Beat goes on as China's club scene learns to livestream

The livestreaming scene at the nightclub on Friday, where a DJ and his team present dazzling lighting and visual effects, as well as dynamic music. HUANG ANQI/XINHUA

The ongoing epidemic has affected China's entertainment industry, forcing shutdowns and leaving facilities idle. Nightclub owners, like so many other business operators, resorted to online services for salvation.

"There is not much to do for many young people after staying home for so long. We'd like to share some fun by livestreaming music and beats to lighten their mood," says Ruan Liangliang, general manager of TAXX.

Club MEI in Changsha, a central Chinese city famous for its nightlife, also joined the "cloud" in mid-February.

"The livestreaming has even attracted those who have rarely or never been to a club," says Cao Jing, stage performance manager of Club MEI. The club's TikTok fans have increased by over 500 percent, and the number of its livestreaming viewers also doubled.

"We attracted more followers over the past few weeks than in the past year," Cao says.

At 8:30 pm from Monday to Sunday, Club MEI puts on performances through the livestreaming platforms. The DJ, in addition to mixing music, chats with online participants. Newcomers learn more about the nightclub culture and the venue itself and become potential consumers.

"Every day I am asked about when the club will open. It's probably because many people believe our reopening signifies the end of the epidemic," he says.

Some nightclubs have gone the extra mile to donate what they have received from online broadcasting to fund the fight against the virus in Wuhan. TAXX donated all of its rewards from the first day's livestreaming.

"Though the company is experiencing a difficult time, it's the least we can do as a member of society," Ruan says.

Livestreaming is only a temporary measure to fill in the business gap during such an extraordinary period, but it has made owners realize the importance of the promotion of nightclub brands among online communities.

Cao says they will continue to operate, and even expand, their livestreaming team after the epidemic, to integrate online and offline promotion and maximize their influence.

"Relating to the business explosion after the 2003 SARS outbreak－actually many popular nightclub brands emerged during that period－we are confident that the whole nightclub industry will embrace a strong rebound when the coronavirus outbreak is over," Cao says.