Our live music picks for this weekend, picked by Will of LiveMusicChina.com
This January, LiveChinaMusic takes over Oasis - the hidden basement sanctuary of the nightlife funhouse complex INS - looking to inject a little rock and roll spirit into the hotspot. Every Thursday night - a carousel of Shanghai’s freshest and most exciting acts - from simmering cold wave to raucous surf rock - takes the stage. It’s a grab bag of riotous appeal - so treat yourself in these frigid times and heat up your night with some live music. For our kick-off night, we’ve invited dream pop trio line in with their simmering ethereal synth-filled songs alongside up and coming art rock outfit Handycam - not afraid to turn up the weirdness (or volume) and lean into some truly delirious prog rock-leaning breakdowns.
The rabble rousers premiere Round Eye head down to the basement to give the new Yuyintown space a proper welcoming. The hometown favorites, whose ear for mischief and busting-at-the-seams rock and roll fervor has kept Shanghai looking over its shoulder for well over a decade, join other riotous acts such as seasoned acts like gruff indie ruffians Sunken Square, surf rock aficionados The Psyders, and emerging Nantong ruffians Baubler. Expect a live-wire crowd and a hell of an after-party next door at Specters.
Long a favorite of mine - Guangzhou’s Zhaoze is one of the country’s most distinct and evocative post-rock acts - their guqin zither-led ‘splash-ink’ rock making them stand out amongst the crowd. And while the band briefly went on hiatus last year, they have returned stronger than ever, last year - as well as a new EP this past fall - In Snow Storm, Yet Not Back Home - which they’ll be showcasing alongside the tenth anniversary of their 2015 LP Yesternight Yes Tonight. One of the best in the biz.
Beijing-based singer-songwriter Diner - the genre-defying cross-cultural artist with a penchant for the ethereal returned this summer with her debut Penta. With melodies that unfold through post-punk frameworks, electronic rhythms, and Hi-NRG dance energy,’ Diner explores ideas of ‘love, death, rebirth, and celebration’ via guzheng, dynamic synthesizers, and transcendent samples. The multi-talented artist and producer is hitting the road in celebration with special DJ guests in the form of Noah Prebish (of experimental Brooklyn pop act Psymon Spine), who had a hand in producing the album, and fellow New York City nightlife scenester Spruce.
Shanghai indie rockers Nerve Passenger - known for their emotionally cathartic sound - give a special unplugged performance spanning their entire career. The outfit has covered a lot of ground with their sullen, fraught melodies - with both an eye on the sounds of today’s youth - from emo-infused core to sprawling post rock - finding harmonious alchemy amongst rock’s more brooding subsidiaries. For their unplugged performance, they’ll be rearranging their favorite tracks with the help of friends - including trumpet, violin, as well as guest spots from members of Serious Desperado and Vanishing Queen. The perfect antidote to the winter chill.
Cream Club is stronger than ever over in Pudong - keeping the spirit of rock and roll luminous for gig goers. And what a lineup - garage rock favorites Hey! Lily!, known for their magnetic combustible performances, joins Decision Tree, who bring a softer, more tender touch to their arrangements, as well as Navel - whose gothic new wave ain’t afraid to let their psych-infused mania run free; and finally Disordered Clay, who bring rustic charisma and vitality to their sets.
Xinjiang Kazakh musical genius Mamer, whose thrumming voice and nerve-wracking layers of instrumentation have engulfed audiences for years, has been a part of six bands whose styles vary from ambient, industrial, noise, improvised, experimental, to doom drone, including Kunakar, 51-Rayon, Mekrop, TAT, Bande, and perhaps most prominently IZ. A beguiling, haunting mix of Kazakh folk music, psychedelic ballads, and unique futuristic aesthetics, no one is quite sure what to expect with this latest rendition of IZ - but promised is an ecstasy of guitar, dombra, chords, and vocal reconstruction. Special guest spot from esteemed flutist and saxophonist Lao Dan.
