Recommended livehouses in Xi'an, the city of rock, to listen to the city's trendiest and most exciting music
Preface
Every city has its own character, and Xi'an is no exception. Xi'an is a masculine city. This city is full of roughness and heaviness, just like a seasoned swordsman who was born in a noble family, wandered around the world with a sword, and now returns to his hometown.
If you want to understand a city, first understand its music
6,000 years ago, a pottery xun was unearthed at the Banpo Ruins in Xi'an, opening the city's musical journey. The xun's melodious and ancient sound seemed to announce that this would be the kingdom of the king in the future.
1,300 years ago, the city of Chang'an was filled with noble and magnificent court music and various Yanyue music, announcing to the world that this was the center of the world.
300 years ago, Xi'an had gradually declined after the chaos of war, but folk music was rising unprecedentedly. Qinqiang was introduced to Beijing and became famous.
Thirty years ago, Xi'an, as a major rock city in China, was the birthplace of Zhang Chu, one of the "Three Masters of Magic Rock", Zheng Jun, the "domestic punk pioneer", and Xu Wei, the "rock poet".
Today, the city is still very rock and roll, with live houses packed to the brim and vinyl record libraries popping up one after another.
🎸Xi'an Rock Town & Livehouse
🤘Guangyinshiliu Original Music Club
Known as the "Mecca of Xi'an's Underground Rock," this livehouse is one of the earliest in the city and a must-visit for many bands visiting the city. It features everything from lyrical British rock to atmospheric heavy metal, from refreshing minor-key folk to psychedelic progressive rock, from terrifying dark death metal to live, powerful industrial metal performances. Countless Xi'an rock fans have left their purest memories of rock here.
The venue has now moved from its former basement to an industrial-style park, adding a touch of class. It also boasts a wine bar and a second-floor observation deck where you can soak in the vibrant atmosphere. So, what are you waiting for? Come experience Xi'an's most explosive rock scene!
Tips:
Address: No. 6 Guangtai Road (southeast corner of the intersection of Guangtai Road and Gaoxin 2nd Road)
Time: 20:00-24:00 (specific time is subject to performance)
🤘Aperture CLUB
This is Xi'an's "most underground hip-hop holy land" and one of the earliest live houses in Xi'an. It is the place where Xi'an's two major rap groups, Honghuahui and NOUS, often go.
Everyone is probably familiar with the Red Flower Club, featuring members like Dan Ke, Ding Fei, and "rhyme maniac" Bei Bei; NOUS is the group comprised of Pakete and Simba. This place is known as the "Hip-Hop Mecca" because of China's two major hip-hop events, Underground Eight Mile and Iron Mic. At the time, most hip-hop events in Xi'an were held at Guangquan Club.
Guangquan was previously located in the Chrysanthemum Garden near the Bell Tower in Xi'an, hidden in a basement in an old residential area. Back then, it was a place known to all the young people in Xi'an. Although the venue was small and hot, it was always packed. Now Guangquan has moved to the foot of the city wall, next to the moat, but it remains a favorite spot for Xi'an's trendy young people.
Tips:
Address: No. 15, Tianpin West Bank, Huancheng West Road
Time: 17:00-02:00 (specific time subject to performance)
🤘1935·live house
Located in Xi'an's most distinctive Dahua 1935 Industrial Park, it is full of the collision of retro and fashion. It has become the most popular live house in Xi'an and the first choice for countless big-name bands coming to Xi'an.
No matter whether it is hip-hop, folk, rock or pop, there will be performances here, and the venues are always packed and the atmosphere is very hot. Tickets for some big-name bands are often hard to come by. Li Zhi, Wan Xiaoli, Escape Plan, Ding Wu, Caodong No Party, Ershiermeigui, Liquid Oxygen Can, Chen Chusheng and many others have performed here. This place has become a "music holy land" for the new generation of young people in Xi'an.
Tips:
Address: No. 251, Taihua South Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an
Time: 20:00-24:00 (specific time is subject to performance)
🤘MAO·livehouse
MAO live house is one of the customizers of China's livehouse performance quality standards. It can be said to be "China's No. 1 music venue" because in the past ten years, nearly 10,000 groups of artists have held performances at MAO.
MAO has always been famous for its professional equipment. This time, MAO Xi'an store also brought the most professional and top-level equipment. In just a few months, many great artists such as Ershoumeigui, Liao Xiaonong, Hanggai, Amber, and Kishibe Masaaki have come here. In the future, this will definitely be the hottest place in Xi'an.
Tips:
Address: Creative Valley Plaza, East of Yanxiang Road, Qujiang New District
Time: 17:00-24:00 (specific time is subject to performance)
🤘Wuqiong·livehouse
It is one of the newer live houses in Xi'an. It only performed two shows when it first opened and then closed down for various reasons. At the end of 2017, it made a strong comeback. It is located at the foot of the 600-year-old Ming City Wall and is known for "drinking the strongest liquor, looking at the oldest city wall, and feeling the most shocking live performance."
Although the place is not big, the scene is very exciting. Suddenly I felt like I was back in the basement of Aperture Club watching the underground eight miles. The boss is willful and will give free performances at any time. It is simply a treasure trove for underground fans.
Tips:
Address: Wenchangmen Antique City, Baishulin Street
Time: 18:00-24:00 (specific time is subject to performance)
🎵Xi'an Music Holy Land & Vinyl Museum
📼Ai Le Vinyl Handmade Museum
"A sacred place for rock fans in Xi'an"
Formerly the famous EM7 tape store, "Do you know EM7?" was a very popular question in those days. If you answered "I don't know," then you would have no chance of becoming a literary youth in Xi'an. From that small shop at the Academy of Fine Arts to Xiamaling and now the Philharmonic Vinyl Museum, countless Xi'an music fans have followed this place.
The owner, Tang Ming, was a rock fan in his youth, always pursuing the most exciting and hardcore music. His love for music kept him going, and now, as he's gotten older, he's slowly begun to appreciate classical music, which is why he opened this vinyl shop. This is a must-visit for Zhang Chu and Tong Yang when they visit Xi'an; a visit here is a must.
Tips:
Address: 50 meters southwest of the intersection of Zhenguan East Street and the eastern section of Zhenguan North Street
Time: 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
📼Measles Song Vinyl Museum
“A paradise for vinyl lovers”
It was formerly an online store, which attracted a group of vinyl fans. Now it has opened a small offline vinyl store in a very literary bookstore in Xi'an. Although the place is small, it is a god-like place for vinyl enthusiasts.
Because the records here are relatively cheap and of good quality, it is really a rare place. Not only are there vinyl records, but there are also some small record players. You can listen to very high-quality music, read a book, drink coffee, and the life you yearn for is just like this.
Tips:
Address: Inside the bookstore on the 3rd floor of Zhongda International, Gaoxin Road
Time: 10:00-21:00
📼Le Yu Ya Vinyl Museum
“The most experiential museum”
The environment here is very comfortable and cozy, and music is played all the time in the museum. There are many very precious vinyl records on display here. It is said that there are 200,000 vinyl records here. Sometimes the boss will recommend some music for you to listen to. The sense of immersion of vinyl is really incomparable to other types of records. It is really enjoyable to sit there quietly and listen to the exclusive records recommended by the boss.
There is also a small room here, with four walls filled with tapes, records, and CDs, which are the owner's collection over the years. Sometimes the owner will tell you about the history of his collection. If you love music, you must check in here.
Tips:
Address: Lobby, 1st Floor, Xietong Building, Gaoxin 2nd Road
Time: 10:00-20:00
Conclusion
Nietzsche once said, "Without music, life is a mistake." If a city has no music, then the city will no longer exist. Music is the soul of a city.
When you come to Xi'an, walk along the city wall, climb the Bell and Drum Tower, and learn about the city's history, you can also go and feel the city's music to touch the city's inner essence.
