"Are you ready Shanghai?!" screamed the DJ, his glowing booth nestled at the heart of a huge intricate structure of pulsating colour and sound.

Thousands roared back "yes!" as Tomorrowland, one of the world's biggest dance music festivals, made its China debut this weekend.

The move is a vote of confidence in the country's small but lively electronic dance music (EDM) scene -- and in its earning potential, despite slack consumer demand elsewhere in the economy.

Renowned for its star-studded line-ups and spectacular stagecraft, Tomorrowland's home edition in Belgium's Boom is a bucket list item for many hardcore ravers.

"For me, Tomorrowland is a dream," said Chinese EDM fan Mark, wearing sunglasses and a bright yellow arrow headdress.

EDM was "relatively niche" in China, he said, but

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