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THE PUSH SHOVE CHINA OUTLOOK WORDS, PHOTOS, EVERYTHING BY NICK PEDEN
Shanghai 2010. Thanks to being perpetually broke, some of us China-types regularly lingered outside our favorite dives and venues, throwing back corner-store beers and talking Asian youth culture ‘til the morning hours. Our unifying interest — perhaps obsession — was the future of alternative and street cultures in China. With mixed backgrounds in underground music scenes, action sports, graffiti, and all that good stuff, we’d ponder their roles in China, and scheme ways to encourage their prevalence. Fast forward a couple months, a couple more beers, and voila: THE PUSH SHOVE was born. It’s brand-spanking new and remains an evolving concept, but the goal is simple: rep China. This very moment, kids all over are starting to take spray paint to walls, skateparks are being built in cities you’ve never heard of, and hardcore bands are starting up their own crews. Admittedly, most scenes are still in their early stages, but that’s the fun part. As these cultures
are assimilated by local youths, they’re going through a localization process. That’s what turns us on: China’s assimilation and reinterpretation of international youth culture. In this, our very first publication, we offer some insights and forecasts as to what the world can expect from China’s alternative youth in 2011. Keep in mind this represents a smaller segment of youth, but that segment is growing fast. Also included, are stories from recent travels that have allowed yours truly to spend several months with youth all over the Mainland and Hong Kong. It’s been good times for us in China.
Keep Up, @NickPeden
Moonless Acheron at Nuts Club; Chongqing
Chaos CS at 4698 Livehouse; Changsha
iii. BEYOND SHANGHAI & BEIJING ...Tier two and three youth are going to be major contributors to China’s greater youth culture. When I talked to REN — the featured graffiti writer from Changsha — he gave a simple explanation for this trend. According to him...
Last year, brands, research agencies, and creative agencies were all salivating over tier 2 and 3 Chinese cities. Products and advertising are now being conceived specifically for these demographics. Wise. This will continue. But what we’re really interested in isn’t necessarily what’s being pumped into these cities, but rather what’s coming out of ‘em. If you’re not new to China, chances are you’ve kept up with — or at least heard of — developments in the more popular tier 2 cities like Changsha, Wuhan, and Chengdu. For instance, Wuhan is recognized for its music scene. It’s got one of the richest underground scenes in China, with most of China’s original punks still drinking at Wu Wei’s Prison Bar. And don’t forget Wuhan’s biggest musical export: AV Okubo. Already hugely successful in China, they’re garnering international recognition following their 2010 US tour including performances at SXSW. These cities will continue to contribute massively to China’s youth culture, but get ready for cities most of us have never heard of to start to become more familiar. Quanzhou is home to some of China’s best graffiti writers. Chaoshan just played host to a freestyle fixed gear event, and has appeared in skate videos on the Legion of Sorts blog. When I talked to REN — the featured graffiti writer from Changsha — he gave a simple explanation for this trend. According to him, it boils down to the relative economic and social freedom enjoyed by mid-to-upper class youth in these cities. Various filial and social factors have come together to produce an environment that is relatively lax when it comes to careers and financial success. Freer from such pressures — pressures that are overwhelmingly strong in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou — second tier youth have the time to explore personal interests or ambitions. Combine that with increased access to international youth culture through the net and media, and you’ve got a prime bastion for action sports, graffiti, bands, you name it. Don’t limit your vision of forward-thinking Chinese youth to the big eastern cities. SO WHAT? The assumption that tier 2 and 3 youth are merely emu-
lating their Shanghai and Beijing role-models is outdated and fundamentally wrong. Each of these cities have their own scenes with their own characteristics. Furthermore, certain scenes are even more developed in these cities than they are in the first tier. Just look at the photos of graffiti that follow. It’s crucial for brands to realize these youth have their own voice — one that will be increasingly powerful in China’s youth culture. So rather than simply localizing your messages, campaigns, and products, why not allow yourself to be their microphone. Empowering tier two and three youth will earn you the loyalty of a massive demographic. One that trumps Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. How to do this? Once again, we’ve got ideas. First and foremost, pinpointing the upcoming generation of trendsetters coming out of these cities is crucial. Then finding meaningful ways to collaborate with them. It’s also essential to understand the regional particularities. There’s no easy tier 2 and 3 solution. Youth in Wuhan have fundamentally different experiences and priorities than those in Hangzhou or Changsha.
PR EV W IE RAY HUBEST Crew; Wuhan
W2ODS & SEV; Wuhan
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