Hardly ever I hit the dancefloor at my age. But it happend the other day that I heard a piece on German radio station NDR Blue by an act called „Nightmares on Wax“. Only hours later a friend introduced me to the „Douban Wetware Festival“ – the first of its kind in Beijing lasting from May 18 to 21. On the schedule I found nothing less but „Nightmares on Wax (DJ SET)“ timed for Friday evening from 21.15 til 22.45.
Eating dinner at a very recommendable Hunan food restaurant in Xinzhong Street near Dongsishitiao station I first made it to the festival site at Beijing Tango school south of Ditan park around nine. The ticket price at CNY 389 for the evening felt high, but normal for Beijing as I was told. After a few minutes at the main stage with two very loud witches announced as „Amnesia Scanner“ but signing on the final screen with“ZALIVA-D“ – I made it to the 2nd stage with „Nightmares on Wax“ (alias DJ E.A.S.E or civil name George Evelyn as I learned from Wikipedia).
The stage was backlit by eight enormous LED screens featuring a panoramic view of an animated 3D landscape with phantastic sceneries inhabited by sharp vermillion coloured butterflies and segments of a young male human who released the fluttering creatures from his mouth … overwhemlingly beautiful. It did not last long until I joined in the rhythm. Almost two hours later I found myself still moving in the space, surrounded only a few dancers, mostly foreigners. Chinese watch, they hardly move.
An other act I watched for only a few minutes on main stage was „Evian Christ“: a bright, hard and loud DJ SET from the UK and later „Pet Conspiracy“ a colourful mix of foreigners and Chinese. All the other acts apart from „Nightmares on Wax“ did not meet my taste. Anyway it was worth trying. So, thank you George! I was the sweaty old guy dancing like a madman right in front of you …
