'Veteran youths' bring live music to streets

At sunrise, Lanxiang Lake in Minhang District shimmers as soft music drifts from a passing yacht. Onboard, 11 elderly musicians in sunglasses play "Let's Sway Twin Oars," their instruments catching the morning light.

They call themselves the "Veteran Youth Band" – retirees with the spirit of teenagers, bringing music to parks, streets and landmarks across Shanghai.

Recently, their journey took them to Minhang. At daybreak, they boarded a yacht and played as it glided across Lanxiang, the district's largest artificial lake. Their set ranged from "I Love This Blue Ocean" to "Waves of Gulangyu," as they rippled over the water.

Wang Dekang, 74, stood by the rail with a harmonica in hand. The sun flashed off the metal reeds, casting a glint like memory.

"It's a good feeling," he said. "The trees, the water, the music – it relaxes the heart."

Later, at Pujiang First Bay Park, the wind off the Huangpu River carried the soft melody of "Grandma's

Penghu Bay." Pedestrians paused. Some hummed along.

But something quietly profound happened in a strawberry greenhouse on Yangxin Farm. As the band played the German song "Kleine Kinder Kleine Sorgen" ("Little Boy"), a 20-year-old man with autism named Kaikai stepped forward. Without a word, he lifted a harmonica and joined in, then high-fived each band member one by one.

"Music is like a key," said Yang Yujuan, the farm's owner. "It opens doors they usually keep closed." Nearby, Kaikai's mother watched with quiet joy.

He's happy," she whispered. "And so am I."

Such moments are familiar to the band. Over the years, they've played for children with autism, retirees in wheelchairs, delivery drivers between shifts, and commuters on their way home. In Shanghai's summer heat, they once played for eight hours straight. Often, they tailor their set lists to stir their audience's memories. No crowd is too small. No venue too ordinary.

"When we're happy," said 68-year-old guitarist Tian Liang, "we don't feel tired."

The band began humbly. A decade ago, Hu Xianqiang, now 76, brought his harmonica to Jing'an Park just after retiring. He played alone on a bench. Slowly, others joined. Today, they are 11 strong.

"In second grade, I figured out how to play 'The East is Red' by ear," Hu said. "Now this thing goes with me everywhere. It's like a piano in my pocket."

He's memorized hundreds of songs, earning him the nickname "USB brain."

Each Sunday afternoon, beneath the trees in Xujiahui Park, a crowd gathers. Sometimes, foreign tourists stumble across the music and join in the dancing. Once, a visitor waited an entire week just to hear them again.

"We've never charged a cent," said Luo Shanying, who plays the chord harmonica. "We don't just play melodies. We give shape to the city's soul."

Over the past decade, the band has performed in parks across Shanghai. But their stage extends far beyond the greenery. On the Lujiazui overpass, they played the "Triumphal March" for the morning rush. At sunset on the North Bund, "Sunset Glow" blended with ferry horns on the Huangpu River. During Spring Festival, "Unforgettable Tonight" echoed beneath lantern-lit trees on Maoming Road. On Waibaidu Bridge, the theme from "The Bund" revived the glamour of old Shanghai.

Their harmonicas are worn, their instruments dulled by time. But their purpose endures.

"We entertain ourselves, yes," Luo said. "But we bring joy to others too."

They have more shows ahead: nursing homes, a visit to military troops in August. There's always another stage.

"As long as music is still flowing," Luo said, "we won't grow old."