Do you remember when we wrote about [[rect*]]repair? The Shanghai-based game collective that organized an IRL game in a nightclub? Well, last month they brought the club scene back into the gaming world for The Found Video VJ Battle Royale at UFO Terminal. It was, once again, a refreshingly creative way to reimagine nightclub culture. Don’t worry if you weren’t there in person—here’s a recap before the next edition rolls around.

The idea started a year ago, when the organizers of [[rect*]]repair wanted to host an event that could break through the overproduction of contemporary nightclub culture. Typically in clubs, DJs almost always receive the most attention. No matter how good a VJ is, they often remain confined by one of the most common structures in China’s nightlife scene: visuals serve the music.

However, the driving force behind the battle royale was the organizers’ love of the internet. Under the overwhelming influence of algorithms, we may have forgotten that we now largely experience online life through platforms. But when the internet first reached a wider audience, it broke down barriers between elites and ordinary people. It opened up an entire world of connections. Joanna and d Viola from [[rect*]]repair, and Chen Xin from UFO Media Lab, are all part of a community of internet enthusiasts. They share interesting videos with friends and discover more through links passed along by others. Every share becomes a deeper dig into the online world. So why not limit the source material available to visual artists and turn it into a battle?

Because the concept is so unconventional, the hosts also organized a short workshop before the performance. They discussed the origins of internet digging and its role in the development of counterculture, particularly among young people. The kichiku (鬼畜) culture that emerged across Chinese and Japanese internet communities also helped fuel East Asia’s internet movement with its own distinctive aesthetic. Addiction, violence, abstraction, nonconformity—the internet’s most uncontrollable elements are what fascinate the event’s organizers and participants. Yet the battle royale still required structure. New rules were constantly developed throughout the preparation process. And with the rise of vibe coding, definitions of both the internet and the browser continue to evolve.

But one thing is certain: the organizers want visitors to participate. During each round, audience members moved to the side of their preferred team within a limited voting period. In the end, the team with the highest cumulative score would win. Throughout the battle royale, Team Red and Team Blue presented 24 unconstrained VJ collages. The happy kicker? After all that, the competition ended in a tie.

Even though the initial goal of moving beyond overproduction sounds ambitious, the event ultimately became something much simpler: a night for people to gather and have fun. The visual artists showcased many of their favorite techniques, from modifying backend code to manipulating browser windows to remixing abstract videos and using combinations of audio and text as storytelling tools. In one round, both competitors incorporated numerous video game clips while the DJ played 8-bit music. The vibe simply clicked.

To top it all off, the organizers and participants have documented the entire creative process, which you can see here! While we patiently wait for the next iteration of the event, one thing is clear: it’s wonderful to see spaces in China that embrace unconventional audiovisual experiences like this.

Cover Image via UFO Media Lab.