The vast wilderness of Western China has long been a symbol of bleakness and isolation. Last summer, the Helan Mountain in northwestern China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region caught the attention of audiences around the whole nation for what was probably the biggest ever rock festival ever held in China, at the foot of the mountain. 
                        

Yinchuan, capital city of the region, became something of musical shrine as rock n'roll fans from all around the country poured in for one of the most exciting and unusual musical events of the past few years. Hotels in the small city filled up, train and plane tickets in and out of the normally laidback town sold out. What were only days before quiet and lazy provincial streets suddenly came to life with the influx of visitors.

Some 30 kilometers from downtown Yinchuan lies the Phoenix Valley where the massive Helan Mountains are visible in the distance—an idyllic spot for a large rock festival. In the scorching desert of the valley's basin, a large stage was built and the slopes of the natural basin formed a natural stand for the audience. From the afternoon onwards, groups and then hordes of backpackers, local residents and journalists with tents and sleeping bags began pouring into the area.

At 8 o'clock in the evening, local band Suyang opened the three-day festival, bathed in the rays of the setting sun. Despite the long and arduous journey to the site, audiences seemed unprepared for what was unfolding in front of their eyes. But slowly, the crowds began to come to life, driven on by Suyang's hypnotic combination of rock n'roll and local Flower, or Huaer folk music. As the band played, more and more people arrived and by the end of their set, the crowd was a screaming, cheering mass.

Following the local talent came some of the biggest names in Chinese rock, one by one. The reticent Zhang Chu, electro talent Wang Lei and legendary rock diva Luo Qi were enough to remind audiences the best days of Chinese rock'n'roll. And when Heibao, or Black Panther performed some of its classic numbers at the end of the first day's show, thousands sang along in chorus.

Forty-six year old Liao Li is from Chong Qing autonomous city in west China. It was hard not to notice him even among thousands of gyrating audience members: he was dressed in 1930's Chinese army uniform an accompanying flag, also from the same period.

"This kind of music is wonderful. It's even better than football, which sometimes lacks such heart rending emotion."

Liao Li is among the many nostalgic people that seemed to come to the festival to reconnect with their past. Zhang Tianjiao from Beijing takes a lot of odd jobs. She's an ardent rock fan and is familiar with almost all the bands at the festival.

"Everyone has that nostalgic mood. Some people came here for the sake of nostalgia. For me, I'm here to see that Chinese rock is continuously progressing. I hope the road it's going to take will be a bright one and I'm sure this will soon be proved."

The girl said her family was not rich when she was a child. She was somewhat precocious and more independent than kids of her age. She says she fell in love with the music when she first heard it, and has been a big fan for years, following all the main bands.

For fans like Zhang and Liao, the show is like returning to their youth which was played out against a background of 1st generation Chinese rock music. The Helanshan festival, billed as a look at the road that Chinese rock & roll has traveled over the past 20 years, is undoubtedly what the fans need.

For three continuous days, a total of 18 bands took part and performed 15 hours of live music for enthralled rock fans. Each day's show lasted until well after midnight with audiences perspiring, yelling and dancing to the beat of the music. On stage were the best rock bands and musicians that ever emerged in China including Tang Dynasty, Black Panther and the father of Chinese Rock & Roll, Cui Jian. All entertained audiences with their greatest hits, and the festival showcased some of the newer bands on the scene, like Second Hand Rose and Bu Yi.

Chinese rock music sprung up at the beginning of the 80s when major changes were taking place in the nation and different cultures were bound to influence the new generations. The early 90s was the best time for Chinese rock which saw Cui Jian, Tang Dynasty, Black Panther, Zhang Chu, He Yong, Dou Wei and other bands performing with great creativity and diverse styles. However by the end of the 90s, fewer great bands were emerging and the older bands were making far fewer records than before. Compared to pop music, rock'n'roll seemed to be declining in popularity. But despite gloomy predictions about the future of the music, persevering rock entrepreneurs continued to promote the music.

Huang Liaoyuan is a famous music critic and one of the masterminds behind the event. He's been working with major bands for years, and said the idea for the festival first came to him 2 years ago when he felt like he should do something for Chinese rock'n'roll.

"I've been in the rock circle for over 10 years and once worked with some bands like Tang Dynasty and Second Hand Rose. I also wrote quite a few articles on the music. These rock musicians are like buddies to me. I was always longing to do something significant for them. In fact rock'n'roll is a very vigorous and genuine musical form. I hope more media will keep their eyes on it."

Huang says the festival organizers brought about 100 tons of musical equipment all the way from Beijing to ensure the best sound for the festival. At the festival, the deafening sound of the bands on stage overwhelmed many of the fans.

Three days seemed too short for devoted rock'n'roll fans. But there's little doubt this festival will be remembered for the happiness it brought to the audience. And Zhao Nian, the drummer for Tang Dynasty says bringing joy to the audiences is what the music is all about:

"We get happiness from music. Many people may not feel happy with what they're doing now. They are frustrated and think their work is only a dull way to make a living. But we're happy with our work and music gives us that sense of satisfaction. That's the spirit of rock music. "