germany.
Travellers on the lookout for a serviced apartment in Beijing within the country’s own Silicon Valley will be more than pleased with the Somerset ZhongGuanCun. Ideally situated within 15 minutes of the Olympic village this premier Beijing serviced accommodation provider also offers easy access to fantastic dining and entertainment options in the city.