On a warm summer night, more than 1,000 music fans packed Fullof Livehouse in Beijing's Chaoyang district to sing along with American singer Chris James, a sign of the city's growing embrace of small, dynamic music venues known as live houses.

Fullof Livehouse, with a capacity of 1,200, is among the first 25 venues designated as Beijing municipal-level performing arts spaces, which is part of the capital's new initiative to use cultural consumption to drive economic growth.

"This summer, Fullof has become a trend-setting hub, integrating music, socializing, and entertainment," said Hang Xin, the venue's general manager. "It's attracting foot traffic and contributing to the city's goal of becoming an international consumer center."