BEIJING, June 6 -- Rockers in China are gearing up for a three-day concert in Shenyang, in northeastern Liaoning Province, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of rock music in China. The concert, named "If There's Another 20 Years," will be staged at Shenyang Huochetou Gymnasium June 16 to 18.

    Along with China's "father of rock" Cui Jian and rock veteran band Tang Dynasty, relative newcomers Second-hand Rose, Xie Tianxiao and Painful Faith will also perform.

    Rock music will be blended with China's ethnic minority music for what is believed to be the first time. Xiao Rulian, 77, an acclaimed singer of the Naxi minority group in Yunnan Province, and competitors in the ethnic minority music category in the ongoing CCTV National Youth Singing Contest will perform with rock singers.

    Cui Jian is said to be the man behind the idea of mixing ethnic minority songs and rock music. In his Beijing concert last year, the Naxi singer Xiao was invited to be a special guest and impressed audiences with her angel-like voice. "Rock music is in fact the ethnic music of cities." Cui said.

    The three-day concert will bring together about 10 bands and dozens of individual singers. Performances will run for five hours each day, from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Cui will sing the concert's opening song and close the event with the last song.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily)