Over spring break, the Alley Cats toured five cities in China, performing and dining and sight-seeing across the south to the north.
The first day of tour began with a performance at Shanghai University. Then, the Cats hit the streets to explore the Yu Garden Market and taste some local street food. After Shanghai, they boated across the wetlands of Hangzhou, China's Tea Capital. In Chengdu, the Cats met some giant pandas, indulged in hot pot, and enjoyed a traditional tea cermonony before taking on Sichuan nightlife. The next morning, the cats took an early train to Xi’an, home of the Terracotta Warriors and the famous Everbright City. After performing at Xi’an Fanyi University, the group tried out calligraphy, Tai Chi, and paper cutting during a cultural exchange with the students. The tour ended in Beijing, Yixiao’s hometown. There, the Cats devoured authentic Peking duck and wandered through the city’s modern streets to historical havens, from the Summer Palace to the Great Wall. Not only did the Cats get to explore China’s historical monuments, they got to perform at one: the Forbidden City Concert Hall.
Check out some videos from that concert (and of the whole tour) on instagram, youtube, and the Spring Tour 2024 Gallery.