China’s Beat Generation

Urban nightlife reaches new highs in the Middle Kingdom.

Trend Description

Urban nightlife in China has developed at breakneck speed over the last decade, as young and affluent Chinese search for new ways to have fun, spend their wads of RMB and exhibit their wealth. One look at the car park outside Babyface in Beijing or Shanghai on a Friday night, and it’s immediately clear the dance floors and VIP lounges of the capital’s clubbing hotspots are still mainly the preserve of the rich and famous – hardly surprising when club entry can cost upwards of 300 RMB (nearly US$40).

This nightly orgy of alcohol-fueled reverie is light years away from the scene in China 25 years ago, when teahouses playing pop music were about as risqué as it got. Before that, most nocturnal activity was strenuously discouraged in order to instill temperate habits and keep comrades safe. Tracing the entertainment timeline in China further back, the introduction in 1865 of gas lighting to Shanghai by an enterprising British company lit the way for the opening of a multitude of teahouses, bars and theaters, transforming the city into the buzzing, cosmopolitan, “sleepless” metropolis of the 1920s and 30s.

Of course, if you’re a Chinese club or bar owner today, it isn’t simply a case of opening your doors and expecting the punters to roll in – today’s urban youth in China are a far more discerning crowd than in years gone by.

Case Studies

Babyface, Beijing

Lily Li, manager of the Babyface nightclub on Gongti Xilu in Beijing, says the most difficult thing about running a Chinese club is staying ahead of the competition. Since the club was established in 2004 , a number of other clubs have set up shop on nearby territory, each looking to tempt the party crowd with big name DJs, theme nights and drink offers. “Superstar DJs like John Digweed and Paul van Dyk can cost 250,000RMB (more than US$30,000) or more per set to bring in – of course we have to ensure our club is full to make a profit. We also train up Chinese DJs so that standards are maintained, and that local talent gets the opportunity to progress,” she comments.

China Doll, Beijing

Increasingly popular with the expat and native A-list crowd, the hedonistic China Doll is luring party people back to Beijing’s Sanlitun bar street area in droves. It’s not only the club’s mildly titillating murals and film projections that are attracting the late night revelers, however. Under the expert guidance of Youdai, the first Chinese DJ to feature in Rolling Stone magazine, some of the brightest names on the local and international DJ circuit are now gracing China Doll’s turntables, putting a fresh new spin on Beijing’s electronic music scene.

Ai Wan, Shanghai-born actress and China Doll owner, comments, “China Doll is about creativity, change and tapping into Beijing’s artistic renaissance. Our policy of bringing in gifted, innovative DJs, be they Chinese or foreign, fits that profile. They don’t have to be big names, as long as we feel they have something original to offer.”

Suzie Wong’s, Beijing

A Beijing legend, Suzie Wong’s is a place to see and be seen. Check your coat and head upstairs to the dress-to-impress bar and club, a perennial favorite with the expats and the Chinese A-list crowd. The rooftop terrace is great for al fresco mingling in the summer months, and VIP booths are also available for increased privacy. The club is currently hosting a series of country-themed evenings, with top international DJs and free tickets for select overseas guests.

Trend Impact

As the Chinese hinterland and its resident population continues to develop, bars and clubs will assuredly mirror the progression. The Babyface chain already has ten clubs dotted across China, and more are in the pipeline. The affluent eastern and southern coastal areas will continue to lead the way, driven by social and economic factors and exposure to foreign influences.

Big name Chinese DJs, already popular in China, will soon break onto the international stage to rub shoulders with their more illustrious overseas counterparts. The influx of foreign visitors to China, both during and after the 2008 Olympics, will inject more cash into the already buoyant entertainment sector, and sustain the rapid pace of change. With insightful regulation and careful planning, the next few years should prove to be a boom time in China for drinkers, dancers and landlords alike.

Image source: Daniel Allen

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