Our live music picks for this weekend, picked by Will of LiveMusicChina.com
Things get chaotic and decadent over at trigger this evening as a misfit cast of some of the metal and punk scene’s most nefarious renegades converge on the soundproof room for RottenVoice. You’ve got Blood Mold Order, from Jiangsu Province who specialize in pathological blood-boiling grindcore, Nanjing speed thrash metal act Empyerax, fellow Jiangsu grungy punk rockers Birdcage, and most excitingly, Dongjiang Water - the no-wave screamo act from Shenzhen that’s been terrorizing the south of China for the past year. Gnarly, extreme stuff not for the faint of heart. Don’t forget your earplugs.
Rising indie stars Friko - who emerged amongst a new generation of Chicago indie rockers in 2019- bring their cathartic blend of art rock, emo rock, chamber pop, and literary indie rock to VAS tonight as the band closes out their debut China tour. Bursting at the seams with explosive sentimentality - the band, heralded by Niko Kapetan (vocals/guitar) and Bailey Minzenberger (drummer), is fresh off their sophomore release ‘Something Worth Waiting For,’ which expands the band’s scope even further as it incorporates garage rock, bar rock, folk rock, and power pop into something stirring.
Long-standing and definitive Shanghai dream pop outfit Forsaken Autumn are back, for one night only, as the band reunites at Yuyintown. Waves of distortion, reverb-soaked vocals, jangly guitars and cascades of feedback - get lost in the simmering ethereal synth-pop haze of the seminal shoegaze band. Support comes in the form of emerging Chengdu shoegaze noise rock act Cigar Shoujo.
Yuyintown Community Music Festival returns this summer for an evening of indie pop, funk, and city pop - taking over the basement floor of C-Park for an intimate yet boisterous musical exchange. Giving a ‘No Stage’ performance in the big room will be QuanQuan, lead singer of Shanghai indie pop act Peach Illusion, whose music brings her fanciful touch down to earth - showcasing her lyrical richness and melodic flow. Also on hand will be city pop R&B outfit Rose Island, bringing sincerity to the smooth jazzy grooves as they find pleasure in the funkier aspects of their sound, not afraid to inject a bit of flavor - whether it be Latin jazz or blues - into their sound palette. Meanwhile next door you have High Kick, offering up their mix of pop punk, city pop, and indie rock; Shark CLUB - who concoct a bubbly brew of J-pop, funk, disco, R&B, and jazz fusion; and Green Young - known for their earnest, guitar-driven swaying rock and roll that taps into young adulthood with both sincerity and honesty. Should make for a transporting evening of tunes.
Rehearsal space Rock Shanghai celebrates the bands grinding it out in Shanghai - the lifeblood of the underground scene with a killer showcase over at FENRIR. And what a spread - from heavier acts like operatic death metal stalwarts Urizen Society to rugged grunge purveyors PRANK and finally, electro-core emo act BeatGeneration 1980’s. Should make for a righteous good time.
Unshakeable, intense, sharp, dark, experimental, calm, introverted, direct – no matter your preference, 6501 is made for impact. A rooted and swift guitar, bass, and drums trio from Xinjiang that was born out of the ashes of Puppet, one of China’s pioneering rock bands that was founded by Feruh in 1991. Seasoned pros they are - crafting a stripped-back sound that keeps their biting and direct vocals at bay, utilized only when necessary. Like a bare tree trunk in the wilderness or the rigid shell bars of a city overpass, there’s a rustic cutthroat edge to the band - one that only comes with age and experience.
