Chinese underground interviews: Meet the 2Kolegas owners.
The Interview is both in English and Chinese, so don’t
hesitate to share it .
Interview #3, Liu Miao and Gaofeng of 2Kolegas:
Hi Liu Miao, you and Gaofeng are the two owners at “2Kolegas”, an important live venue in Beijing. When did you open 2Kolegas and why ? What can you tell us about 2Kolegas ?
2个好朋友是在北京很出名的一个演出地，你们什么时候出于什么原因开的2个好朋友酒吧? 2个好朋友酒吧是个什么样的地方？
We openned 2Kolegas on the 28 May of 2005. We celebrate the anniversary of the bar every year, it’s a very important event for us. I think 2K is a lot like me and Gaofeng, it’s a place with a strong personality where you can be relaxed, find friends, be a hippie, a place people one can easily like.
我们俩是在2005年的5月28号开的~哈哈~我俩发~每年会有酒吧的生日~也是我们每年比较重要的一个活动~2K 我自己认为是一个跟我和高峰性格很像的地方~ 随意 亲和 爱交朋友 很嬉皮~很热闹~总之是一个很容易让人喜欢的地方~哈哈~
You are originally from Ningxia, a province of central China, how is life there ? How about the music there ?
你们两个人原来是宁夏的，那边的生活怎么样？那边的音乐怎么样?
I am from Ningxia, Gaofeng is from Inner Mongolia. There are many young people in Ningxia doing music, I’m not there often there these days so I don’t know very well what happens there. Still, I know there are lots of young people in Ningxia playing music and that makes me very happy.
刘淼是宁夏人~高峰是内蒙人~ 在宁夏有很多年轻人做音乐~我很久不在，所以我不是很了解现在的宁夏在发生着什么~但是我知道有很多年轻人在玩音乐~ 这个让我很高兴~
What pushed you to come to Beijing ?
你们两个为什么来到北京？
Gaofeng came to Beijing to go to University, he was never going to class and was playing music, playing bass, then later he quit his job. I came to Beijing because I wanted to start a band and see concerts. I have been in the scene ever since.
高峰来北京上大学，自己也玩乐队~弹贝斯~后来工作~辞职~刘淼是因为音乐来带北京~当时就想找人组乐队~看演出~一直混了很长时间~哈哈哈~
2Kolegas is located in a Drive-in, why did you choose to open 2Kolegas in this area ?
2个好朋友酒吧在北京汽车电影院里面，你们为什么选择这个地方开酒吧？
It’s very simple, the atmosphere in this place is very different. There’s a lake, there’s grass to lay on,it makes people feel like they are not in the city. The place is a bit isolated, so noone comes to bother us, and we won’t bother anybody haha.
很简单，这个地方的感觉很不一样~有湖，有草地~让很多人感觉不是在城市里~而且独立~没人打扰我们~更不怕我们打扰别人~哈哈~
Liu Miao, you play in 3 different bands, including WHAI (Electro-Rock), Li Dong (Folk) and Nucleus (Grunge). How did you start playing drums and what are you plans for the future with those three different bands ? What does it mean for you to play music in Beijing ?
刘淼, 你在北京的3个乐队里面打鼓，坏乐队(电子摇滚)，立东(民谣)，核乐队(Grunge).你是怎么开始打鼓的？你跟这个乐队将来有什么计划？对你来说在北京做音乐什么意义？
I have three bands which I all really like. Those three bands have very different styles. Lidong will publish its second album this year. Nucleus and WHAI are preparing albums recorded in real studios and also many concerts, it feels great haha. I came to Beijing because I like music, it’s been 13 years now. I am still playing music and doing things connected to music, this is what is interesting for me.
我有三个乐队~我都很喜欢~核乐队是第一个乐队~立东是第二，2012年加入WHAI 三种不一样的风格~立东明年要发行第二章唱片~核跟WHAI正在准备做一张真正的录音室专辑~包括很多很多的演出~~哈哈~很爽~ 我来北京就是因为喜欢音乐~所以我来北京玩音乐~13年了~我还是在玩音乐~和做跟音乐有直接关系的事情~这个就是意义~
What do you think of the Chinese music scene ? How do you think it is going to develop ?
你对中国地下音乐有什么看法？你觉得以后会有什么发展？
I think the underground Chinese music still isn’t mature enough, it still is mostlhy in a phase of imitation, but there are also bands that have started there own creative path, this is something that should be respected. These bands should have more possibilities to play in good shows and big music festivals etc… Also, it is important to educate the audience and interact wih them, in that way things will go further.
中国的地下音乐我个人觉得还是不够成熟~还处于模仿的阶段~但是也有很大一批乐队开始走自己风格的路线~这点很可贵~值得尊重~多给他们演出的机会~而且需要大的演出机会~大型音乐节~等等这样的~而且要培养观众和听众~，互动起来~才会走的更远~
What are the most interesting bands you have seen in all your years at 2Kolegas ?
你们那么多年在两个好朋友听到和看到的最好的乐队是谁？
There are many many good bands that play at 2K, I don’t know who is better, I can only say who is more mature. For example, « The Amazing Insurance Salesmen », my own three bands, reTros, Nova Heart etc…
There also bands coming from the West to tour un China, they are all very good. To be honest, their also are a lot of very bad bands. This is what I think.
在2K 演出的好乐队真的是太多太多了~我不知道该说谁更好~只能说谁更成熟~比如保险超人~哈哈~我自己的三个乐队~重塑雕像的权力~NOVA HEART等等很多好的乐队~~包括还有从西方来中国巡演的乐队！都很优秀~~但是说实话~也有很不好的乐队~ 我个人的想法~
What are your plans for the future ?
你们将来有什么计划？
We plan to change 2K a little bit, make it a bit bigger. We will change the lights, the sound equipment and make things a bit more professional. We will use the area outside a bit more.
Under the right circumstances we will do our own music festival.
下一步我们准备把2K改造一下~把他变的大一些~灯光音响再专业些~多增加演出的时间，多利用门口的草地~有机会,时间和条件的情况下，我们会做自己品牌的音乐节~
To contact 2Kolegas, get to their website:
http://www.2kolegas.com/
May you get what you need.
See you soon.
