Buyi becomes big in Japan

Buyi is constantly on the road. Every spring and autumn, the rock band goes on tour covering around 50 cities at a time. They perform an average of four gigs a week with back-to-back shows from Fridays to Sundays in addition to appearances at music festivals and multi-band concerts.

But for its members, this intense lifestyle is a joy and isn't hard to maintain, even after more than a decade. They relish traveling to any live venue to perform for fans and savor a local beer afterward.

This November, Buyi went a bit farther and embarked on a tour in Japan. Within 20 days, they performed 17 gigs in a dozen Japanese cities, the majority of which they headlined alongside Japanese bands or musicians.

The theme was a continuation of the band's 2024 China tour — Back to the Future — which seeks to take the audience on a journey through the band's 29-year history, re-creating the raw energy of Chinese rock music in the 1990s.

"We don't bring lighting or visuals. We simply turn up the lights, so the audience can see the four of us performing. The lyrics display and visuals only dilute the energy onstage," says Wu Ningyue, Buyi's lead singer and guitarist.

"We are returning to the band itself and drawing all audience attention to our performances and music, without distraction."

Buyi was formed in 1995 in Yinchuan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region when Wu was just 21.The band's name, which means "cotton clothes", is a reference to ordinary people or a modest lifestyle, reflecting the sense of genuineness and simplicity valued by the band.

It merges rock 'n' roll with the authentic, visceral folk music of Northwest China and consciously uses traditional instruments in their arrangements.

Since it was formed, Buyi has performed over 1,500 concerts and the band aims to take its music to every corner of the country. The band members have also made appearances at Chinese and international music festivals, including this year at The Great Escape music festival in the United Kingdom.

"Every member of our band has had our fates changed by rock 'n' roll. We want to share our experiences with more people and let everyone know that life has limitless potential," Wu says.