The season of music is back in full swing and Beijing music fans are keen to see if organizers will step up their game after last summer’s largely hit-or-miss offerings. This June, a new contender enters the arena (a very big one—the Olympic Sports Center) bringing a little tender loving care: the KAMA Love Music Festival. It runs June 5-6 and promises three stages and over 20 acts, including international heavyweights like the EELS and the Cowboy Junkies.

“We’re all about bringing love,” says Zhang Youdai, better known as DJ Youdai, arguably China’s most popular alternative radio DJ and one of the organizers of the event. “For me, festivals are about celebrating life … so we’re bringing together all the good things that everyone loves about life, not just music.” The festival promises exhibitions from up-and-coming local artists, while it is rumored that gastronomes will be able to dig into tasty, affordable eats. The festival aims to stimulate all the body’s senses for a more complete and fulfilling experience.

American alternative rockers The EELS, British art-rock band These New Puritans and blues-folk troubadours the Cowboy Junkies headline the festival’s main stage (the Love stage). The big-name international acts are backed by some of Asia’s finest rockers on the Love and Kama stages, like Cao Fang, Wu Bai and Super VC. But we’re betting the festival’s most interesting stage is the smaller Hope stage which features a selection of more offbeat acts. Youdai explains the philosophy: “In the West, each genre can have its own festival, and there are enough fans to make up a decent-size crowd. In China, that’s not the case, so we’ve brought jazz, blues, folk and other more specialist styles as an alternative to the big rock bands.” Danish jazz singers Cathrine Legardh and Katrine Madsen will be Hope stage highlights.

Part of a long-running live music initiative from Chinese T-shirt brand KAMA, the festival is the largest event the company has put together. Despite the heavy sponsorship—often an instant turn-off for festival-goers in the West—the KAMA Love Festival seems to have taken its cue from Youdai’s own slogan of “love and hope.” Here’s hoping June brings Beijing some good karma.

DETAILS

What: KAMA Love Music Festival

Where: Olympic Sports Center

When: Sun., June 5-Mon., June 6, 1pm

Entry: ¥180/¥260/¥300

Tel: 6417-7845