Northern Chinese city hosts original music festival to boost economy

An aerial drone photo taken on May 4, 2024 shows a scene at an original music festival held in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province.(Xinhua)

SHIJIAZHUANG, May 5 (Xinhua) -- An original music festival opened Saturday afternoon in the city of Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, as part of its effort to boost its night economy.

Nine rock bands, including "the Samans" and "Hanggai," performed their original works at the music festival at the Shisteel industrial legacy park, which was transformed from a former steel plant and opened to the public recently.

This festival, with a strong folk music theme, tries to explore more musical possibilities by fusing traditional Chinese music and modern rock music.

More than 7,000 visitors have registered to attend the festival, according to the Shijiazhuang Culture Tourism Investment Group, the organizer of the event.

This festival is among the 80 rock and roll music activities scheduled for Shijiazhuang from April to September this year, as the city attempts to boost its night economy.

Shijiazhuang is a city with a solid rock and roll foundation. "Popular Song," the first Chinese rock music magazine, was founded there, and many famous rock musicians and rock bands have roots in this city.

The city invited more than 50 bands from across the country to join the music events there last year, attracting a total audience of 3.2 million in 2023.