Shijiazhuang and the rise of live music in China

266 kilometres (165 miles) southwest of Beijing sits a tier-2 city of 11 million people, which most Westerners have likely never heard of. For those who know Shijiazhuang, China’s twelfth-largest city and capital of Hebei province, they probably think of it as a polluted, heavily industrialised railway hub. Folks in the dairy industry may also recognise it as the home base of the now-defunct Sanlu Group, one of the most high profile companies involved in the melamine milk scandal of 2008.

Not content with its reputation as a smoggy city of textile houses, pharmaceutical factories and dirty dairying, local authorities last month announced a grand plan to rebrand the town. It hopes to carve out a niche to tap into China’s booming domestic tourism growth and Beijing’s consumption drive, just as the?barbecue mecca Zibo?and?village football sensation of Guizhou?have done.

Shijiazhuang is playing on both its name and heritage?to establish itself as China’s capital of rock music. The translation of the characters in its name literally mean “Rock Home Town,” which is the namesake for its citywide music festival. It is tapping into its contribution to rock music in China, including two of China’s first rock music magazines, which were founded in the city in the 80s and 90s.?Shijiazhuang is also the birthplace of several famous rock bands, including Omnipotent Youth Society (OYS/万能青年旅店), whose 2010 song "Kill That Shijiazhuang Man (杀死那个石家庄人)" immortalized the city among the country’s rock fans.

The city has registered the trademarks for “ROCK. ROCK. YOU” and “Rock City” under the education and entertainment classes. From July to October, Shijiazhuang will host a summer of rock music concerts with well-known artists from across China playing nearly 20 gigs per day around the city on weekends. Local musicians have also been encouraged to perform in impromptu appearances in parks, malls and on public transport.

Shijiazhuang just might be backing the right horse. The pandemic years saw many Chinese consumers reflect about what was important to them, with concerts and music festivals appearing to have been a beneficiary. As one concert-goer put it, "Prior to the pandemic, I didn’t consider it necessary, but afterwards, I realised that opportunities such as attending concerts and travelling can sometimes be once-in-a-lifetime… [the pandemic]?made me realise that life is about living in the present and embracing as many experiences as possible."

The number of for-profit performances in China - including pop concerts, dance shows and operas - in the first six months of the year surged by 400% to 193,300, while ticket sales jumped by 673% to ￥16.8 billion ($2.4b).?Attendances increased by more than tenfold to over 62 million. During the five-day May holiday, there were?more than 40 music festivals in 19 provinces, four times as many as there was in 2019.

The steep ascent of music events present plenty of opportunities in the market. Brands should follow Shijiazhuang and take note of Chinese consumers’ love of live music. Associating with the pastime can be a powerful way to reach consumers at an emotional level, at a time when they are at their happiest. But keep it authentic, well-executed and don’t get too risqué, like a music venue in Shijiazhuang that was?fined ￥200,000 ($28,000) after a musician pulled off his pants and performed in his underwear. Contact China Skinny to?learn how we can assist you to best incorporate live music events into your marketing plan.