The Concerts in China was a concert tour by Jean Michel Jarre in 1981. It marked the opening of post-Mao ZedongChina to live Western music. Five concerts were held in the two biggest cities on October 21 and 22 in Beijing, and on October 26, 27 and 29 in Shanghai.[1] The five concerts were filmed and recorded for later commercial releases.[2]
The concert was the first time Jarre had performed his music with other musicians with him on stage and featured the first use of a laser harp. The concerts featured all tracks from his latest album Magnetic Fields.
In 1981 (when Les Chants Magnétiques was released), the British Embassy gave Radio Beijing copies of Jarre albums, which became the first pieces of foreign music to be played on Chinese national radio in decades.[3] The Republic invited Jarre to become the first western musician to play in post-Mao Zedong China.[4] The performances were scheduled to run from 18 October to 5 November 1981.[5] However, only 5 concerts were given in total, two in Beijing and three in Shanghai.[1] The first, in Beijing, was initially attended mostly by officials, but before the concert began technicians realised that not enough power was available to supply the stage and auditorium. Chinese officials solved the problem by temporarily cutting power to the surrounding districts.[6]
The stadium was almost full when the concert began, but as Beijing's buses stopped running at about 10 o'clock, about half the audience left before it finished.[7] To boost the audience attendance for the second night, Jarre and his production team purchased some of the concert tickets and gave them to children on the streets (Jarre originally wanted the concerts to be free, but the Chinese authorities decided to charge between £0.20 and £0.50 per ticket).[6] The event was notable for its lack of audience involvement; the Chinese were apparently unmoved by both the music and the light show, and applause was muted. At the second venue, Shanghai, Jarre encouraged audience participation by stepping into the crowd, which became much more exuberant than that in Beijing.[8] Jarre in several of the concerts was accompanied by Chinese musicians playing traditional instruments.[9] Recordings of the concerts, which featured one of Jarre's signature electronic instruments, the laser harp, were released as a double-disc LP in 1982.[10][11]
^"China Is Exposed To Laser Rock", The New York Times, 22 October 1981, retrieved 22 June 2009
^Powell, Aubrey (director) (1997). Making the Steamroller Fly (TV documentary).
^Inc, Nielsen Business Media (11 July 1981). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 28 August 2022. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
Warwick, Neil; Brown, Tony; Kutner, Jon (2004), The complete book of the British charts: singles & albums (3rd ed.), Omnibus Press, ISBN1-84449-058-0
Further readingedit
"Record Review: Jean-Michel Jarre". Electronics & Music Maker. June 1982. pp. 13–4. OCLC 606328143.
October 27, 2023
concerts, china, concert, concerts, china, concert, tour, jean, michel, jarre, 1981, marked, opening, post, zedong, china, live, western, music, five, concerts, were, held, biggest, cities, october, beijing, october, shanghai, five, concerts, were, filmed, rec. The Concerts in China was a concert tour by Jean Michel Jarre in 1981 It marked the opening of post Mao Zedong China to live Western music Five concerts were held in the two biggest cities on October 21 and 22 in Beijing and on October 26 27 and 29 in Shanghai 1 The five concerts were filmed and recorded for later commercial releases 2 The concert was the first time Jarre had performed his music with other musicians with him on stage and featured the first use of a laser harp The concerts featured all tracks from his latest album Magnetic Fields Contents 1 Production 2 Set lists 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 Further readingProduction editIn 1981 when Les Chants Magnetiques was released the British Embassy gave Radio Beijing copies of Jarre albums which became the first pieces of foreign music to be played on Chinese national radio in decades 3 The Republic invited Jarre to become the first western musician to play in post Mao Zedong China 4 The performances were scheduled to run from 18 October to 5 November 1981 5 However only 5 concerts were given in total two in Beijing and three in Shanghai 1 The first in Beijing was initially attended mostly by officials but before the concert began technicians realised that not enough power was available to supply the stage and auditorium Chinese officials solved the problem by temporarily cutting power to the surrounding districts 6 The stadium was almost full when the concert began but as Beijing s buses stopped running at about 10 o clock about half the audience left before it finished 7 To boost the audience attendance for the second night Jarre and his production team purchased some of the concert tickets and gave them to children on the streets Jarre originally wanted the concerts to be free but the Chinese authorities decided to charge between 0 20 and 0 50 per ticket 6 The event was notable for its lack of audience involvement the Chinese were apparently unmoved by both the music and the light show and applause was muted At the second venue Shanghai Jarre encouraged audience participation by stepping into the crowd which became much more exuberant than that in Beijing 8 Jarre in several of the concerts was accompanied by Chinese musicians playing traditional instruments 9 Recordings of the concerts which featured one of Jarre s signature electronic instruments the laser harp were released as a double disc LP in 1982 10 11 Set lists editFirst Concert in Beijing Broadcast on Radio Oxygene 1 Oxygene 2 Equinoxe 8 Fishing Junks at Sunset Magnetic Fields 1 Magnetic Fields 2 1 Following Concerts The Overture Arpegiator Equinoxe 4 Fishing Junks at Sunset Band in the Rain Equinoxe 7 Orient Express Magnetic Fields 1 Magnetic Fields 3 Magnetic Fields 4 Laser Harp Night in Shanghai The Last Rumba Magnetic Fields 2References edit a b c Jarre Labs Concerts In China Jean Michel Jarre Retrieved 2019 11 09 An Echoes And Dust Guide To Jean Michel Jarre Part 2 Echoes And Dust Retrieved 2019 11 09 A Guide to Jean Michel Jarre s Biggest Live Performances daily redbullmusicacademy com Retrieved 24 August 2022 Biography Jeanmichel jarre com Retrieved 9 October 2019 Way Michael 11 July 1981 Jarre off to China to Map Autumn Tour Billboard p 59 retrieved 23 June 2009 a b Remilleux 1988 pp 74 75 China Is Exposed To Laser Rock The New York Times 22 October 1981 retrieved 22 June 2009 Powell Aubrey director 1997 Making the Steamroller Fly TV documentary Inc Nielsen Business Media 11 July 1981 Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc Retrieved 28 August 2022 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last1 has generic name help Warwick Brown amp Kutner 2004 pp 558 559 Remilleux 1988 p 77Bibliography editRemilleux Jean Louis 1988 Jean Michel Jarre English ed Futura Publications Ltd ISBN 0 7088 4263 1 Warwick Neil Brown Tony Kutner Jon 2004 The complete book of the British charts singles amp albums 3rd ed Omnibus Press ISBN 1 84449 058 0Further reading edit Record Review Jean Michel Jarre Electronics amp Music Maker June 1982 pp 13 4 OCLC 606328143 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Concerts in China concert amp oldid 1170412958, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
