Chinese metal bands turn it up as six months without live concerts come to an end

Venues in China are slowly reopening as life begins to return to normal after months of shutdowns

At a small underground gig in Beijing, metal bands and fans came together in an outpouring of pent-up energy

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Shui Shu of the black metal band Bliss-Illusion performs at Omni Space in Beijing as venues start to open up after months of shutdowns. Photo: Reuters/Thomas Peter

Published: 4:15pm, 30 Aug 2020Updated: 4:15pm, 30 Aug 2020

The moment metal singer Shui Shu spread his arms, Buddhist prayer beads in hand and incense wafting from the stage, his band unleashed a wall of sound on the crowd. The rapt audience of about 200, many wearing masks, swayed gingerly. At the end of his set, most masks were off.

By the time the third band took the stage that night, the hall was a mosh pit, arms flailing and legs kicking with energy built up during six months of coronavirus shutdowns that kept the lights off in Beijing’s underground music venues.

Brazilian metal fan Daniel da Silva Anana, who had packed in among the moshing fans, said he was more worried about slipping on a floor wet with spilled drinks than the coronavirus.

“Finally, the no-metal-concerts spell is broken!”

Shui Shu of the black metal band Bliss-Illusion at Omni Space in Beijing, China. Photo: Reuters/Thomas Peter

Shui Shu holds prayer beads as he performs. Photo: Reuters/Thomas Peter

Zhang Xiao Song of Bliss-Illusion has his make-up done before the concert. Photo: Reuters/Thomas Peter