Source: Inner Mongolia News

07-20-2007 13:39

Fervent fans wave at rock stars at a music festival in Shenzhen in 2003.

Rock musicians from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Republic of Mongolia and Tuva Republic will share the same stage at the first "Green Flag - Erdos Grassland Rock Music Festival" to be held in Erdos of North China's Inner Mongolia from July 20 to 22.

Among them are Dou Wei, Zhang Chu and He Yong, three musicians representative of the new music wave in the 1990s, heavy metal group Tang Dynasty, Chinese grunge rocker Xie Tianxiao, popular rock singer Xu Wei, Tuvan singer Sainkho Namtchylak, Taiwan singer Wu Bai, and Hong Kong musician Paul Wong, former singer and guitarist of the band Beyond.

"Rock music has influenced two generations of Chinese youth, and is an important part of young people's lives," said Jiang Shilong, artistic director of the festival, and lead singer of the band Old Demon of the West Mountain (Xishan Laoyao) which will perform on the second day of the festival. "To be in a rock festival on the grass will be a very enjoyable experience."

According to Jiang, "Green Flag" represents an environmental campaign by both the musicians and audience. He says the festival wants to deliver the message that Chinese rock music does not mean decadence, confusion or extremes, but love, responsibility and dreams.

"I hope our audience at the festival will pay attention to the environment, and won't litter, which has been a problem at many rock festivals," said He Yong, who will perform on the second day.

He said his program will consist mainly of classical works, but he will play two or three new songs. This is also the case with Zhang, who is recording his new album.