Chai or no chai, Yugong Yishan keeps the party rolling

Last year Club Rui Fu entered the Beijing club scene with a bang. With Henry Lee, the man behind legendary bars like Neo Lounge, Vogue and Public Space at the helm, it seemed destined for the same notoriety as previous projects. Expat mags worked themselves into a frothing frenzy hailing the arrival of the new “it” destination for Beijing’s beautiful people. But just a few short months later, Rui Fu was no more.

So what happened? First, it was over-hyped. With celeb sightings like Blur/Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn, anyone leaving Rui Fu with a less than legendary night went home disappointed. But what it really came down to is demographics: Many Beijing nightlife regulars prefer to drink Coronas rather than smoke them. Fierce competition in the conspicuous consumption category (think: Centro, Lan and Face) couldn’t have helped.

As it turns out, the high end’s loss is the get-high end’s gain. The spacious venue on Zhangzi Zhonglu, just east of Dongsi Beidajie, will soon be the new Yugong Yishan (YGYS).

Unless you’ve been lost in a hutong or trapped in Shunyi, you’ll know YGYS has forged an ironclad reputation with its simple design, modest drink prices and the most eclectic music policy in the capital, regularly booking bands and DJs both local and laowai. After word spread that YGYS was to meet the wrecking ball, many wondered what would become of the atmosphere and energy fostered there. It was a platform for Beijing’s niche bands and party promoters and drew in a broad cross section of music lovers.

YGYS owner Lu Zhiqiang has been down this road before, when his first nightspot, the tiny Loup Chante, near the west gate of Tsinghua University was demolished. Lu then took a former pool hall across from Gongti, turned it around and YGYS was born. The move to bigger digs has Lu enthused in his characteristically understated way: “We should be able to fit somewhere around 700-800 people, and the upper rooms and outdoor section give us space for many more. It’s a chance for us for do bigger and better music events than in the past.”

Due to property developer decrees, the parking lot housing YGYS (and Red Ball, Bus Bar and Nan Jie) will fall to the conquering forces of the market around August first and despite a slightly circuitous route now that the front gate has been walled off, Lu is planning a massive farewell fiesta on July 27-29 (that’s right, it will last all weekend), featuring a long list of bands, DJs and musicians cranking it up one last time. It’s free and all of Beijing is invited.

What will the new Yugong look like? “I can’t tell you that,” Lu laughs. “But expect a big change from when you last saw it.” With his track record of taking out-of-the-way venues and creating a commotion, we shouldn’t worry too much about where Yugong Yishan will end up. Lu Zhiqiang is a cat who always seems to land on his feet.