This August, Marshall took over Eastern Suburb Memory in Chengdu for Keep Live Music Alive—a six-day music and culture festival that is the first of its scale staged by Marshall anywhere in the world.
SHANGHAI, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hosted in collaboration with ecommerce platform Tmall, the festival brought together established headliners and underground acts alongside a loud lineup of community events and exhibitions all designed for one thing: the celebration of live music. Leading the performances were Second Hand Rose, one of China’s defining rock bands, who joined a packed billing of artists and musicians representing multiple generations of Chinese music. Surrounding the live music, Marshall-themed exhibitions, a Marshall x Hendrix™ 60th Anniversary Collection showcase, and hands-on experiences, plus talks and workshops in the Marshall Village, created a community event where Marshall’s legacy of supporting live music rang out loudly for the entire country to hear.
GENERATIONS SHARE THE STAGE TO CELEBRATE LIVE MUSIC
From rock legends to up and coming indie bands, Keep Live Music Alive brought together artists representing China’s live music scene over the decades to share the energy of music where it most comes alive—the stage. On 8 August, the live performances got even louder as Second Hand Rose played a special show alongside STOLEN, HYPER SLASH, Characterless and Fayzz, putting established acts and emerging talent side by side in a diverse showcase of Chinese live music.
Drawing on a broad palette of traditional Chinese influences, Second Hand Rose has gone from playing grassroots venues to headlining some of the country’s biggest stages as one of China’s most distinctive voices in rock. With a story that echoes the very journey of live music itself in China, they define the one-of-a-kind connection between music and audience that lives only on the stage.
For more than 60 years, Marshall has been on stage everywhere from independent venues to the world’s biggest stages amplifying this experience and supporting live music. By backing the artists, venues and communities where live music lives, Marshall is committed to giving the next generation of artists a stage to be heard and connect with fans.
BACK TO WHERE THE SOUND STARTED: SIX DECADES OF MARSHALL ON STAGE
During Keep Live Music Alive, fans were invited to step right into Marshall’s heritage with an exhibition designed to echo the feel of the Bletchley Marshall factory in the UK. Bringing together original and classic Marshall models alongside the Lunar New Year Edition and rare pieces from the factory archive and historical footage, the exhibition traced the brand’s history supporting musicians and live music for more than 60 years. At its centre, a dedicated Marshall x Hendrix™ 60th Anniversary Collection showcase explored the bond between the legendary guitarist and Marshall, revisiting the pivotal moments where the Marshall sound became part of the fabric of rock itself. Visitors could also plug in and play with a selection of Marshall guitar amps and experience the powerful, room-filling sound of Acton IV and Stanmore IV home speakers, discovering how the same world-class studio and stage sound can now be enjoyed at home.
VENUES AND COMMUNITIES FROM ACROSS CHINA COME TOGETHER AT THE MARSHALL VILLAGE
“A live music scene is only as healthy as its venues and local communities. They give artists a place to play and meet, and they keep musicians, fans and a city’s music culture connected,” says Nick Street, CMO of Marshall Group.
Hosted alongside the main event, the Marshall Village saw venues and labels from across the country come together in one place to celebrate their shared role in the evolution of China’s rock and live music. From Beijing’s SCHOOL Bar and Shanghai’s OKOK to Wuhan’s VOX Livehouse and Chengdu’s Little Bar, these venues and labels have played an integral role in the rise of the nation’s live music scene, and their meeting in one place put the future of live music at the front of the conversation.
Also in the Marshall Village, additional stages and pop-up performances gave newer artists a platform to connect with audiences from across the country. Vinyl listening parties, exclusive merchandise, and interactive installations were also hosted in collaboration with music and creative partners including MINTONE, AXIS, BIE and JEFF.Free PARK, while industry talks, workshops and live podcasts took the conversations even further.
MARSHALL AND TMALL KEEP LIVE MUSIC ALIVE, FROM CHENGDU TO THE WORLD
As the home to one of China’s most vibrant live music scenes, Chengdu was the natural opening act for the launch of Keep Live Music Alive in China. But Marshall’s commitment to supporting live music doesn’t stop there, and together with Tmall, Marshall is amplifying the sounds, people, and stories from the six-day festival to audiences around the country.
From the artists on stage, to the venues and communities supporting live music, and to all the fans who made the journey, Keep Live Music Alive in Chengdu has shown the world what it means to be Made of Loud.
To learn more about Keep Live Music Alive and Marshall’s commitment to supporting live music, visit marshall.com/amplify.
ABOUT MARSHALL AMPLIFY
Marshall Amplify is Marshall’s initiative to support grassroots music. Through the initiative, Marshall commits an amount equal to 1% of member purchases on marshall.com, starting with independent music venues. Learn more at marshall.com/amplify.
ABOUT MARSHALL GROUP
Marshall Group is the audio, tech and design powerhouse uniting musicians and music lovers through genre-breaking innovation. Marshall, our flagship brand, is uniquely positioned with over 60 years of rock ‘n’ roll attitude on stage, at home and on the go. Our iconic products are brought to life by a dedicated team of 800 passionate employees and sold in over 90 markets worldwide.
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