It has almost been a year since the government-sponsored Big Love Music Festival was meant to happen. Located in Mianyang, Sichuan’s largest music festival originally planned to put on 4 days of music, densely packed with around 100 performers. Last year, the festival was postponed, moved (to Chengdu) and ultimately cancelled due to disastrous weather conditions; according to the event organizers, the festival venue was “not suitable for the safe set up of stages and organization of large-scale mass gatherings.”
But alas, the festival plans to showcase just as much music this year. The postponed festival will take place from June 21 to June 24, 2012 at Chengdu’s International Intangible Culture Heritage Exposition Park (whew!). Although some artists have changed, the Big Love Music Festival lineup features many big-name headliners. Foreign headliners include British boy band BLUE and, held over from last year, the extremely corny 80s rock band Extreme. On the Chinese side, the festival has pulled out the big guns with appearances by Alan Tam, Luo Dayou and erstwhile reclusives Pu Shu.
Last year, we said on this blog that John Tejada and John Mills were going to perform at the electronic stage at Big Love. Unfortunately, they aren’t making it this year, BUT not to worry, as the festival found some great electro replacements. German minimalist electronic producer Ellen Allien and popular trance duo Cosmic will be at the festival to drop some sick beats.
Not into electronic music? The rock will also be graced by Chinese festival favorites New Pants, Xie Tianxiao, Wang Feng and Cui Jian. There will be a beer garden, artistic exhibitions, car shows and a camping site for those die-hard festivalgoers.
Go Chengdoo has more info about the revamped festival here.
Official video here