2ManyDJs
The people behind Beijing rock school Midi and its long-running music festival brand have been putting on an electronic-orientated event for a few years now, most recently on the shores of Taihu near Suzhou. The festival will be back for 2017's October holiday and as ever there's a solid roster of domestic acts: Helen Feng-led rockers Nova Heart will be there, Shanghai techno heartthrob MHP will be doing his full band live show and old-school guitar geezer Xie Tian Xiao will also be on the bill.
We thought that was it for the line-up, but suddenly they've added a couple of unexpected but welcome international headliners: Asian Dub Foundation and 2ManyDJs.
British dancehall-influenced electronica collective Asian Dub Foundation have mostly been working on their own unique film soundtracks in the last few years – having revived their live accompaniment to classic crime drama La Haine and more recently composed music for George Lucas' THX 1138 – but the group also announced in June that they'd be putting out a new album later this year. Here's a hit from them:
Having helped define the mash-up scene of the early 2000s with As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt2, 2ManyDJs have toured the world, become best buds with James Murphy and – in what was likely the pinnacle of their career so far – performed at long-shuttered Huaihai Lu den of disrepute Bon Bon. Soulwax came back with a new live show last year, but the Dewaele brothers continue to pick up cheques under their 2ManyDJs moniker and ought to prove a good festival act.
So there you go, a decent October holiday option from Midi, especially when you throw in the fact that they offer camping and an open air swimming pool on site. And all just a gaotie and a bus journey away from Shanghai.
Taihu Midi Camp Qiduzhen, Wujiang district. Sun 01 Oct - Tue 03 Oct. Midday. Price tba.
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