Berlin’s Dusk Saffron is a lush spread of washed-out, reverb-drenched guitars swirling and intertwining atop driving drums, pulsing bass, and ethereal vocals. Shoegaze that cuts deep. The band, which features former Beijing musician David Carey (of Nocturnes and lost memory machine) is swinging through China for some fun and have gathered two bona fide supporting acts - Shanghai’s shoegaze aficionados Pale Air, who bring hazy dreamlike allure to their walls of noise, and Hohhot-bred Narrow Lane Angel.
Art punk stalwarts Dirty Fingers - fresh off the release of their new LP, Peasant Delights - head over to Bandai Namco to celebrate and kick off the first leg of their tour. Very much a return to form, the band seems to be jumping back into their scrappy garage punk demeanor with relish - fast-charged songs that put their aggressive musicality and Guan Xiaotian’s hoarse and fervent vocals up front - 'a carefully orchestrated explosion’. Plunge into the furnace with the Shanghai renegades. Support comes in the form of Hangzhou duo kirakiro, whose heady trance-inducing beats coated in neo-classical textures will befuddle and delight in equal measure.
Sun-baked old school rock and roll - Moon Tone hit that Southern rock heartland 70s sound with charisma and conviction. Returning to the roots of rock and roll - the Chengdu act may be living in the past - but never before has it been as relished or deftly handled as here - injecting tender love into its swirl of country, blues, psych, and hard rock as electric guitar licks, emotive backing vocals, and lyrics straight out of a hard-boiled Western. A boisterous good time, the band is swinging through Specters with support from DaBei, whose arena rock-evoking mix of electro, industrial, and hard rock is sure to be fun.
Birthday bash over at OKOK with a stacked lineup. Heck, even if you don’t know who Craig is, you’re sure to have a grand ol’ time as nine different acts come crashing over at the basement rock and roll haven. On the bill you’ve got psychcore metal act Chimera Cult, indie pop makers Jen’s Curfew, and crunchy power trio Doppler Drive, as well as Full Throttle, IONU, Dave Stone, Skinny O.G., Chill Pil, and Iris Wilde. Rappers, folk rockers, indie pop-ers, rockers, and heavy metal-ers - sonically, we’re all over the map. So raise a glass to Craig and party to your heart’s content.
Patrons of the experimental and noise scene unite! trigger - run in part by some of the Shanghai experimental scene's leading figures, celebrates their two-year anniversary the only way they know how - with a whirlwind spread of noise, experimental, and avant-garde acts at their tiny little hub. Kicking off at 1pm - the venue will host over twenty acts - an onslaught of sounds and sights - an assault to the senses in the best possible way. Highlights include Australian-Swiss electronic and hyperpop artist Jessiquoi, Austrian filmmaker, photographer, and sound artist Patrick Topitschnig, blood noise project Human Leakage, computer music legend ayrtbh, and Laura Kowalczyk aka Lulu - who experiments with handwriting as both an instrument and a ‘system’. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, with, of course, the analog harbinger of noise Torturing Nurse alongside other trigger royalty like Shu Ride and YAMAHAHA. Happy Birthday, trigger!
Little Boys - made up of Laura "Elle" Bertone and Sergio "Esse" Pirotta - are as combustible as they come. Riotous, sexy, raw, and cut with a rugged attitude all too rare these days in rock and roll, the power rock duo hailing from Italy blends together blues, acid punk, garage, and more into an explosive package - lean, wily, and charged. The pair have been hard at work for these past few years, making a tear across the globe, playing shows in both dives and festival stages, connecting with bands and creatives of all ilk - an unwavering determination to make as much noise as possible. The band will be making their China debut this week, touring across the country with the help and support of local promoters Borderless. Shall be a righteous good time. Support from local street punk group The Stirrers.
Not enough love for the platters these days! A robust, diverse trio of acts over at Yuyintang Park - featuring Wuhan’s A Wordless Orange, whose rhythms will have you coming back for more - a natural high whose slinky grooves blend soul, jazz, shoegaze, and psychedelic music into an intoxicating concoction. Joining them are Beijing instrumental math rock outfit Quadrant, who bring a spry indie pop veneer to their sound; and der Berliner Nebel (or B.L.D.W.) - the boisterous synth-filled post punk act from Ningbo. Good stuff.
The Budapest-based world music band made a lot of noise the couple of times they rolled through China, blind-siding audiences with their carnivalesque gypsy punk sound. A untamed fusion of ska, punk, and Balkan folk energy — often referred to as “speed-folk freak-punk.” They’re riotous and boisterous in the best possible way - with a sound that draws deeply from Eastern European and Gypsy melodies, colored by folk strings, distortion guitar, and fast-paced rhythms that keep audiences dancing nonstop. A party through and through - so if you’re looking to sweat off a few kilos before the weekend hits, look no further. 8
