A direct contrast from heavily branded and sponsored festivals I have attended in the States, Antidote parlays it’s exclusivity and organic nature into an extremely fulfilling experience (the one major brand sponser I noticed, Vedett, sells beer. Beer sponsors are of course exempted from criticism). For example, examining my ticket, I noticed they were individually numbered by hand and only 450 were dished out. This made me feel exclusive and and entitled to be attending such an event. Companies looking to tap into a successful “experience” and “environment” should keep in mind this level of exclusivity. It’s an overall mindset of witnessing something amazing and knowing there are only 449 other people sharing the same experience. It’s impossible to feel this way in the midst of hundreds of thousands.

Antidote’s locale was set in a four-walled traditional Chinese courtyard. In order to find the venue, one had to first traverse through Zhujiajiao’s picturesque bridges and waterways. There was definitely an “adventure” type feeling to finally getting there. And the setting also provided a great way to gain a more rounded perspective of Chinese culture and music. The interconnectedness was both natural and stimulating.

The mix of hipster laowai’s from all over the world, local Chinese youth, curious older Chinese people, and the gazing eyes of bewildered Chinese cops is an astute example of globalization and international influence among China’s youth. Music has long acted as a cultural bridge and Antidote continued much in this tradition. Foreigners danced to Chinese DJ’s such as Ben Huang and B6, and old Chinese people were cutting rugs to foreign acts, such as Reptile and Retard and Ben Houge. It was also great to watch the artists finish their sets and then mingle in the crowd, enjoying the other shows, having a blast. Music is superb at bringing together diverse and eclectic people, and musical events in China such as Antidote, and other future events will continue to be a way for China’s music scene to grow. I hope to continue to see a cross transfer of musical ideas and cultural influences between China’s youth and international youth. It makes the world flatter, the music better, and party-goers drunker.