Another glorious weekend has passed and Monday is here. Upon returning from my village in California, I was sure the rain would finally subside and I could get some pool time in. May, June, July were just filled with constant showers, and now even August?? We all know who the real victim is in this cruel wet summer – the pool party industry. The thought of all those buffed out DJs in Hawaiian print board shorts staring with tear-filled eyes through a rainy window in their Jing'an apartment should bring compassion to even the coldest of hearts.
Sorry DJ MashAttack, that Serato music folder labeled "POOLSIDE JAMZ 2014" will fall on deaf ears this year. Think of all the poor ladies who spent months on Taobao finding the perfect bikini to show off their 80lb body. Last let’s take a second to pay homage to all those sleazy pool party promoters who put down a deposit on the ultimate hotel pool way back in February. You think those are refundable? I think not.
One nice thing about the constant gloomy weather is the angst that builds inside you. I’m talking angst that can only be quenched with some slam dancing at your local punk rock show. Well you’re in luck my friend, because a perfect storm of punk shows is hitting Shanghai this weekend. First up at Harley’s bar is pure hardcore delight with five bands like xPassagex from New York and It Never Happened from Beijing. Then Saturday at Yuyintang is 3rd annual Punk Festival that features eight bands. I’m going to share some music from the bands playing there to get you in the mood to pull off that windmill or "picking up change" slam dance move you’ve been practicing at home, alone.
Forged in the fires of Mt. Straight Edge, Friday's show features the hardest of the core. New York band xPassagex, fronted by Chinese American vocalist ‘Griffin’, is playing Shanghai before heading up to Beijing for the annual hardcore festival. Adhering to a strict policy of no meat, no drugs, no smoking, and no drinking, the politically minded band is an active cog in the American straight edge scene. Ahhh I remember when I used to believe in stuff. Takes me back.
Partners in crime Beijing band It Never Happened are touring around China with xPassagex and have released a split 7” record that will be available Friday. Also on the bill are Blood Raven, Machinery of Other Skeletons, and Spill Your Guts. Check out this video of xPassagex playing an outdoor college courtyard followed my favorite video of all time that features Spill Your Guts doing what they do best – destroying it.
xPassagex – "Pulses"
Spill Your Guts – "Wayfarer"
Saturday’s 3rd annual Shanghai Punk Festival features various styles including the melodic punk sound of Gumbleed, the swinging Rockabilly moves of Rolling Bowling, and the Nu-Metal antics of Chaos Mind. Saturday also features Monkey Shine, Early Bus, The Survivor, and PVA. The show is an all day affair at Yuyintang that starts at 3pm so don’t be late. A punk festival in Shanghai is not an easy feat, as our 20 million strong city lacks a key component – teenage angst. Maybe it has something to do with Shanghainese moms making sons carry their purse at a young age that deters the youth from sprouting Mohawks and smashing the system.
While in Beijing you can get away with multiple punk shows every weekend, here in Shanghai we have to pull together Ska, Rockabilly, and Nu-Metal to create an annual punk festival. It’s time to raise up Shanghai! Let’s all head down to Hot Topic to buy hair dye and a Tank Girl t-shirt and get this shit started.
Gum Bleed - "Kiss Me I'm Punk"
Rolling Bowling – "Rock N Roll"
Chaos Mind - "平行的世界"
This Saturday’s forecast? You guessed it, rain. The only cure for those rainy day blues is to head down to Yuyintang and join in the mosh pit.
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