Tuesday, January 19, 2016 | 2:00PM – 9:00PM
Speakers Name: Eric de Fontenay, Nature Ganganbaigal, Stone (Schutze) Shi, Dr. Jiayan Mi
event Fees: FREE
Exhibition, Video Screenings, Listening Station, PechaKucha Presentations, Panel, Networking Reception
Schedule:
• 2:00 PM: Yaogun exhibition + video screening opens
• 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM: MusicDish Yaogun press conference
Speakers (PechaKucha Presentations + Panel Q&A)
• 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Networking Cocktail Reception
On his first trip to Beijing in 2009, MusicDish founder Eric de Fontenay encountered China’s independent music, a scene reminiscent to the ‘80s rock scene he discovered when he moved to NYC. Over that span, he has worked with major festivals such as MIDI and Zebra, worked with a variety of bands from Shanren to China’s boldest rock band Second Hand Rose, whom he manages, participated in music conferences such as SOTX and DongDong as well as meeting the many individuals who have shaped Yaogun into the cultural movement it has become. On January 19th, Eric and China Institute will present ‘Serve The People! Serve The Rock! China’s Post-Cultural Revolution “Yaogun”,’ a one-day event to introduce one of China’s most influential cultural movements to a wider audience in the U.S.
Yaogun refers to Chinese rock, which was born nearly 30 years ago when “The Father of Chinese Rock” Cui Jian performed “Nothing to My Name” at the Concert of Year of International Peace at Beijing Worker’s Stadium. That performance not only propelled the rocker to fame, but would also launch a cultural movement the likes of which China had never seen before. In a mere three decades, Yaogun is at the center of China’s major music festivals, with a national live touring circuit incorporating over two dozen cities and over 15 livehouses in Beijing alone, that has drawn a growing list of musicians and bands that have attracted a legion of millions of new fans. Today, Chinese Rock is a growing force to reckon with, attracting the attention of brands, TV shows and major internet companies. But it is important to understand its voyage, how a cultural movement developed from ground up, the people that shaped it, the sounds that pushed it forward, despite innumerable challenges… basically, how Yaogun beat all the odds to become China’s grassroots music movement.
‘Serve The People! Serve The Rock! China’s Post-Cultural Revolution “Yaogun”’ will celebrate the genre’s 30th Anniversary with a multi-sensory experience, combining an exhibition of memorabilia and items from Eric’s travels, a series of video screenings, listening stations with curated playlists and speakers sharing their first-hand experience. The event will also serve as the launch of MusicDish Yaogun, the company’s latest brand representing some of China’s top music and creative talent that typify the spirit of Yaogun, including ‘Golden Age’ rock band Iron Kite, Sino-Franco Nu-Rock duo Gemini, and Dongbei rockers Second Hand Rose.
Several individuals associated with the growth of Yaogun will be participating in an informal PechaKucha session, giving 15-minute visual presentations, capped off with an open panel discussion:
• Eric de Fontenay, Founder of MusicDish*China and MusicDish Yaogun, China tour agent
• Veteran rocker, MTV Asia VJ Stone and artist/designer Stone (Schutze) Shi
• Chinese-Mongolian music composer, film music composer and music producer Nature Ganganbaigal
• Dr. Jiayan Mi, Associate Professor of English and World Languages & Cultures, The College of New Jersey – teaches ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll in Post-Mao China’
This event is sponsored by AsianInNY.com and coincides with APAP NYC, the annual two-week long convergence of a dozen major performing arts industry forums and public festivals. Firgenza Fog Vodka is the official drink sponsor for the networking cocktail reception.
For questions or to register by phone, please contact Michael Buening at 212-744-8181 ext. 149 or by email at [email protected]