Music Festival News Roundup: Cui Jian Signs Up as MMAX Festival Signs In

With the start of the Beijing music festival season just around the corner, there have been a couple of interesting late developments leading up to Sunday’s start.

Arguably the most notable is the addition of Cui Jian, ‘The Father of Chinese Rock’, to the top of the bill at Midi Festival.

Lao Cui’s inclusion comes at the expense of Zhang Chu, who was set to headline the Tang Stage on Sunday, April 29, but has been forced to drop out. However, there is no doubt that getting Cui on the schedule is a massive coup for festival organizers, who came in for criticism from some quarters for finalizing details so late on.

Talking of leaving it late: Just when we thought festival silly season could get no sillier, having braced ourselves for three music festivals over the Labor Day holiday weekend, we get a pop bomb dropped on us. It transpires that the erstwhile Chaoyang International Pop Festival is set to make a return this coming weekend in the guise of the MMAX Festival.

With a distinctly un-international flavor, a host of local powerhouses are set to grace Chaoyang Sports Stadium between April 29 and May 1.

With the two big boys this weekend (Midi and Strawberry festivals) being held slightly outside some Beijingers' comfort zones in Shunyi and Tongzhou (respectively), MMAX Festival and Ditan Folk Festival could see bumper turnouts this year, given their locations.

A host of top acts such as Hedgehog, Long Shen Dao, Queen Sea Big Shark, Carsick Cars, Hanggai and New Pants are set to feature, and with advance ticket prices of RMB 80 per day or RMB 220 for three days, the MMAX Festival could provide a welcome alternative over the holiday weekend.

Stay tuned to TheBeijinger.com for further music festival developments.

Photo: Cuijian.com