Electronic music artists Shao begins new year with two shows

One of China's leading electronic artists Shao Yanpeng, better known by his stage name Shao, will hold his first live performance of this year when he will team up with guitarist Wang Wenwei and multimedia artist Wang Meng to perform in Shanghai's Changjiang Theater on Jan 14 and 15.

Unlike the usual venues, such as clubs and live house events, the artists will perform in a theater for the first time, which means that all the audiences will sit down and enjoy the shows.

"The change of venue will lead to the change of the connection with the audiences. They cannot walk around or dance, which is much more challenging for us," says Shao. "But I also look forward to some spontaneous moments when spectators suddenly stand up and dance, which would be very exciting."

Born in 1981 and living in Beijing, Shao began making electronic music in 2002, when the art form was just picking up in the country. His music explores the relationship between sound and space. From 2005 to 2008, he released three albums under Modern Sky, one of the largest record companies in the country, including his debut album titled Mental Imagery. In 2015, he signed to Tresor, a leading German techno club and record label as the first Chinese artist to do so.

Now, as an artist with Modern Sky, Shao holds about 30 to 50 live performances in festivals across China as well as at international festivals.

The upcoming performances will be a combination of audio and visual experiences for the audiences.

"For me, sounds provide energy, visual elements add colors to the sounds. Different spaces will bring different feelings. The combination of those factors builds up a live music experience," Shao says.

Both Shao and Wang Meng have worked with pioneering Chinese theater director Meng Jinghui for years, providing originals sounds for Meng's plays, such as To Live and Rhinoceros In Love.