Summer concerts draw music fans to Beijing

More concerts have been held in Beijing this summer, attracting people from across the nation, sparking a fresh wave of urban consumerism and bringing new vitality to the capital's economy.

Despite temperatures soaring to nearly 36 C, many fans arrived early at the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, for performances by Chinese singer Xue Zhiqian, whose six shows in Beijing late last month were part of his world tour.

Besides Xue's concerts, artists such as Andy Lau, Zhang Jie and Da Zhangwei have performed or plan to hold concerts in Beijing this summer, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from across the country.

Gao Ge, a student at Beijing International Studies University, attended one of Xue's concerts on July 20.

"In addition to concert tickets, I also bought some souvenirs like mini fans featuring the singer's image," Gao said. "And inside the venue, I bought cold drinks to better enjoy the concert."

According to statistics from Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Co, the operator of the National Stadium, it is estimated that 1.8 million people will have attended concerts at the stadium between May and the end of this month — approximately three times as many as during the same period last year.

Since the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, the three major Olympic venues — the National Stadium, the National Aquatics Center and the National Speed Skating Oval — have, together, hosted more than 9 million visitors and held hundreds of large-scale cultural and sporting events, the company said.

The large influx of visitors has boosted consumption in the surrounding area. Many tourists choose to dine at nearby restaurants and purchase light sticks, fans, towels and banners from nearby stalls. Some vendors also offer services like hairstyling and makeup for fans.

"Large-scale concerts stand out as a special driver of the economy, characterized by their flexibility," Zhang Haijun, head of the Beijing Performing Arts and Entertainment Association, told Beijing Daily.

"Unlike fixed landmarks in the cultural and tourism sector, concerts can be staged in existing large venues, which means lower costs and a higher economic yield."

He added that Beijing has been enhancing its services for people attending concerts, and major commercial areas surrounding venues can accommodate significant foot traffic, providing a better consumer experience.

"The cultural and tourism authorities can make plans to transform individual concert events into cultural activities, fostering a lasting and beneficial impact on the city's performing industry," Zhang said.

For audience members, attending a concert is not just about music, but also about enjoying the company of friends.

Cheng Ruisi, a graduate student in Beijing, said, "Besides seeing my idols, I can get together with my friends and relax before starting my studies and work."

Traveling to Beijing specifically for concerts has become a new trend. According to online ticket purchase platform Moretickets, 87 percent of those who bought tickets for Xue's six concerts were from outside Beijing, a significant increase compared with previous concerts.

Zhang Weifeng, who is from Huludao, Liaoning province, said: "I am a fan of the band The Landlord's Cats. I came here to experience the live atmosphere and see my idols.

"Ever since I bought the ticket, I've counted down the days, eagerly awaiting the moment when I could be here."

To see his favorite band in June, Zhang traveled six hours by train to Beijing.

Beijing Daily reported that large-scale concerts nationwide with audiences exceeding 5,000 amassed box office revenue of 14.6 billion yuan ($2.01 billion) last year. More than 2,400 performances attracted more than 20 million attendees, with concerts that generated over 10 million yuan per show accounting for 39 percent of the total.

Li Boyu and Zhu Sidi contributed to this story.