Chinese band Wu Tiao Ren performs during the festival. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese rock music festival themed Friends From The East kicked off on Saturday night in New York City and cheered up thousands of fans.

The first leg of the two-day event attracted over three thousand people. The fans, mostly in their 20s or 30s, filled up Knockdown Center in Queens borough, and many were moved into tears during the three-hour performance.

Wu Tiao Ren, a band from south China's Guangdong Province, and Omnipotent Youth Society, a band based in north China's Hebei Province, featured in the performance.

Music serves as a bridge for communication among young people across the globe to make the world a better place, said Li Hongjie, founder of Friends From The East.

The bands' performances were well received on their respective tours in U.S. cities including Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and San Francisco, according to Li, who has been in the business for over 20 years.

"I was so excited. That was really, really good," said Sylvie Staiger, who works on theatrical literary management in New York City.

"They really brought it. There are so many different styles they have. Their energy was great. So I would say they're up there and one of the best bands I've seen," Staiger told Xinhua, referring to members of Wu Tiao Ren.