The China Light・2014 Yangtze River Midi Festival will be held from October 1st to 3rd at Sanjia Port, Pudong, Shanghai. This edition of the Yangtze River Midi Festival will feature nine stages: Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, Han, Spring and Autumn, Warring States, and Kids' Midi. Thousands of Midi fans will gather by the Yangtze River this golden autumn to celebrate a three-day-and-night rock extravaganza with nearly 200 bands and musicians from China, the United States, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, and more.
The most eye-catching international acts at this year’s Yangtze River Midi Festival are three heavy-hitting metal giants: American industrial metal band Wayne Static of Static-X (Static-X), Fear Factory, and Swedish symphonic metal band Therion.
Hailing from California, USA, Wayne Static of Static-X blends metal rock tones with electronic sounds and deep gothic undertones, merging sleek, cool modern vibes with the cold texture of industrial metal. Formed in 1994 with Wayne Static—core songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist—at the helm, the band signed with Warner Records in 1998. Their debut album, "Wisconsin Death Trip," released the following year, quickly became a hit among alternative music fans, topping the indie charts and achieving gold record status. Three years later, their album "Machine" soared to No. 11 on the U.S. album chart, and with the boost from the theme song "Cold" for the movie "Queen of the Damned," it swiftly surpassed one million in sales. Over two decades, six studio albums spanning multiple rock and industrial genres have cemented Wayne Static of Static-X’s role as a masterful force shaping the direction of heavy music. Static-X was absent from the Shenzhen Midi Festival last year due to health issues, but this time, they’re back to headline the Yangtze River Midi Festival, bringing authentic American industrial metal to hardcore fans.
Formed as early as 1989, FEAR FACTORY is one of the first American bands to experiment with industrial death metal, profoundly influencing the metal scene by seamlessly fusing the driving rhythms of thrash metal with the cold tones of industrial metal. This time, FEAR FACTORY will come to China with an even more formidable lineup, featuring founding members Dino Cazares on lead guitar and Burton C. Bell on vocals—who also performed with industrial powerhouse MINISTRY—as well as bassist Matt DeVries, who has played with major acts like LAMB OF GOD, CHIMAIRA, and SIX FEET UNDER. As the pioneering band that deeply influenced current heavyweights like MACHINE HEAD, SLIPKNOT, and STATIC-X, this will be their first appearance on the Midi stage, sure to deliver a powerful sonic impact and mark the beginning of a post-industrial spiritual redemption for metal fans.
THERION (Ancient Greek: The Sacred Beast) is one of the world’s most pioneering opera symphonic metal bands and one of the first Nordic groups to delve into death metal. The band originated as Blitzkrieg, formed in 1987. After releasing several strong death metal albums, the band’s mastermind, Christofer, became enthralled with ancient pagan mysticism, shifting THERION’s style toward deeper, more enigmatic avant-garde symphonic/orchestral/opera metal. Their 1996 album "Theli," recorded with Siren and the North German Radio Choir—and backed by Nuclear Blast's then-largest investment—ushered in a grand new era of opera metal in collaboration with the Barmbek Symphony Orchestra. Drawing inspiration from Beethoven, Wagner, and modern classical pioneer Igor Stravinsky, Christofer forged his own majestic musical kingdom. Their performance marks the debut of opera metal at Midi, and the Yangtze River Midi Festival stage will transform into a magical ritual blending ancient European mysticism with modern music—an experience not to be missed.
In addition to performing at the Yangtze River Midi Festival on October 3rd, Swedish giants Therion will also hold a special Beijing show earlier, on September 30th from 18:30 to 21:30 at HIT FM LIVE "Candy." They’ll be joined by Russia’s Arkona and Hong Kong’s Evocation. Beijing fans unable to make it to the main festival shouldn’t miss this one. For inquiries, call: 010-62159844, 64284080.
The Yangtze River Midi Music Festival continues its tradition of rocking by the great rivers and seas, with international metal heavyweights descending upon Sanjia Port in Pudong, Shanghai. Fans from all over will gather once again, responding with massive POGO waves, and immersing themselves in the baptism of top-tier heavy music across a 250,000-square-meter professional performance venue.
The China Light・2014 Yangtze River Midi Festival has now opened pre-sales for tickets: single-day tickets are 120 RMB (presale) / 150 RMB (at the door); three-day passes are 300 RMB (presale) / 350 RMB (at the door), with only 3,000 presale three-day passes available. Fans who purchase the pass can collect a limited-edition Midi souvenir gift pack (1,000 available, first-come, first-served) at the festival site. Tickets can be purchased or inquired about via Damai http://item.damai.cn/64706.html (national booking hotline: 400-610-3721). For more details about the festival, please stay tuned to Midi’s official announcements.