Big News Just In: Seminal Music Venue D-22 To Close

The small rock venue over in Wudaokou, which has helped many young Beijing bands like Carsick Cars and Hedgehog to grow into some of the scene's biggest acts, has decided it's time to move on. The closing date will be early in 2012, likely before March. The specific date should be announced in a few days.

Venue owner Michael Pettis has explained the decision in these terms: When the D-22 team first opened the venue, there weren't many rock venues and they wanted to give the young bands more opportunities to play. Six years on, there are many more music venues, and the D-22 crew want to do something new.

Pettis expressed his fondness for D-22's Zoomin' Night, which encourages young bands to be experimental, and mentioned the team are planning on opening a new place where they'll be able to continue such nights. They also want the new place to be able to showcase other art forms. Pettis added that it will be at least "several months" before the new venue will open - possibly a summer opening - and that it will ideally be located in the Xinjiekou/Xizhimen area.

D-22 will surely be missed by many, but we believe while one great era is ending, a new one will follow.

Photo: Lulu Chow/pangbianr.com