chaile 拆了

I missed this last week. Jon's latest Foreign Devil column for PopMatters is on Shanghai's Top Floor Circus, reveling in what he calls Post (Modern) Punk:

The set began ominously, with barely a minute of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". The song was cut off by an angry Lu Chen (vocals), but with his overly large smirk not far below the angry façade, we knew that this was part of the plan. Next, a brutal death-metal track, cut off, once again, before the real Top Floor Circus gig began.

Over the top? Perhaps. But it was a perfect start to a perfect night of amazingly sub-par music. The drummer could barely keep up. The playing was sloppy; each musician was obviously trying very hard to play at a mediocre level.

But it was glorious.

I'm disappointed; I've never seen the 顶楼的马戏团 (Top Floor Circus). In fact, I've only heard the collaboration with 另外两位同志 (The Other Two Comrades) and 颜峻 (Yan Jun), 上海现场 (Improvisation in Shanghai).

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The carnival of bad sound that is the Chaoyang International POP Music Festival is in progress. Dancing Maoris and Swedish tuba players are making up the bulk of the international contingent, but American punks The Urinals are also in town for the event. They're chronicling their trip on their blog, Just Like Aquanuts! (Link for inside China), with photos on their flickr account. I feel a bit sorry for them - they've got a handler and everything, when bands like Dogshit Sandwich roamed freely.

They've already played a couple times, including at the opening ceremony, but according to the schedule they'll also play on Friday (2005-05-06) between 9:30 and 11:00. I'll try to get some more confirmation.

The Chaoyang Pop festival is in Chaoyang park every day this week, all day.

Tonight (short notice, sorry!), Shanghai's 冷酷仙境 (Lengku Xianjing - Cold Fairyland) is at Nameless Highland. That's Beijing calls them slightly sappy, but I haven't heard them yet. The show also features Subs, so that's reason enough for me to go. Also playing are Ziyo and 碎星 (Broken Star).

Nameless Highland, Tonight (2005-05-03) 9:30, RMB30/20 Students. Cold Fairyland also plays the next night at New Get Lucky (via That's Beijing).

Tomorrow is ChinaPunx' fifth year anniversary, and they're celebrating with a night of punk fucking rock at Nameless Highland. 挂在盒子上 (Hang on the Box), 反光镜 (Reflector), Joyside, Laowai ska End of the World, and The Dirty Powers (hardcore) are on the lineup. Should be a good show.

Nameless Highland, Wednesday (2005-05-04), RMB30

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That's how I'd describe Cold Fairyland. Not terribly goth, though, and I don't mean that in a pejorative way. They put on a good set tonight; short and to the point, and with a lovely bit of pipa playing by the lead singer.

If you didn't see them tonight and you're not planning on heading to the punk show tomorrow, I'd suggest heading out to the New Get Lucky for their show. They're different enough from any of the bands playing in Beijing now, which at the very least makes it worth your while.

Cold Fairyland also has a blog at http://www.blogcn.com/user6/miyadudu/index.html.

It was good to meet a couple of readers, as well. If anyone out there wants to get together before a show next time, let me know.

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Is that a piano, or feedback?

Shanghai artist Susuxx opens Dine Together with 7 People with "Southbridge Fuck", an eerie piece with a staccato high end tone. The effect is slightly disturbing; it keeps the track from ever fully settling into a groove. I think that's the intention, though—to keep the music from becoming a soundtrack. Dine Together..., like its companion, Green Pepper & Cacti, collects four tracks from three artists. Like that collection, it's highly successful.

Susuxx continues with "D Glich." Insectoid chirps and buzzes rise and fall, and the beat stays hidden just below the noise through most of the track. "Wlwlwl" features pleasantly dense synth lines, rattles, and tones.

The second third is taken by Beijing's Me:mo. While Me:mo works with many of the same tools as the others, his music has a distinctively lighter tone. Echoes of glass taps and samples cut off from recognition bounce against each other. "Some Other Things" is highlight here; a softly played acoustic guitar is stretched, diced, and cropped into pieces. The music has shades of Four Tet and Keith Fullerton Whitman, but without the well defined beats of the former or the ambiance of the latter. The music feels permanently in a state of transition. "One Two" contains more glitches and drills, held together by a distorted beat count off; it's a robotic punk band that can't get started. This is music that deserves deep listening.

Saw Test finishes the compilation. Fans of Max Tundra or the Tigerbeat6 gang will feel right at home. "Styuoo" combines ping pong beats with buzzing melodies, rounded off with vocal samples so heavily distorted they sound like pillow talk from Alvin and the Chipmunks. "Zxcc" takes Game Boy melodies out on the town with some fine breakbeats. Your Commodore 64 listens to this music while you're asleep.

Once again, samples from each artist are at the Shanshui web site. Highly recommended.

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