Wenzhou's niche parties originated in the basement

Wenzhou's niche parties originated in the basement    

In an abandoned warehouse near Wenzhou-Kean University, the psychedelic lights flickered to the beat of the bass. It was a wild heartbeat of a group of WKUers' spontaneous electronic music party.

 

In 2024, these young people no longer contented themselves with merely being "spectators". Instead, they built their own stages, adjusted the equipment, spontaneously formed DJ teams, and even attempted commercial operations, bringing underground electronic music culture into the view of young people in Wenzhou.

 

One of the founders of "Hospital", a SopWenzhou's niche parties, originated in the basement

 homore student named Xiyan, recalled that the initial inspiration came from an impromptu music production in the dormitory. The name of the label was derived from a close friend who was considered to have a good sense of psychology and emotions. "Hospital" - hoping this is a space for healing and rebirth.

 

 

 

Several of us like Techno and House music, but there was virtually no local electronic music scene in Wenzhou. The songs played in commercial nightclubs weren't the kind we wanted to listen to. ”Xiyan and a few members decided to take matters into their own hands. Using laptops and second-hand equipment, they held small parties in the school activity room. Unexpectedly, the first event attracted nearly a hundred people. With word of mouth spreading, their venues gradually "exhibit" from dormitories and classrooms to abandoned warehouses, rooftops outside the city, and even collaborative events with local niche livehouses.

 

The youngest member of the label, Neo, was born in 2005. Currently, he is in his first year of college. He is responsible for visual design and social media operations. He edits short videos from his social media accounts and spends his spare time every day learning and improving song arrangement and composition. After persisting for a year, he gained a large number of followers rapidly. The fans are not only from the local area but also from all over the country.

 

 

In the information age, achieving fame would be impossible without the support of social media. “As the producers and disseminators of niche culture, such achievements are exciting and can also drive the development of the label. What cannot be questioned is that the difficulty of niche culture moving to a larger stage has always been there.” Said by the label musician Neo.

 

Wenzhou is renowned for its commercial economy, but its infrastructure for youth culture is relatively weak. Compared to cities like Chengdu and Shanghai, which have mature Livehouse venues and music festivals, Wenzhou lacks fixed performance venues and policy support. If it can secure local cultural funds or commercial sponsorship, it may be able to accelerate the cultivation of the scene.

 

The "2023 China Youth Cultural Consumption Report" shows that the young generation is willing to pay for "unique experiences", but excessive commercialization may dilute the core appeal of subcultures.

The vitality of niche culture lies in "authenticity", and its success or failure depends on resource integration and community management. The electronic music scene in Wenzhou may still be in its infancy, but the enthusiasm of folks is gradually bringing it out from the "basement " and floating to the forefront.