A singer who removed his pants during a performance at a rock festival in northern China was arrested by authorities. The local culture bureau of Shijiazhuang city stated that the singer, identified as Ding, was detained by the police for “damaging social morality.”
The police also fined the show organizer $28,000 and suspended them from hosting concerts.
Videos of the incident, which took place at the Rock Home Town festival on Saturday (July 29), were shared on Chinese social media. In the videos, the frontman of the band Violent Champagne is seen taking off his shorts while the performance is ongoing. The audience can be heard chanting “Drop the briefs!” However, the singer was actually wearing underwear in the footage.
Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, has been known for its indie music scene, and city officials have been trying to promote it further. Earlier this month, the city announced plans to host the Rock Home Town festival until October as a way to attract tourists and boost consumption during China’s post-Covid economic recovery.
However, the detention of the singer has led to criticism on social media, with many questioning the city’s commitment to the spirit of rock music. Some comments on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, expressed skepticism about Shijiazhuang’s claim to be the “City of Rock.”
The Shijiazhuang culture bureau clarified that Violent Champagne was not officially part of the festival’s lineup, as reported by state-run Jimu News. The bureau stated that it would enhance supervision of performances at the event and called on performers and staff to abide by laws and regulations, maintain moral standards, and provide positive and healthy entertainment for the audience.
In 2010, Shijiazhuang gained recognition in the music world when the local band Omnipotent Youth Society released the song “Kill the One from Shijiazhuang,” which became a hit.
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