MAO Livehouse

Opened in spring 2007, the live music venue simply called MAO, with no Chinese name to speak of, makes a nice addition to Beijing’s growing array of mid-size performance spots.

MAO is stealthily tucked away within the single-story, old-style Beijing storefronts on Gulou Dong Dajie, and has an unfinished, industrial sort of feel that stands in blissful opposition to Beijing’s hideous, noveau-riche, neon-flashing, epilepsy-inducing dance clubs.

Despite its stark, concrete interior design, MAO boasts a modern sound system of the highest quality – provided by one of the venue’s investors, Japan’s M.S.I. speaker company.

You’d never guess from the outside, but MAO’s got a decent amount of standing room compared to some of Beijing’s other small live venues, such as Star, Yugong Yishan or D-22. The management claim 500 can cram into the all-standing venue – combining the dancefloor, outlying walkways and the small raised loft – it’s almost believable.

The club seems to have decided to end performances quite early for Beijing (before 11pm). Partly, perhaps, to accommodate the student crowd who like to bus in from campus, but more likely not to incur the wrath of any of their elderly neighbours. With Japanese label Bad News Records as a major investor, you shouldn't be surprised to see a few of their artists such as Brain Failure or Houhai Sharks onstage.