Why Live Music Matters: Implications from Streaming Music Festivals in the Chinese Indie Music Scene

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a new form of live music – streaming music festivals – has been popularised in China. With a particular reference to the Chinese indie music scene, this article critically examines the changes that streaming music festivals bring to audiences and music. Through a comparison to offline live music activities, this article examines the spatial change and its consequences for audiences, the shift of shared meaning within indie music communities, and the alteration in the value of music. This article argues, based on interviews and online ethnography, that by immersing themselves in live music, indie music lovers position themselves in multiple social relationships, seek shared meanings with peers, and construct the self through cultural participation; however, streaming music festivals cannot achieve similar effects as offline live music. The findings help us understand more about the digital trend of live music and allow us to reflect on what ‘live’ really means to the audience and the music.