It was wonderful to see how music which balances on the jagged edges of human experience can pull communities of people together, full respect given to people like Pettis.

Many are surprised to learn that Pettis is a Peking University professor who once traded assets for Bears Stern on Wall Street. Only later did he become known as the Godfather of Beijing rock.

Pettis wryly commented that one doesn't leave Wall Street to get rich by supporting indie bands in China. Even when D-22 was packed to capacity, it was rarely a profit-making machine.