Art beat in August

[Photo/China Daily]

Pet Shop Boys go electric

One of the most successful pop groups in the world, Pet Shop Boys is embarking on their first tour to the Chinese mainland this summer, bringing electronic dance music from their 17th album, Electric, along with their hits selected from their 30-year career, including West End Girls, Go West and Always on My Mind. The duo, which consists of Neil Tennant on vocals, keyboards and guitar and Chris Lowe on keyboards, have sold more than 50 millions records worldwide and have been nominated for six Grammy awards. The new album has evolved as a response to their previous albums. Pet Shop Boys was one of the very first Western electronic music artists known by Chinese fans. The duo became better known in China after performing West End Girls at the closing ceremony of the London Olympic Games.

8 pm, Aug 20. Shanghai Grand Stage. Aug 22, Beijing Mastercard Center. 400-620-6006.

Artist with attitude remains calm

The Meilidao International Art Institution is presenting The Attitude of Painting - a solo exhibition of works by Chinese artist Xu Chenyang. As one part of the institution's Young Artist Project, the exhibition features Xu's oil paintings and oil pastel drawings. Xu believes high-speed society is destructive, and the traditional culture should be preserved. His works stand between the realistic and abstract, using dots to compose all the images. By doing this Xu hopes to deliver the message of calm, elegant and oriental.

10 am-6 pm, until Aug 22. Meilidao International Art Institution, 32 Baiziwan Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-5826-3255.