The 2007 Midi Music Festival, the largest alternative music festival in China, ended last month in Beijing. Starting on Friday, Shanghai will have its own large outdoor music festival - the 2007 Summer Rock Festival at Dino Beach. For the entire weekend, 36 bands from all over the country will be rocking out from 1pm to midnight.

Last year, a similar outdoor rock festival held in September unexpectedly attracted crowds of passionate youths. This year, with more bands and more influential rock labels around the country, the festival is more organized and is expected to become an annual event.

Each day of the weekend is comprised of a 30-to-40-minute performance from various bands. The list, comprised of all kinds of crazy names, reflects the diversity in both style and generation of the rock bands.

The list includes veteran bands like "Crystal Butterfly", who finally released the album Magic Mystery Tour after years of underground performances. The average age of the members is over 30, making them one of the oldest rock bands in Shanghai who have witnessed and experienced the development of the alternative music scene.

If "Crystal Butterfly" is representative of Shanghai's rock music, the folk rock of "Koradji's Coming" from Sichuan Province is even more regionally distinctive. One of the most popular bands in Sichuan Province they received a very warm reception at the Midi Music Festival, the band combines northwest regional folk styles with soft and humorous Chengdu tunes accompanied with various folk equipment.

And "Wangwen," formed in 1999 in Dalian, Liaoning Province, is a leading force in the field of post rock and psychedelic music. The name of the band conveys a sense of being unknown and not caring about anything.

It is also one of the few Chinese bands that focus entirely on the instruments with no vocals.

"The Hedgehog," on the other hand, is known for their beautiful vocals as a choir of male and female voices. The band, formed by two guys and a girl, calls themselves "Noise Pop Boys & Girls." The key is to be simple. The music is simple. The lyrics are straightforward. They create a world of forever childhood where daydreams are allowed, animations are important and emotions can be expressed directly.

Summer, beach and music, it is by far the largest event in Shanghai's rock history.

Date: 1pm to midnight, June 29-July 1
Address: 78 Xinzhen Road
Tel: 86 (21) 6478 -3333
Website: www.64783333.com

(Shanghai Daily June 28, 2007)