Imagine a landscape of green grasslands uninterrupted by roads, fences, or power lines. Horses run freely across the plains while sheep and goats dot the hills. In the distance sits a nomadic tent, or ger. This is the Mongolia that evokes a collective memory of Chinggis Khan, Mongolia’s ancient founder, and images of Central Asian cowboys. It is home to eagle hunters (and huntresses) and herders of all kinds of livestock—camels, reindeer, yaks, you name it. This is the Mongolia that attracts nearly 500,000 adventure tourists annually in search of an endless blue sky.

But there is another Mongolia. Nearly half of the population lives in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar, making the nation the least densely populated in the world. While nomads are riding horses and tending to their herds, the urban youth are creating a vibrant independent music scene. Here, rock, folk, rap, metal, and even reggae have found a place. On any given night, live music brings the city’s bars to life. And the youth’s demand for more music and more venues means new clubs are popping up each year in the capital locals affectionately call “UB."

A generation ago, this sort of music scene was unheard of.

A generation ago, this sort of music scene was unheard of. In the early 1990s, Mongolia transitioned from a Communist regime to a multi-party system with a market economy. The political and economic shift led to a years-long depression, making tapes, CDs, and musical instruments hard to come by. It wasn’t unusual for people to make their own guitars—even the electric variety. At the same time, residents of Ulaanbaatar were experiencing a cultural shift. The Western music that had previously been forbidden was now available, albeit a limited selection that included Boyz II Men, Madonna, and Queen. Young music enthusiasts gravitated to everything from boy bands to grunge, reproducing the music of their favorite bands with Mongolian lyrics.

Fast-forward to 2017, and the scene is blossoming. For any adventure tourist considering a trip to Mongolia, it’s well worth spending a couple extra nights in UB to check out a local music scene that just two decades ago, was virtually non-existent.

Where to catch the scene

If you’re looking for relaxed and intimate, then Dund Gol is your spot. Named for the Dund River, which flows through UB, this cafe sells Soviet-era vinyl and hosts small shows and film screenings. Founded by DJ DLOB, the cafe is just the latest iteration of a years-long music project. Dund Gol started as a record label and soon morphed into a monthly traveling DJ salon, where DLOB would feature music that was new to Mongolia and welcome others to share their own tunes. Now, it is a casual space for the indie arts community and hardcore crate-diggers.

Prefer a cold Chinggis beer with your music? Go-to clubs are Gandan Live House and The Basement. The former gets its name from the nearby Gandan Monastery, the largest in the city, and the mid-sized venue hosts all of Mongolia’s top indie bands as well as some international acts just passing through. The city’s best underground club, The Basement, is (unsurprisingly) found in the basement of one of Ulaanbaatar’s major landmarks: the ikh delguur—or "big shop"—State Department Store, which has six floors comprising a supermarket, bookstore, electronics, a children's section, food court, and more.

Look out for...

If you’re lucky, you might catch a show by folk act Magnolian. The singer-songwriter, whose real name is Dulguun Bayasgalan, played at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, but he's best enjoyed at home. With a mellow baritone voice and somber- yet-upbeat tunes, his music sits somewhere between Leonard Cohenand The National.

You’d be remiss if you left UB without hearing one of the most popular indie rock bands, The Lemons. Drawing from bands like The Strokes, this group has been shaping the local music scene for over a decade.

If you’ve ever wondered what throat singing—a traditional technique where one vocalist produces two pitches simultaneously—paired with drums and an electric horse-head fiddle sounds like, then look no further than Altan Urag. This must-see act was the first to electrify traditional instruments, and has led Mongolia’s recent folk rock movement.

Bodikhuu is UB’s premiere mixer of house and hip hop beats. He migrated from Western Mongolia in his late teens and has since become a local staple, remixing old Mongolian tunes with current beats. He released his fifth album, Tokyo, in February.

The major happenings

It’s worth planning a trip in July for the double whammy of Playtime Music Festival and Naadam, the national festival of “manly sports” (think wrestling, archery, and horseback racing). This summer marks the fifteenth Playtime, Mongolia’s largest annual music festival. Mongolia’s top indie acts, as well as a few foreign bands, will be taking the stage over three days. Tent camping is strongly encouraged.

If you’re planning a trip to Mongolia in the spring, then try to catch NisNis Fest. The annual concert featuring indie, punk, and folk rock bands is a birthday celebration of Mongolia’s first grunge band, Nisvanis. The group formed in the mid-1990s, paving the way for today’s indie scene with a Nirvana-inspired sound and counter-culture lyrics.

Sample the diversity of Mongolia's music scene with this mix of early pioneers and current upstarts: