"by Eric de Fontenay, MusicDish*China (http://china.musicdish.com)"
The growth of Beijing's indie scene has coincided with that of the venues that have acted as showcases for local talent that might otherwise not be heard. Now a new venue called Mako (麻雀瓦èˆ� - 文艺汇演ä¸*心) has launched, hoping to join the ranks of other revered clubs such as D-22, Mao Livehouse and Yugong Yishan.

Mako's full name is MAKO Arts Display Center, located in the Chaoyang District where a Beijing Jeep plant used to stand, China's first joint venture cooperation. The entire space is over 2,000 square meters, consisting of two drama theaters, a music stage, the rehearsal rooms, bars, cafes and other multi-functional areas. The various performance and arts spaces will serve as a web of live artistic platforms, from stage shows, music, opera, folk art and many other vivid arts. This coexistence of various forms of arts in one center is a historic first in Beijing. And it has reportedly the the best sound system in Beijing, with over 3 million RMB invested in it.

While it may be a first for performaning art, the reuse of abandoned industrial space for the arts clearly borrows a page from the 798 Art District, a site of derelict state-owned factories in the Dashanzi area turned into a community of contemporary art, architecture, and culture. Actually, the dragons in the MusicDish*China Sounds logo were actually taken in that district on my last trip to Beijing.

A space this large and sophisticated is likely to have the same impact that 798 had for the arts in Bejing: putting the city on the map as a world class center for creativity, bringing to the next level what D-22 started in 2006. I'm looking forward to catching some great performances - as well as the five-meter-tall Transformer - when I pass by on my next trip to China.

MAKO Arts Display Center
No. 36, Guangqu Road, Chaoyang District,
Tel: 52051112