Famous singers light up Beijing's iconic venues as the autumn concert wave hits early

This past weekend, many music fans in Beijing faced a delightful “choice paralysis.” On the evening of September 7, Hua Chenyu, Miriam Yeung, Lin Zhixuan, and Yu Jiayun held individual concerts at the National Stadium (Bird's Nest), Workers' Stadium, Huaxi LIVE·Wukesong, and National Stadium, with Hua Chenyu's concert at the Bird's Nest returning for a second night on the 8th.

The “sweet troubles” are far from over; the audience's 'inability to clone themselves' will continue through this weekend's Mid-Autumn Festival holiday (September 14 and 15). Major concerts will take place at iconic venues like Huaxi LIVE·Wukesong, Workers' Stadium, and the National Speed Skating Oval 'Ice Silk Ribbon,' creating a dazzling wave in Beijing's concert market as the city enjoys its most beautiful early autumn.

Hua Chenyu's Bird's Nest Concert creates a national style feast

The grand stage at the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) has always provided ample space for singers to showcase their talents. Hua Chenyu's 'Mars Concert,' held on September 7 and 8, marks his third personal concert at the Bird's Nest in his 11-year career. Last year, he became the first artist to use a four-sided stage format at the Bird's Nest for his concert; this year, the newly upgraded four-sided stage concert brought even more surprises for fans.

Hua Chenyu Concert Scene

Over two consecutive nights, Hua Chenyu brought a feast of national style infused with Eastern aesthetics to the Bird's Nest. Classic elements such as the Classic of Mountains and Seas, Sanxingdui, and traditional Chinese landscape paintings were cleverly combined with stage design. Hua Chenyu performed alongside ten traditional musicians, blending various Chinese instruments like the suona, flute, pipa, guzheng, morin khuur, and xiao with modern pop songs. His representative works, including An Ordinary Yet Extraordinary Life, Igniting the Bonfire at the End of the Galaxy, and I Really Want to Love This World, resonated through the venue, creating a wonderful night shared with tens of thousands of fans.

Hua Chenyu's Bird's Nest Concert

While Hua Chenyu made a stunning appearance at the Bird's Nest, singer-songwriter Yu Jiayun was performing at the National Indoor Stadium nearby, showcasing his personal style. Meanwhile, at Huaxi LIVE·Wukesong on Beijing's West Fourth Ring Road, Lin Zhixuan's clear and powerful voice filled the air with classic songs like The Leaving Person and Single's Love Song, highlighting his exceptional vocal skills. In the Workers' Stadium in Sanlitun, Miriam Yeung kicked off a night of Hong Kong music classics, with guest appearances by Lin Zhiqiang and Ye Qianwen, immediately sending the audience's cheers soaring to the stadium's dome.

New Workers' Stadium Hosts Three Consecutive Weeks of Concerts Amid Performance Peak

'Hello, Beijing! I'm so happy to finally be at the Workers' Stadium!' Miriam Yeung exclaimed to nearly 30,000 audience members during her 'MY TREE OF LIVE' concert. For the audience, the Workers' Stadium is a key venue for pop concerts in Beijing, and for artists, stepping onto its stage is a testament to their strength and talent.

Miriam Yeung Expresses Excitement on Weibo Before Taking the Stage at Workers' Stadium

The premiere of Cui Jian's Nothing to My Name at the Workers' Stadium in 1986 marked the beginning of a new era for Chinese pop and rock music. Since then, singers performing in Beijing have taken pride in stepping onto the Workers' Stadium stage, which can accommodate tens of thousands. 'This stage once felt impossible for me. The Workers' Stadium represents a milestone, and as a Cantonese singer, it was a dream that seemed out of reach,' Miriam Yeung said, tearing up during her concert. She surprised fans with a special Beijing-themed setlist, saying, “Thank you all, and thank you to myself for persevering. We’ve grown together to this point, and I’m so happy to have this opportunity to stand here at 50!”

Miriam Yeung Takes Photos During Rehearsal at the New Workers' Stadium

In July 2020, the Workers' Stadium initiated protective renovations, which were officially completed in 2023. After reopening, the stadium hosted the 'Summer of Bands' concert in 2023 and has entered a peak concert season this early autumn, with Accusefive, Miriam Yeung, and Mariah Carey performing over three consecutive weekends. Notably, Mariah Carey will perform during the Mid-Autumn Festival, marking her return to China and the Workers' Stadium after a ten-year absence since 2014.

Miriam Yeung at the New Workers' Stadium Concert

A representative from the Workers' Stadium explained that to welcome fans from across the country, the newly renovated stadium upgraded from the original two-tier 'disc-shaped' stands to a four-tier 'bowl-shaped' structure. This not only increased seating capacity, allowing a three-sided stage concert to accommodate 38,000 spectators, but also significantly enhanced the audience's experience and comfort. The new stadium removed the original circular track, reducing the minimum distance between the first-tier stands and the stage to just 8.5 meters, greatly shortening the distance between the audience and the performers. This design creates a sense of intimacy between fans and their favorite stars. In the future, the new Workers' Stadium aims to become the capital's largest integrated hub for urban culture, sports, and consumption, offering more diverse and high-quality cultural entertainment options for the people of Beijing.

The 'Ice Silk Ribbon' Becomes a New Landmark for Concerts

The concert craze in Beijing will continue through the Mid-Autumn holiday, with the emerging rock band Ma Yuan Shi Ren performing at a new venue in the concert market—the National Speed Skating Oval 'Ice Silk Ribbon.' This signifies that the Winter Olympic venue is taking on a new role, transforming into a new cultural and entertainment landmark in Beijing.

The National Speed Skating Oval 'Ice Silk Ribbon' is a landmark venue in the main competition area for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and has since opened for diversified operations. In mid-August this year, the 'Ice Silk Ribbon' hosted its first large-scale commercial concert—Da Zhangwei's 'Great Times' concert, marking another innovative breakthrough in the post-Games utilization of the venue. As a newly added concert venue, the 'Ice Silk Ribbon' features a total of 12,000 seats in the stands, while the 12,000-square-meter arena can accommodate about 7,000 spectators. Thanks to protective measures for the ice surface, large concerts can be held directly on the 'ice surface.

Ice Silk Ribbon

A representative from the National Speed Skating Oval explained that the seating area of the 'Ice Silk Ribbon' is maintained at a suitable temperature, allowing for various types of events to be held year-round. In the future, whether it's concerts by renowned domestic and international artists, music festivals, or other cultural and entertainment activities, the National Speed Skating Hall will shine brightly.

Currently, Beijing boasts a significant number of large venues capable of hosting concerts. Traditional venues like the National Stadium, National Indoor Stadium, Capital Gymnasium, and Huaxi LIVE·Wukesong have long been considered sacred spaces for performances by audiences across the country. With the return of the Workers' Stadium and the transformation of the National Speed Skating Hall 'Ice Silk Ribbon,' the number of concert venues in Beijing is steadily increasing, and the accompanying services are becoming more comprehensive. This indicates a continuing rise in the heat of the concert market in Beijing. Industry insiders note that having a sufficient number of high-quality large venues in a city is essential for the smooth execution of concerts. In the future, a richer and more diverse array of concerts will take place in Beijing, showcasing the city's vibrant vitality as a 'City of Performing Arts.'