Ballads of East and West
Shanghai’s local music fans will have noticed the way in which audiences tend to be split along cultural lines. It’s so prevalent that people often speak of two music scenes in Shanghai, not one. In response to this trend, Brian Offenther aka DJ BO, a promoter known for his Trash A Go-Go nights, and Xiao Wei, promoter and member of local band Da Bei, have decided to organise an event to unite these two music communities.
On 7-8 January, Yuyintang will host two shows: the first a line-up of local Chinese bands marketed to Shanghai’s foreign population and the second bringing foreigner bands to local Chinese. The duo wants this to work so badly that they’re not just putting on the show for free, they’re actually paying audiences RMB 1 at the door, calling the event “The RMB 1 Challenge”.
It’s a bold (albeit gimmicky) move, but both promoters felt it is a necessary first step towards further integration. “A lot of expats have talked to me about really wanting to engage in the Chinese art scene and this is literally the most inviting chance for them to do it,” says Offenther. “They’re gaining money on this transaction. If they really want to do it, they will have no excuse.”
But why does there tend to be such a divide? Saying that it is simply a difference of language and culture isn’t enough. Offenther points out, “Language is an important factor in the music, but I don’t see it as the end all be all. I think that the texture is the most important part of the experience – not just the melody and harmony, but the type of sounds and the kind of feeling it evokes.”
Wei agreed that language and culture were not the main issues holding back a richer communication between these two music scenes. For him, it came down to marketing. “Chinese performances are promoted on Douban or Weibo, which not many foreigners use,” he explains. “Foreigners have their own outlets for promoting shows. It’s not for a lack of interest that Chinese audiences don’t attend these shows; they’re very interested in foreign music.”
