Wu says that they embarked on the Japan tour with a humble heart, simply hoping to make their music heard, not caring about the size of the audience that showed up and wanting to learn from other veteran musicians.

The tour turned out to be an enlightening experience. Performing with Japanese musicians to predominantly Japanese audiences proved an in-depth, cross-cultural exchange.

Wu says that he was impressed by the strong, multigenerational rock music fan base in Japan, the virtuosity of Japanese musicians and Japan's well-developed music industry.

But Buyi was not daunted by appearing with high-level acts. Instead, Wu believes that they were able to bring their own style to the stage, and discovered the edge Chinese bands enjoy — a vigor unpolished by the music industry.

"Many of our songs have a powerful energy distinctive of Northwest China. We lived in a place with deserts, and our music shares that raw and rugged quality. The Japanese musicians often mentioned our 'energy', saying that, although they couldn't understand our lyrics, they felt our unique energy," Wu says.

"I consider these exchanges especially meaningful. We were respected for our style. Though we might not be as technically proficient, we performed and expressed what we wanted to convey and the audience and musicians received our message. The beauty of live music is truly irreplaceable."

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