China’s leading rock music festival, the MIDI Festival, has since 2014 collaborated with MINI, the world’s most iconic car brand with British style and cultural history, to present the most authentic series of British rock classics. As the opening highlight of this series, MIDI and MINI have jointly invited one of the greatest British rock bands, Suede, to perform at the Shanghai MIDI Festival (April 25–27) and the Beijing MIDI Festival (May 1–3). This marks Suede’s first official festival appearances in both Beijing and Shanghai under the band’s name. On the MINI stages at the MIDI Festivals in both cities, Suede will deliver two special performances — a 20th-anniversary tribute to their second album, *Dog Man Star*, released in 1994. Widely regarded as one of the most representative works of 1990s Britpop and the pinnacle of Suede’s career, the band will perform the entire iconic album that left an indelible mark on countless fans’ youth, along with rare B-side tracks.
Having been active for 25 years, Suede has made outstanding contributions to the growth and development of British indie rock. In the UK, they are considered one of the greatest bands following Roxy Music and The Smiths, having released six albums in total. Their legendary first-ever concert in China in 2003 opened the door for Western rock bands to perform on the Chinese music scene. After successfully releasing their comeback album *Bloodsports* in 2013, the band was honored to be invited as the closing act for the 2014 Teenage Cancer Trust fundraising event at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall on March 30, 2014, where they performed a special 20th-anniversary tribute to *Dog Man Star*. The performance caused a sensation. Frontman Brett Anderson revealed at the end of the show that he used to attend concerts at the Royal Albert Hall with his classical music-loving father, and he dedicated the album’s final track, “Still Life,” to his late father, deeply moving the audience. That moment became one of the most unforgettable in Suede’s 25-year history.
Tickets for the 2014 Shanghai MIDI Festival are now on presale: single-day tickets are 120 RMB (presale) / 150 RMB (at the door); three-day passes are 300 RMB (presale) / 350 RMB (at the door). Only 3,000 three-day presale passes are available, and buyers can collect a limited-edition MIDI Festival souvenir gift pack (1,500 available, first come, first served) at the festival site. Tickets can be purchased or inquired about via Damai.cn, China’s ticketing platform: http://item.damai.cn/64691.html, or by calling the national booking hotline 400-610-3721. For English ticket purchases, visit http://www.247tickets.cn/tickets/shanghai-midi-festival-2014 (phone: 021-54562471). Additionally, shanghai247 offers a Ticketing Box service for international fans, providing ticket pick-up services at 2&3F, Building 2, Lane 637, Changle Road, Xuhui District, near Huating Road. More information about the MIDI Festival will be announced soon — stay tuned!