US punk legends FEAR aren't coming. ‘That's disappointing. But to hell with FEAR — the show goes on’. Three Shanghai punk bands are taking over Yuyintown Cube and filling the void with raw, uncompromising noise. Loudspeaker, active since the late '90s, continues to deliver crust hardcore punk with a simple, direct, no-bullshit attitude; The Stirrers bring street-level energy and singalong punk spirit; and finally, Round Eye pushes the boundaries with their uniquely bizarre brand of experimental punk, constantly stretching the genre into strange new shapes. Expect a messy, big-hearted punk rallying cry!
Off-kilter sounds over at the cozy and always unpredictable Ming Room. Shu Ride, a researcher of ‘difficult sounds…ready to create complex rhythms with simple methods’, Nervous Whistle, the audiovisual project blending live electronic sound, cassette-based materials, field recordings, and real-time visuals. Also joining are Ate Autumn, a Shanghai-based cross-national electronic duo, drifting between ambient, downtempo, experimental, and dream pop through synthesizers, lush pads, sampled textures, and floating vocals. And finally, Chris X - ‘a living dead girl from a B-movie, making Thrill Nights with a violin.’ Radical.
Mathy instrumental fusion rock out of Chengdu - Sound Pulse surprised me with their tireless and deftly assembled debut, Drifty Light. Much like their contemporaries Fayzz (whose member Kulou produced the album), the band has a spirited verve that bounces off one another - pulsing drumbeats, firm yet dynamic bass, richly colored keyboards, ethereal vocals, and volleying guitars - delicate yet expressively waltzing around each other. Engaging, stimulating, and cozy enough to snuggle up with. The band is in town touring with support from Shanghai’s own An Corporation - known for their hefty, operatic brand of instrumental rock.
Stargazers, emo, and instrumental rock lovers converge on Mosh Space in Pudong tonight for a delectable spread of bands with a knack for crafting stirring arrangements and angst-ridden jams. Suzhou’s Tengguang Agency, which makes the kind of instrumental rock we need more of - lean and compact - yet with the kind of high-wire math rock musicality that's enrapturing. Meanwhile, Shanghai's young Midwest emo ruffians last week… imbue their music with a scrappy magnetism that’s sincere above all else. Rounding out the trio are emo indie act Heartbroken Boys Club, who hail from Nanjing.
No stage madness at Mosh Space in Yangpu - as a trio of spry, bleeding-heart indie acts gets intimate for a special no-stage showcase. On the docket, you’ve got wish you could swim, who find tenderness and vitality in their rhythmically invigorating math rock instrumentation and twinkly emo aesthetics; rising twinkle emo stars dinner in haze, who tap into the earnest sounds of math rock-inflicted Midwest emo with spirited affection; and Ningbo instrumental rock outfit Sweet Tie craft songs which touch on everything from math rock jams to ambient head trips - bringing sincerity and open-hearted emotions to their sonic vistas. Expect a packed house.
Get transcendent and link up this weekend over at C-Park as Recharge, the collective that blurs the lines between art, music, dance, and participative performances, takes over Yuyintown Cube and Cedar Land. A two-day interdisciplinary cultural gathering bringing together artists, musicians, performers, makers, thinkers and creative communities from across Shanghai - visitors will move between live music performances, audiovisual experiences, art installations, performance art, workshops, community talks, maker culture, and sustainable fashion initiatives, creating a temporary ecosystem where different disciplines can meet, collaborate, and inspire one another. It’s a full spread - with day one featuring a handful of live modular performances from artists like Punx, 3Fungi, and Ayshem, as well as a live A/V performance from seasoned producer EAU, a performance from synth psych rockers Navel, and a live techno set from Vehement. Meanwhile, day two features live A/V sets from Mizu^3, Nervous Whistle, and Recharge curator Laurent Lettree, modular mayhem courtesy of YAMAHAHA and Shu Ride, plus live art performances and installations from a variety of artists. Dig around in the official post and find what tickles your fancy. Or better yet, go in blind and just take the ride.
