The normal abnormal

In the live music scenes of Beijing and beyond, expatriate rockers discover receptive audiences and a vibrant, anything-goes atmosphere that encourages originality and experimentation

Forget the Great Wall and forget the Forbidden City; if you really want to know what sets the Chinese capital apart, tune in now and get with the Beijing beat. If you do, you may well find that it has become one of the most exciting music scenes on the planet.

That at least is the way expatriate musicians who perform in the city are seeing and hearing things.