The cost of renting the Balihe Stadium was more than 50,000 yuan higher than renting the People's Stadium in Lianwan City.
The Balihe Stadium has 60,000 seats. If the tickets can be sold, the cost won't be a problem, but what if they can't be sold?
Han Chui found two supporting bands in Songyang. Among them, the 37 Degrees 2 band was the only band from Songyang to participate in the Haiyun Music Festival. They had also made contact with the shipping company when they were in Lianwan.
When Han Chui's people were preparing for the concert in Songyang, they contacted the band 37 Degrees 2. The band helped a lot with various matters related to the concert.
On the night Liang Liang arrived in Songyang, he had dinner with the members of the 37 Degrees 2 band.
Liang Liang also asked the 37 Degrees 2 band to invite some local bands in Songyang with whom they had good relations to attend.
More than ten bands and about fifty people came in total. Including Liang Liang's people, the banquet alone had ten tables.
During the meeting, Liang Liang had detailed conversations with these bands and gained a comprehensive understanding of the current state of rock music in Songyang.
In the previous life, Songyang was known as the second largest rock city outside of the capital, with a large number of well-known rock bands: Witness, Reincarnation, Doomsday Tumor, Stirring Boys, Chromosome, Blue Dream, Death Pill, 37.2 Degrees, etc.
Although there are quite a few bands, their development is somewhat unbalanced, and they don't have many outstanding works, except for a few that have been selected for compilations on their own.
37 Degrees 2 is the only band that has released a proper album.
Their album "Emotion" was released by EMI Records last year.
This is also the main reason why they were invited to the Lianwan Music Festival.
After the wave of layoffs that began in 1996, rock music in Songyang was dormant for several years until it gradually revived after 2000.
The current situation seems to be a bit better than the previous one, which may be related to the improvement of the overall rock music environment in China.
Tonight's lineup includes veteran Songyang bands such as The Witness, Life and Death Cycle, and Stirring Water Boys.
Although the atmosphere was somewhat better than in the previous life, they were still poor, lacking funding and stable training and performance venues.
Liang Liang then asked Li Xiaojie, the lead singer of the 37 Degrees 2 band.
"Brother Li! Have you introduced the Lianwan rock music scene to these brothers?"
“When we came back from Lianwan, we told these guys about the great rock music scene in Lianwan. We were so envious.”
“Actually, you can also refer to the Lianwan model to find your own space to survive,” Liang Liang asked tentatively.
"Easier said than done. We can't even afford to eat, so how can we possibly get money for anything else?"
Looking at the domestic scene, aside from those who are rich, the bands from Taiwan are the most successful; the rest of the rock musicians are just poor rockers.
How can you talk about ideals when you can't even afford to eat?
"How about this? I'll invest in a small theater in Songyang, where you can train and perform. The profits will be split 40/60, with you taking 60%."
Liang Liang's suggestion brought a mix of surprise and delight to these Songyang rock musicians.
Ever since the 37 Degrees 2 band returned from the Lianwan Music Festival, they've been talking about the Lianwan-style rock atmosphere, their eyes practically red with envy, all fantasizing about when they could have such an environment.
Now it seems that this dream is not so far away.
"That's great! With such a base, we poor guys won't have to run around and endure the elements anymore."
“Songyang is your hometown, so you are quite familiar with it. We will have to rely on you to find a suitable place for us. We are unfamiliar with the area and have no idea where to go in Songyang.”
"There are quite a few places available, but I don't know what your requirements are?"
"The location doesn't need to be very lively or bustling, although it would be better if such a location existed. It should be large, with at least enough space for 500 people to participate in activities. Ideally, it should be an abandoned cinema or club, because the size of such places doesn't need to be considered, and the building layout doesn't need much modification. It can be used directly after just painting and decorating."
"Was it okay to have workers' clubs in some large factories in the past?" asked Wu Ke, the drummer of the Stirring Boys band.
The members of the Stirring Boys are all descendants of the working class, and the band was formed last year.
Songyang is a well-known heavy industrial city in China, with countless large and medium-sized enterprises, many of which have workers' clubs.
They have a fairly deep understanding of the clubs within these factories.
Liang Liang had heard of the band Stirring Water Boys before. The band's lead singer, A Bai, was very talented. He was not only a singer but also a literature enthusiast, and his articles were frequently published in newspapers and magazines such as Popular Songs, I Love Rock and Roll, Non-Music, The Beatles, and Liaochen City Weekly.
He also created and performed the first experimental avant-garde drama in Songyang, and planned and wrote the Songyang underground culture magazine.
Their band's style is somewhat aloof: critical realism.
It was this style that led to the band members' arrogant and intense personalities, making enemies everywhere.
Liang Liang definitely wouldn't like this style of band.
Critical realism? Who are you going to criticize?
Criticizing others will only narrow your own path.
He had worked so hard to carve out a little space for rock music, but he didn't want this style of band to be destroyed by indiscriminate criticism.
If they don't change their style, they will definitely be abandoned.
"sure!"
The factory's club is actually the ideal location for a small theater.
The space is large enough, and since it's vacant, the rent isn't expensive. It can be used with a little tidying up.
"That's quite old. I can't say about other things, but there were dozens of clubs belonging to large enterprises in Songyang at its peak."
More is better. In a city as big as Songyang, if there is a strong public support, setting up three or four small theaters is not a problem at all.
"Then I'll trouble you to look around and see if you can. I'll pay you for your work."
After this issue was resolved, Liang Liang discussed the development trend of rock music with these bands.
At times like these, it's natural to instill his theories in them.
Although some people are bound to disagree with his views, for the sake of the development and survival of rock music, all opinions that contradict his will be discarded.
Liang Liang will not let your so-called rock spirit, which you yourselves don't even understand, kill off rock and roll.
When the environment becomes more open in the future, no one will care if you go about your rock and roll spirit.
The other band invited by 37 Degrees 2 to perform at the event was Witness.
This band is quite talented. Back in 1992, they had a song called "Waiting for You Forever" which was included in the Huaguo Huo album. Being invited to perform as the opening act for the Blue Shark band is an encouragement for them.
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