Inmusic & Travel

Year upon year the Chinese music scene grows. More bands, more labels and more festivals. Much like the expanding diversity of music, festivals themselves broaden in their variety and also in their location. China’s most well established music festival, Midi, was conjunctively held in both Beijing and Zhenjiang.

Shanghai electronic collective Antidote, mirrored their hipster image by choosing an offbeat location in small water town Zhu Jia Jiao, for their one day music festival.
However, the prize for most far flung and obtuse location for a music festival goes to newcomer Inmusic. While the musical line up itself follows a similar format to Midi:

• a handful of current Chinese indie/punk favourites (RE-tros, SUBS, etc)
• a smattering of older established Chinese rock heavyweights (Zuoxiaozuzhou)
• a few unknown European bands (Little Dragon, Snake & Jet)
• as well as a DJ tent

Headlining the festival was British trip-hop originator, Tricky, whom one imagines was tempted less by the cash, (tickets ran at 220rmb for the three day event, including bus travel to and from Beijing) and more by  Inmusic’s unique locatiohn: the Northern Chinese grasslands of Zhangbei, over 200km away from Beijing!

As one of the partners of the festival, www.go2eu.com used their community of young travel enthusiasts to offer discounted group travel to the far flung festival. The festival has received mixed reactions. The promise of idyllic green grass and blue sky didn’t transpire as some had imagined but overall people whom attended enjoyed the atmosphere and music, despite some organisational and transport issues.

This type of activity is bound to become more and more popular. The opportunity to meet others, travel together and bond over a mutual interest like music is definitely an appealing opportunity for an adventurous and socially hungry Chinese youth. Our insights have shown that young Chinese are keen to turn online acquaintances into real life friends, and as music festivals increase in number, travel operators and online communities should be keen to work together to cater to the needs of young Chinese.

For more information, photos and footage from the festival please visit:

http://ent.sina.com.cn/f/y/infestival/index.shtm

http://mogo.com.cn