Big Apple site for Chinese music fest

Second Hand Rose, one of the rock bands under Modern Sky, performs at the Strawberry Music Festival this year. Li Lewei / China Daily

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Today, Chinese indie bands are being invited to perform abroad. "New relationships are being built between the bands and music industries, between China and the West. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, for instance, after performing in China invited Chinese band Queen Sea Big Shark to play a big show with them in the San Francisco area in 2009," says LoJudice.

One of Modern Sky's most successful musical exports, Rebuilding the Rights of Statues, or Re-Tros, as it is known for short, will perform at the inaugural US edition of the Modern Sky Festival.

"We've performed at Central Park during our tour before. But this time it will be different, because we will perform in the name of Modern Sky Music Festival," says Hua Dong, leading vocalist and guitarist of the band, which recently performed at Italy's Umbria Rock Festival and has toured the US for five times since 2007.

"We haven't decided what songs to perform, but I am sure the show will be special for the attendees."

For the upcoming festival at Central Park, Shen insisted on using a poster designed by his Chinese team to promote the event.

"The final poster has two people sitting on a blue sofa while floating in the air and looking at the sky. To some extent, it reflects the company's current situation, going up," says Shen, who has already booked the same venue for next year's Modern Sky Music Festival.

"But when I look at it, I still barely believe this is true. Maybe the moment when I actually stand among the crowds and watch the show, I will believe it."