Arts Centre Vooruit, Ghent, Belgium

“The feeling of the scene in Beijing is exciting and reminds us of New York in 1979, there’s a tangible sense of discovery.” – Brian Eno & Elliott Sharp

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For three days, China Express will immerse you in China’s musical undercurrent. Because the underground music scene that lies behind The Great Wall has more similarities to Western music than we think. China Express offers you a look at counterculture in the Beijing metropolis, a flourishing breeding ground for unique, groundbreaking and continuously evolving artists.

Vooruit will join East and West with three theme evenings featuring short but powerful concerts. But we have to admit organizing the festival it hasn’t been easy, as many of the featured musicians are simply boycotted by the Chinese authorities. Their songs are not played on Chinese radio, and opportunities to see them live in Europe are very limited. Vooruit has also set up a few collaborations with local music talent for a meeting of cultures.

China Express has not only gathered accomplished players of the guqin and guzheng (i.e. traditional Chinese zithers), but also guitar virtuosos, voice artists and musicians hailing from genres such as noise, avant-garde and electronica, inspired by Aphex Twin or Alec Empire. Some of them have their own label, others have worked with Einstürzende Neubauten, Sonic Youth orJohn Zorn. They’re all different in their own way, thrilling and unheard.

WED 2 DEC - VOICES

20:00 Eastern Voices met Gong Linna, Li Huafu & Li Huaxiu, Wang Zhifang & He Jinhua
21:20 Wu Fei solo
22:00 karaoke

THU 03 DEC - ENCOUNTERS

20:00 Xiao He
21:00 Wu Fei, Heleen Van Haegenborgh & Ann Eysermans
22:00 Li Tie Qiao & Lander Ghyselinck
23:00 Shenggy & Yan Jun

FRI 04 DEC - ELECTRONICS

20:00 Wu Na & Esther Venrooy
20:50 Yan Jun
21:45 FM3
22:30 iLoop
23:30 B6
0:30 Sulumi

Unfortunetaly Jean-Yves Evrard and Köhn, who would share the stage with Wu Fei and Shenggy, will not be able to perform tonight. Evrard will not be replaced, Yan Jun will take the place of Köhn.

Get your festival pass and enjoy all three days of China Express. 12 concerts for only 20 euros!