Local label Zhu Lu He Feng have announced their second tour of Shanghai university campuses spearheaded by their band Pinkberry.
This time they will visit eight universities including the Jiao Tong campus in Minghang.
Here is the full listing (Chinese language).
Chinese universities, like all levels of education here, are one entity together with the ruling political party. The principals are party appointees and the political culture permeates college life. In the world's developed music scenes, college radio, student union events and student support for live music is not only a given but a pillar of the industry. In China these things simply didn't exist. Until now.
The first fledgling steps have been taken towards student societies that can organize themselves, although it must be understood they are still way off the norm. However, Zhu Lu He Feng's Lezi is blazing a trail from the start. Having made contact with the new music societies the first time around, not without teething troubles, he is now taking his bands in for a more comprehensive tour.
There's a first time for everything and this could be a real step towards the future.
I just wrote about universities to Jake, on his post about Live Bar. And now I read you. Nice news that Pinkberry is going back to campuses. What's weird is that this is not happening often. Being even high school we used to organized a concert per year and bring some of the cool indie bands in town to play.
Somehow I secretly hoped there was a students' world I was so far away from that I was just having problem to reach it. For years I've asked about if it exists or not at any chance I have, probably I've been asking always to the wrong people and that was why they didn't know anything about music on universities. But when I heard about the first try of Pinkberry with universities I also heard of the difficulties to promote shows on the campuses. It seems students are not even producing their own parties or shows. Someone once told me it's because students here are studying so hard there's no energy or intention to party (!)... a very silly explanation to me, I won't even extend on it.
Aren't there students making their own bands looking for options to play live? Universities can produce really interesting bands, and as you say radios, and events, and so on.
The conservatory does some concerts (thankfully), but they are all about traditional Chinese music, classic music, and once in while they move away from those areas, to experiment with music for movies, and jazz. I've met some people related to the conservatory, but still I haven't get any proper recommendation of a band coming out of there, no bands-bands there, it seems. They do have a nice dining hall though! :)
As I wrote above, it down to strict management of education by the ruling single political party.
I have 9 years experience in the education sector here at all levels. Let's chat about it some time.