Twinkle emo from Guangdong - the appropriately named Midwest Emo Mahjong are as pure as they come - a heart-on-your-sleeve Midwest emo rock band that does it so well it almost comes off as pastiche. Sharing core members from seasoned Britrock act The Foreigners, it shares a lot of that band’s DNA - namely, its sense of angst and alienation as well as a rich attention to detail. But applied to Midwest emo - chock full of open tunings of cathartic pummeling breakdowns, it takes on an affecting new shade. The band is in the midst of a nationwide tour. Support from Shanghai’s own dinner in a haze and Abstract Abstract.
Beijing’s Backspace - known for their intrepid psych-laced indie rock - return to Yuyintown Basement. Allowing their krautrock stylings to take flight as synthesizers waltz amongst one another, their groove-filled melodies have a way of enrapturing your senses. ‘Laying down driving motorik beats and psych-tinged atmospherics as a backdrop for lead singer and guitarist Zheng Dong's equal-part paranoid and catchy, and at times, cyclically chant-like vocals,’ the band — one of the best live acts out there - are in the midst of a mini tour. Highly recommended.
Extreme metal, heavy hammer techno, and more - the team-up of dark arts promoters Dark Haze and metal bar FENRIR is quite a feat, featuring a murderer’s row of some of the metal scene’s most gnarly acts alongside hard-hitting DJs and other live performances. Live acts include death metal act Blood of Life, crust thrash crossover outfit Kill All Posers, sludgecore decadents T.O.S, heavy metal favorites Lithium, hardcore veterans Death Teach Me Life, and death metal act Eviscerator. Meanwhile, both live and DJ sets from regulars like Aming, Ma Haiping, Extreme John, and many more. Pace yourself - it’s only gonna be a long one.
Tight-jeaned blues-ridden classic rockers Ramblin Roze, not afraid to lean into the unadulterated hard rock pleasures of life, have been a staple of the Beijing rock scene for years. Their sophomore LP, 'Moonfall', wisely shifts to a more psychedelic classic rock veneer straight from the 60s, with new lead singer Peng Hanxuan gamely throwing himself into the mix. Less Guns N’ Roses and more Led Zeppelin - it goes down quite well - it’s well-crafted arrangements full of zest and rugged sincerity.
FINDER, the cutting-edge collective of artists, bands, and creatives who have been keeping Shanghai twisted and weird for six years, celebrates its anniversary at EXIT. It’s a glorious lineup featuring special guests, live performances, live music, and enough DJs to keep you up till the wee hours of the morning - all blurring the lines between music, dance, art, visuals, and club. Trumpets blending with live sets, psychedelic trance-inducing live electronica, physical dance performances, a live shakuhachi performance, a Xmas ghost market, and installations galore - and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Happy anniversary!
YYT Channel’s 16th instalment moves over to the new Yuyintown Basement this Sunday with a nice spread of indie acts. Long-standing city pop funk smiths XChome join the newly minted HANDYCAM, who aren’t afraid to veer off onto fantastical tangents - dipping into sombre synth-filled interludes one moment, then flippantly steering into a delirious prog rock breakdown the next. Also on hand are Guilin indie heart-stringer pullers Clear Blue Sky, and dream pop-afflicted indie rockers High Kick.
