Breaking News: Final D-22 Show Set For Jan 13

We told you last week about plans for D-22's closure. Well, pencil this date into your calendars: The last-ever gig at the legendary Wudaokou live music venue will be a gig by Mongolian punks Mohanik on January 13. D-22 will also host one final edition of their experimental Zoomin' Night on January 10.

Josh Feola at Pangbianr.com has a decent interview with Michael Pettis, in which the D-22 founder explains why the venue is closing and what the future might hold. Read the full interview for yourself here, but we've picked out a few sample quotes ...

On the closure
"Our original plan was to close on our sixth anniversary, on April 1, 2012, but the owners of the space have asked us to close earlier because they are concerned that 2012 may be a pretty sensitive year."

On D-22's origins
"Our first goal was a little immodest, but we thought that with the right kind of support Beijing had enough talented musicians to become one of the most exciting new music cities in the world, and we wanted to be part of that process."

On plans for a new venue
"It will be very different, I think, and much more oriented towards a group of very sophisticated and talented young musicians that congregate especially around our Zoomin’ Nights. In fact, this was the main reason we decided to close D-22."

So now you know. Our theory is that the D-22 space might be scheduled for destruction in the not-too-distant-future and they're cutting their losses and moving on. The wrecking ball has certainly been moving steadily down that strip of Chengfu Lu for the past four or five years, and Indian restaurant Ganges' recently closed their branch just a few hundred meters up the road from D-22. If the space is to be knocked down, that could also spell the end for metal hangout 13 Club ...

In any case, go along to D-22 on January 10 or January 13 to say farewell to a venue that has defined Beijing's music scene more than most since 2006.

PHOTO: Echo Yu