Remember when Frank Ocean declared he was going to move to Shanghai? It was one of many false starts on the road to him releasing the magnificent Blonde, easily one of 2016’s best records. But if you failed to see him stepping out of a white Ferrari at Avocado Lady or searching for Nikes at Super Brand Mall, there’s still a chance you’ll get to catch him in this city.
Mr Ocean is one of the headliner options being put forward by Concrete and Grass organisers Split Works as part of an online poll to see who the general public want to be screaming at in 2017. Other acts that they’re dangling in front of us as possibilities include Chance the Rapper, Kate Tempest, Skepta, At The Drive-In, Jon Hopkins, FKA Twigs and Janet Jackson.
So if they win the popular vote, will this mean these artists will definitely be on the festival bill in Shanghai? Err, no. That’s down to the realities and finances of booking bands in China rather than some sort of ridiculous Split Works electoral college system, but as all you need to do is tick a few boxes on WeChat and then keep your fingers crossed until October, we reckon it’s worth a try all the same.
Here’s what Split Works have to say about it:
‘We want to know your picks for next year’s festival! We’ve been listening to your suggestions, pleas and hushed whispers and we’ve assembled this short-list of possibilities […] – let us know who you’d like to see the most!’
You can also write in suggestions when you realise they’ve left out Babymetal for example, though they do ask that you bear in mind the restrictions that they work under (i.e. no Radiohead).
Want to vote? Follow the official festival WeChat account (ID: ConcreteAndGrass) to vote for your dream headliner. Time Out Shanghai will keep you posted on the actual line-up – Frank or no Frank – in the run-up to the festival.
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