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MP3 Monday: Ten Foot Punk

The summer lull is nearly over. Sacco sounds off with five of his favorite picks playing this weekend at Shanghai Punk Fest 2013.
Last updated: 2015-11-09
MP3 Monday is a weekly SmartShanghai column, serving up mp3s from bands living and making music in China (or coming to China, or thinking about coming to China, or whatever). Copyright holders: if you would like your song removed, please email us here, and we'll honor your request promptly.

Happy rainy Monday, Shanghai. The summer is winding down and Shanghai is getting back to business with a fair amount of good live music this week. Tomorrow who could miss the antics of Miami rapper Pitbull gracing the stage of Mercedes Benz Arena? Well probably me, but don’t let that stop you. I’ll be heading down to Mao Livehouse for the Mojave 3 show. Also at Mao Livehouse later this week is legendary Beijing band P.K. 14 coming to Shanghai in support of their new album.

But that’s all child’s play. Today we are here to talk about punk rock in Shanghai. You may say, Sacco what you talking about? There ain’t no punk rock in Shanghai. Well, unfortunately, that is close too true, but there is a small scene putting shows on at Yuyintang, Live Bar and 696 live houses. This weekend the annual Punk Fest returns to Yuyintang for 2 days of tri-hawks, liberty spikes, circle jerks, windmills and other antics of disaffected youth. While there are over 15 bands playing I’m going narrow down the list and share MP3s from five of this weekend’s punk rockers.



One of the best new bands to hit the punk scene would Banana Peel, a traditional-style punk band that I got a chance to see a few months ago. They're a bit of a Chinese super punk group. The members have been in bands such as Demerit, Angry Jerks, SMZB and Brain Failure. The charismatic front man Liu Zhenxing, who used to play in Demerit, gives it his all on stage, and I’m looking forward to their first full-length album coming out later this year.

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Shanghai band Loudspeaker are one of the longest running punk acts in Shanghai, so it’s no surprise there on this weekend’s line up. Starting out in the late 90s with a more skate punk sound, Loudspeaker first got a taste of rock through skate videos but over the past few years have moved into a more hardcore style. The band is positive in nature, and it’s too bad more of Shanghai youth haven’t followed in their footsteps to create a broader local punk scene.

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Another interesting booking is Misandao which are a skinhead band from Beijing who are one of the few bands in China to keep up with the boots and braces motif throughout the years. Although I do have a soft spot for skinhead music and the working class lyrical content of their songs, but many times it can be unclear if the bands have fascist roots. Midandao were also formed back in the late 90s and recently featured in the documentary Oi Skins in Peking. There sound can range from many classic skinhead roots such as ska, reggae, punk, and hardcore.

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The fashion award goes to another Beijing act playing this weekend: Hell City. Formed in 2007 these four ferocious fellas are all about that punk rock angst with songs again the party scene in Beijing, fake people trying to copy Tokyo and New York, and those damn gold digging bitches. Music wise they throw in some metal chords on a regular basis and keep it crusty. I have a feeling they throw down some synchronized moves on stage so let’s cross our fingers on that…

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Finally, up on the five picks of the over 15 punk bands playing this weekend are a personal favorite Shanghai hardcore outfit called Spill Your Cuts. Comprising mostly surly fixie riders from the Factory 5 bicycle shop, Spill Your Guts bangs that shit out. Just good ol' fashioned hardcore music you want pick up change too and slam dance your way into 1984. Just hot off the presses is a new EP with the featured song "Racy Days, Racy Nights." Well just don’t sit there, get in that pit!

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Let’s hope the weather clears up by the weekend in time for this feeding of the 5000 punks festival. The Saturday gig starts at 8pm then Sunday goes all day starting from 2pm. Giddy up.

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This column is written by DJ Sacco, who runs Uptown Records, Shanghai's dedicated vinyl shop. Ironically, they don't sell Mp3s or dabble in anything digital, instead they have 7" and 12", EPs and LPs from rock to electronic, rare pressings, DJ equipment and band merchandise. Find them in an old bomb shelter at 115 Pingwu Lu.

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