The Ground Shaker is a Switzerland-based band that offers up the kind of heavy, no-frills rock and roll one used to hear on the radio. Chock-full of punchy choruses and crunchy riffs - it’s rock that isn't afraid to inject some old-school blues into its palette and let it hang. The band has just kicked off a nationwide tour alongside Beijing horror metal quartet Scare the Children, whose ghoulish costumes, complete with all-too-lifelike masks, and a dollhouse set decor straight from your childhood nightmares, have made them crowd favorites. They'll be stirring up trouble this week at Yuyintang Cube.
Coven - Cave’s little sister venue over at Hongqiao Subway Station joins the ranks of other venues lending a hand to emerging bands - with Summer Syndrome Volume 2. You’ve got emo-inflicted up-and-comers CCCCC - aka ConCentriC CirCles - who cite themselves as ‘terribly bad’, newly formed Jiangsu post-black metal duo Meditation, and Diamond Vacuum, a Shanghai-based band specializing in ACG and J-rock - brought together by a shared passion for anime and pop culture.
The newly minted Cedar Land and ILLUM in the underground music labyrinth that is C-Park host the third volume of WAVES CROSS - a two-day, three-night programme of live performances, workshops, and then some. Basically - a festival highlighting the most cutting-edge electronic music, ’bringing together artists, musicians, designers, and producers from diverse creative backgrounds…fostering cross-disciplinary encounters through sound, image, movement, and perception.’ It’s a lot to take in: one night showcasing A/V live performance, another hosting an immersive electroacoustic theatre experience, and full-on live electronic music sets, synthesizer-driven performances exploring ambient, noise, and audio-visual practices. Plus, workshop and sharing sessions for the true nerds out there - delving into ‘interactive art, synthesizer and instrument design, electroacoustic music, and theatrical creation’. Hell yeah - dig into all that content on their WeChat account. ID: Cedar Kitchen.
Taipei-based indie outfit Manic Sheep, a band I’ve been kinda head over heels in love with since I first heard them ten years back, return! A full-on dream pop sound chock-full of shoegaze sheen and indie rock highs, the band are fresh off their newest LP ‘Rewind 2014’-which revisits the band’s early days as they comb through their original demos to capture magic once again. Singer Chris Lo is the real deal, and combined with their drummer Xiao Bei, whose propulsive psychedelic-inflicted skills kick off many of the songs, and guitarist Hsieh Hung-yu keeping the groove taut, the band are able to needle a delicately tuned melodic thread through their songs. Lush stuff indeed - the band swings through Yuyintown Basement tonight.
Improvisation, rawness, industrial sounds, and an underground spirit all at Cream Club - as a gaggle of harsh noise and experimental artists converge, including the harbinger of analog noise himself - Torturing Nurse - abusing plastic foldable tables wherever he goes. He’ll be joined by harsh noise artist DiQiu, Yuyintang, and Ultracocker Shocking, a non-musical/non-performance project relaunched by Junky. Let the bodies hit the floor.
A night of frizzy indie pop over at Cream Club in Pudong - the latest show from heavyweight promoters loveisbug brings a trio of acts to light up your evening, including Anhui instrumental retro pop funk outfit Fruity Fizz, bringing that sweet shuffle and funk sound to audiences, alongside singer-songwriter uni, filling out her spry indie pop sound with a band now, and the energetic indie rockers Chocoberry - bringing a bit more bite. Good unadulterated fun.
Unearth new exciting sounds over at Yuyintown Basement this Sunday with a riotous eclectic lineup featuring some tasty new bands. The spread includes hard-hitting instrumental rock outfit no channel, but…, and Triple Bed from Suzhou, who imbue their sound with rustic psychedelic blues. Also on the bill are The Ripples, bringing a more combustible blues rock vibe to their sound, and rising R&B pop guitarist and singer-songwriter SDDD.
Cicada are a Taiwanese quartet who play chamber music - whether or not you wanna add terms like post-rock, neoclassical, or yes, even post-classical to that list is up to you - fluid, patient, and cinematic in a classical sense. No vocals, no lyrics - just straight-up transporting vistas that seem determined to soak in the scenery and evoke watercolor paintings. Simply put, it’s soothing soundtrack music that might just strike a chord with you. The band is fresh off their much-talked-about LP, Gazing the Shades of Winter - with a tour stop at VAS.
