2014: LBM Feats

2014 was a big year for us over here at Live Beijing Music. No longer content with simply ‘shooting and pointing’, we covered the scene more prominently, highlighting new releases, music videos, and news. We produced our first music videos, and held our first show, and earlier this month, our first music festival. Here’s a list of the feats LBM achieved over this year.

Music Videos

 

It was inevitable. Coming from a film background, the idea of creating music videos for bands and artists that I love was just a dream come true. Thanks to all the folks who helped out – from the cameramen (and women), photographers, actors, and of course the artist themselves.

 

Streets Kill Strange Animals – Through

Vimeo

Though technically shot in 2013, the editing process took some time on our debut MV. Ridiculous amounts of fun on a city bus.

 

Lantern Festival – Between The Screens

Vimeo Youtube

Johnny Clement aka Lantern Festival is just a class act. Someone with a very clear idea of what they’re trying to accomplish with their music. Beijing may have lost him this year, but Hong Kong gained an incredibly talented artist. And to think this was only months before all the lanterns were removed from Guijie.

 

Guiguisuisui – Black Books

VIMEO

Dann Gaymer aka Guiguisuisui aka King Necro aka whatever other alter-ego this cat comes up with next. The work ethnic, the commitment, the generosity – even if Guiguisuisui’s brand of trailer trash goth blues ain’t your cup of tea, there’s no denying the world Guiguisuisui has created for himself. He’s a one man Cirque du Soleil, if the trope had zero budget, and an affinity for demons and cats. Rock on Mr. Gaymer, rock on.

 

Luv Plastik x Jeff Yiu

Vimeo

An experiment in multimedia performance – on top of the raddest performers that are Dan and Dan (my first taste of the controlled chaos that is Luv Plastik) I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Yiu, a jack of all trades visual artist, who created the music videos projected behind the band, and is someone I look forward to working with again and again.

 

Coverage

 

Dansheng Music Festival

A blast from start to finish – the Dansheng Music Festival in Dalian was hands down one of my favorites events of the year. And we got to shoot and film the whole thing, and drag people into a garage for interviews. The whole nine yards. Now we just need to edit the rest of it together.

 

thruoutin/Noise Arcade Shanghai Tour Video

LBM does Shanghai for the second time – this time accompanying thruoutin and Noise Arcade on a three-date tour of the city’s diverse music scene. Some crazy performances, long nights, and another reminder of how nice it is to get out of Beijing from time to time.

 

China Drifting Festival

Our first foray into creating a promo for a show instead of just archiving individual songs. Or maybe, just an excuse to use Re-TROS’s ‘Viva Murder’ and show off a handful of money shots.

 

THEESATISFACTION/We Are Wolves

Youtube

We will be bringing back the interview aspects of these videos next year. A fun night and proof that you can still make an interview look good (better at least) with loads of editing.

 

Shows

Thanks to all of those who came out for our first go at throwing shows. Dipped our toes in School and XP, and went off the deep end at DDC for Fake Fuzz Fest – perhaps the craziest, most musically satisfying two days of the year for us. Looking forward to hosting more and more events next year.

 

‘Smooth Sailing 6.6’ (June 6^th at School)

 

LBM Winter Showcase (November 29^th at XP)

Fake Fuzz Fest (December 13^th/14^th at DDC)

Other

 

LBM Mixtapes

A pleasure to make these weekly mixtapes highlighting the bands swinging through Beijing — looking forward to making more of these. Hit them all up over here.