by Ryan Kellett
Major Olympics sponsors are known to treat their clients not only to premium tickets to the games but also to a set of lavish corporate events, and Beijing this summer should be no different. At past Olympics, everything from the invite-only cocktails to the blow-out branded outdoor event all include live music; but in post-Bjork China, with music festivals and concert venues dropping like flies, will the Beijing Olympics’ musical offerings be limited to a Party-approved iTunes playlist and some speakers?
Cramping Beijing nightlife’s style is the fact that the latest round of government regulations requires every single performance, foreign or local, during the Olympics to have a license from the Ministry of Culture. Rock music enclaves D-22 and the Stone Boat Bar have been shut down due to licensing issues, though fortunately D-22 has now opened its doors again. But other venues including Mao Livehouse, 2 Kolegas and Yugong Yishan look to have escaped trouble. Hortense Hallé, Director of Operations at China Creative Connections, is not worried about her projects, many of which include corporate events. “You simply need to have the IDs on file for all personnel and performers,” says Hallé, “as well as a signed statement saying you are not employing people with criminal histories.” She noted that many five-star hotels and venues are personally working with Public Security Bureau officials to ensure all regulations are met.
In terms of official Olympic live music programming, the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games is being rather tight-lipped. One gentleman at the Olympic cultural events offices said that he “most definitely would not be willing to tell a blogger about any events they have planned,” leaving the talking to a program schedule of all cultural events to be released in late July. The English version of that program is said to come out the week before the Olympics. (Ed: A guide to official Olympics cultural activities is available for download here.)
Big name sponsors Coca-Cola and Budweiser are each planning entertainment offerings surrounding the games, but specifics are hard to come by. Coca Cola is arranging a concert series entitled WE8 (Adobe Flash required) at four to five venues everywhere from Chaoyang Park to The Place to the Olympic Green, all locations where folks without Olympic tickets can watch the games on jumbotrons. The artists participating in Coke’s current WE8 ad campaign are mostly electronica DJs including Tiesto, Kaskade and Benny Benassi, but as of this writing there’s been no word on who will play the WE8 stages. Meanwhile, Budweiser and their local planners have set up Club Bud inside Beijing’s National Agriculture Exhibition Centre, which will be the site of eight parties hosted over the course of the games. Like WE8, Club Bud has yet to announce details of their live music programmes.
In keeping with their stellar track record of providing zany Olympics fun for the entire family (Cool Runnings, anyone?), the Jamaican government is bringing us what is perhaps the only satisfyingly meaty show announced for the Olympics. Julian “Juju” Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley will be performing on August 16th at Star Live Club, a stone’s throw from the major tourist attraction of Lama Temple. Opening for Marley is “The Beijing Live Experience”, featuring the sounds of MC Webber and MC Essention. After the show is the “Julian Marley/Team Jamaica celebrity after-party” at high-end club CJW.
If it’s classical music you’re after, look no further then The Egg (affectionately known as the National Centre for the Performing Arts). They have eleven confirmed events including notable foreign acts such as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and the Royal Danish Ballet. Held in one of the capital’s newly-constructed architectural gems, these large-scale events are a strong component of China’s coming-out party, and have little chance of being shuttered by authorities. On the opera tip, “The Divas” will be taking over the Great Hall of the People on a few odd nights (mostly Sundays and Thursdays) during the Olympics. Their roster includes Cecilia Bartoli, Renee Fleming, and Angela Gheorghiu. The up-and-coming divo-counterparts appearing are Marcello Giordani, Salvatore Licitra, and Ramon Vargas.
Live jazz venues such as East Shore Jazz, Centro, CD Jazz Club, Purple Haze Bistro, and Sofitel should keep their regular acts and house bands going through the Olympics too, and OT Lounge will keep up their Thursday through Saturday live music schedule.
Last but certainly not least, we’re not quite sure what “China’s First Rock Action Musical” entails, but “Monkey King” will surely be a curious act aimed at tourists, running August 9th through 17th. Let’s just hope they do justice to the epic Chinese myth of the Monkey King with the promised English subtitles. Following that gig in the Beijing Exhibition Theater is yet another “action musical” by the same production company (Sight, Sound, and Action) called the “Terracotta Warriors,” which runs from August 19th through 23rd. You better believe these acrobatic shows will be properly licensed to ensure they reap the full profits from the influx of tourists for the Games.