Popular Guangzhou Venue to Reopen after Hip Hop Brawl

By Bryan Grogan, March 20, 2018

Celebrated Guangzhou music venue SD Livehouse will reopen March 22 after a three-month break for in-house cleaning following a bust-up at the venue back in November of last year.

Following the incident last fall, which saw local hip hop artists brawl back stage and police arrive to clear the crowd, the venue announced it was temporarily suspending shows in order to “cooperate with relevant authorities” and be “in accordance with the establishment of a harmonious society.”

That hiatus is now coming to a close, albeit a few days behind schedule, with Taiwanese pop artist Faye arriving to jumpstart what venue organizers have described as a rebirth for the unfortunately beleaguered musical monument.

SD Livehouse had intended to reopen Sunday, but these plans were postponed when setbacks in interior restorations forced the cancellation of incoming Beijing band Da Bang’s Guangzhou gig set for that day.

While the reopening is certainly cause for celebration among the city’s music community, rumors persist about the Shayuan venue’s possible relocation to a more central area, especially in the face of rising competition.

In just the past six months, newcomers like Mao Livehouse in Pazhou and Panyu-based Tune Live Music have also opened their doors to incoming bands and performances. The increasingly crowded field means more pressure for local venues to innovate.

SD Livehouse Performance Manager Mac_T said about the proposed move, “At the moment it is just an idea, we are still looking around for the perfect location.”

SD Livehouse has earned a reputation as a respected underground purveyor of indie music, having developed strong relationships with local industry players Full Label and Qiii Snacks Records, not to mention putting on one of the wildest shows in recent Guangzhou history, courtesy of Touming Magazine in 2016.

See listing for SD Livehouse.