P.K. 14, Carsick Cars, and Xiao He – three of Beijing’s preeminent underground musical acts – toured the United States for the first time in November of 2009 under the auspices of the Maybe Mars Chinese Underground Showcase. It was easily one of the most successful international tours pulled off by Chinese performers to date as they drew large, enthusiastic audiences up and down the east coast. Proving themselves more than just a novelty act, these musicians upped the ante and expectations for new music out of China which now incubates fresh, independent, and frequently irreverent voices in a country renowned for creative conformity and saccharine Cantonese pop. Even though it is too early to tell what may come of the innovative strides made by these musicians, there is no doubt that they will continue to break ground within Beijing’s nascent artistic landscape, helping to push the boundaries of an already expanding realm of independent thought and musical expression in China. I was lucky enough to be embedded with the bands throughout the tour.
