Neo Bar – the legendary live music venue deep in the heart of Yangpu’s university district – has been giving solace to the young corruptible souls and raising some of Shanghai’s most beloved music acts for a whopping twelve years (across three different locations)! The bright red lights; the dueling movie screenings; the fridge full of Asahi bottles; and its motley crew of rabble-rousers keeping the place afloat – it’s iconic! 

As expected, the team celebrated the only way they knew how last weekend – with two nights of music – with some of my favorite acts to have graced the stage over the years. 

I wisely avoided night one out of fear for my liver – and subconsciously made up for it on night two. Things got messy. Night two featured two of Xinxiang’s most feverish live acts – punk stalwarts Pumpkins and Colombian Col, who have turned their madcap, visceral and  irreverent noise rock into sermon – developing cult-like status in just under a year. Joining them were Beijing rap rock outfit Cypher T and Shanghai’s own psych blues rockers Poetry in Shorts. 

A symphony of debauchery it was – one that my body is still reeling from. And if anyone can find my broken glasses please do reach out to me! 

The post Gig Recap : NEO 12-Year Anniversary (2024.4.27) first appeared on .

Fayzz – 自由无用 (Chengdu/Self-Released)

Nouvelle – 主义者 (Guangzhou/Maybe Mars)

Quake 垮棚克 – 不如跳舞 (Guangzhou/Self-Released)

AIRSFX – 复制这样时代 (Nantong/Self-Released)

Downstream Channel 下行通道 – 停电 (Shenzhen/Self-Released)

Yinmachi 饮马池 – 最后的夜晚 (Suzhou/lAilAi Records)

Sleeping Dogs – Graaaally Town (Beijing/Spacefruity Records)

Poetry in Shorts 短裤里的诗歌 – 绝对中立 (Shanghai/Self-Released)

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Poetry in Shorts 短裤里的诗歌 – Unneutral 绝不中立

A whiskey-soaked swirl of psych rock, jazz, and pub rock balladry, Shanghai’s Poetry in Shorts lay it all out there and then some on their dynamic new LP. There are pieces of Queen in there, bits of The Libertines – a collage of flavors told through a distinctive voice – one coated in top-notch lyricism and catchy melodies that hook you in despite their elasticity. There’s a playful nature to the overlapping vocal duties of its members as well as to how the arrangements unfold – injecting some psych rock rowdiness and free jazz aplomb wherever they see fit. It’s a well-rounded, even at times graceful, sound that has a bit of something for both classic rock and roll enthusiasts and indie rock newcomers. 

上海乐队短裤里的诗歌的新专辑就像一杯混合威士忌，里面参入了迷幻摇滚，爵士，酒吧摇滚，和他们的活力。新专辑用着独特的嗓音讲述着各种不同的风味：可以发现一些 Queen 的影子，也能找到 The Libertines 的痕迹，歌曲中有着一流的抒情和朗朗上口的旋律，尽管弹性十足但还是让人着迷。乐队成员相互重叠的声音有一种有趣的天性，他们编曲的方式也是如此：在认为合适的地方注入一些迷幻摇滚的喧嚣或是自由爵士的泰然自若。这是全面的，有时显得十分优雅的声音，对于经典摇滚的爱好者和独立摇滚的新爱好者都是不错的选择。

• https://music.163.com/#/album?id=129990756
• https://open.spotify.com/album/1HM80NPsY5v9jsSPvuzrL6

Pet Conspiracy 宠物同谋 – Flower By Flower

It’s been a solid ten years since electro rock darlings Pet Conspiracy, known for their brass, ludicrous and propulsive sound and constantly revolving lineup, released an album. And while tastes have certainly changed over the years, there’s something undeniable about the group’s bombastic brand of electroclash, which gets a touch-up courtesy of the Italian producers Armen Simonpour and Mattia Cecchetto (of Beijing band Titan) who deftly blend in elements of R&B, dubstep, funk, EDM and even folk rock. The kind of music that seems tailor-made to kick start a party, Pet Conspiracy reminds listeners it’s ok to let your guard down and hit the dance floor with reckless abandon. 

电子摇滚的宠儿“宠物同谋”，以其铜管、幽默滑稽和具有推动性的声音以及不断变化的阵容而闻名，已经有整整十年没有发行专辑了。虽然这些年来口味确实发生了变化，但不可否认的是，这个团体的 electroclash 风格招牌，在意大利制作人Armen Simonpour和Mattia Cecchetto（北京乐队Titan）的帮助下得到了提升，他们巧妙地融合了R&B、dubstep、funk、EDM 甚至民谣摇滚的元素。这种音乐似乎是为启动派对而量身定做的，同谋提醒听众可以放松身心，不顾一切地进入舞池。

• https://music.163.com/#/album?id=130047579
• https://open.spotify.com/album/3fyS0y65leUjsARRVGlqoN

Naonaosi 脑脑死 – 脑脑死

Wuhan’s Naonaosi – a collision course of grindcore, hardcore, and punk that’s unhinged in the best possible way. It’s the kind of music that keeps you on your toes, throwing one curveball after another, from ember burning doomy passages to pummeling vocals at come at you like a jackhammer from its deranged and tortured frontman. The attitude, the musicianship, and the way the music feeds off the space in which it resides – it simply puts, leaves an impression. Punk music that’s volatile and deviant – Naonaosi are a fine addition the China’s more inflammable punk scene. No holds barred. 

武汉的脑脑死——一个由粘合、硬核和朋克以最好的方式相互碰撞而成的乐队。他们的音乐是一种让你保持警惕的音乐，丢出一个又一个的弧线球，从燃烧着的阴沉的段落到猛烈的人声，就像一个疯狂而痛苦的主唱举着手提钻向你扑来。他们的态度，音乐才能，以及音乐从所处的空间中获取养分的方式——简单来说，留人下了某种印象。朋克音乐是不稳定的，离经叛道的。就像一个疯狂而痛苦的主唱用手提钻向你扑来。脑脑死是对中国更加火热的朋克场景的一个很好的补充。他们无所禁忌，毫不留情。

• https://naonaosi.bandcamp.com/album/-

Simon Frank – So Dream It

Long-standing Beijing-based musician and producer Simon Frank brings a clammy, anxious live-wire element into his post punk industrial electronic sound on So Dream It, out on Hong Kong based electronic and experimental label Absurd TRAX. While gleefully riding the razor’s edge of acid house, the world that Frank conjures here is far from jarring – instead, finding minimalist rhythmic pleasures within its songs centered on characters ‘cracking under the pressure of a harsh urban environment’. 

长驻北京的音乐家和制作人 Simon Frank 在《So Dream It》的后朋克工业电子之声中带来了一种粘稠的、焦虑的元素，这张专辑在香港的电子、实验厂牌 Absurd TRAX 发行。Frank 愉快地在 acid house 边缘游走时，他所创造的世界并不刺耳，相反，他在以 “在严酷的城市环境压力下崩溃 “的人物为中心的歌曲中，找到了极简节奏的乐趣。

• https://simonfrank.bandcamp.com/
• https://music.163.com/#/album?id=128429933

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Popped by Yuyintang over the holiday to check in on some new acts from here, Zhejiang, and Hunan (in the area I suppose you could say) – something that I really should be doing more often. It’s always nice to see promising new talent and in some cases, bands that have managed to break through whilst your head was turned the other way. Yup, the scene is always changing, more so than ever, so it was nice to have label/promoters/streamers StreetVoice round them up for audiences’ viewing pleasure. 

The night kicked off with a set from Chainhaha, the Changsha singer-songwriter who brings a lo-fi spunk to her poppish tunes – buoyantly carousels from bubbly electronica to prickly power pop – some Bjork-esque beat-heavy euphoria and some hard-hitting hip hop. It’s a bit all over the place, and it’s clear the young artist needs to refine her set – or better yet, expand into a band – but I really think she’s tapping into something special. One to keep an eye on. 

Green Young have been kicking around for a couple of years, borne out of the campuses of Shanghai, and while it’s a bit too autumnal for me, they’ve got the chops. Earnest, guitar-driven easy-going rock and roll that’s never too demanding yet robust and . It’s nice to see a female singer with a strong deep voice – something missing in a lot of female-fronted bands these days. They’re still a bit rough around the edges, but it’s clear Green Young are going to be a big commodity with young Chinese listeners. 

I was excited to check out Ningbo’s Green Deer, who released one of last year’s finest surprises in the form of Space Hysteria. Genre-wise it’s always been hard to tie them down – but seeing them live really shed a light on their emo side and yeah, I’m all about that. With heavy shades of math rock, shoegaze and noise rock – it felt like vintage Jimmy Eat World in many sections – bursting out with a propulsive energy that ignites as nimble and wiry instrumental rock rub shoulders with pitched-up vocals that shake with garage rock vitality. Their set was just about overshadowed by a rabid fan who ran amuck through their set – starting a conga line every two minutes, whipping out a giant flag as if he’d just came from a festival (which is likely), and ripping his shirt off and stage diving. Dude was possessed by Green Deer and for good reason – they’re the real deal.

The night ended with a set from the always reliable Poetry in Shorts – whose blues-ridden swirl of psych rock, jazz, and pub rock has allowed them to churn out one memorable single after another. I already caught them earlier that holiday so didn’t stick around for too long after – and Specters was coming a-calling. 

Overall, it felt good to see what the youngins are getting all worked up about. A fine overview of bands that will surely be making some noise within the next year.

The post Gig Recap: Green Deer, Poetry in Shorts, Green Young, Chainhaha (2021.05.04) first appeared on .

Kicked off the Mayday holiday to say hi to some friends over at Mao Livehouse where a trifecta of rock and rollers were stirring up trouble. Strangely enough, I seem to enjoy Mao more when it’s low-key, instead of crammed with a bunch of wide-eyed kids a bit too eager about the bands on the bill. And while they were plenty of fangirls out there tonight I was grateful I was able to snake my way through the crowd throughout the night. 

Kicking off the night was White Ink, the college-bound scrappers whose busy, cheeky alt-rock packs a lot in – some California funk rock, a bit of puckish pop punk, and even some brooding indie rock. It’s a sound that takes a bit of wrangling but for the most part the trio are game, earnest in their conviction and having a bit of fun in the process. 

Poetry in Shorts are leaning more and more into their pop sensibilities and I kinda love it. There are pieces of Queen in there, bits of The Libertines – really a swirl of influences that never distract from the fact that these cats are hella good at writing catchy melodies that hook you in. It doesn’t hurt that there’s a playful nature to how some of the arrangements unfold – injecting some psych rock rowdiness and free jazz aplomb wherever they see fit. It’s a well-rounded sound that has a bit of everything for both classic rock and roll enthusiasts and indie rock newcomers. 

Caught a bit of The Molds before heading out – as they expanded with the addition Hai Ming omg keyboard and transforming into The Bad Molds for the night. While the band can come off as detached from time to time – I felt they were really leaning into their dusty downtrodden lounge blues even more so tonight (the Elvis shirt kind of gives it away) capturing a sound that’s a cross between The Great Gatsby and David Lynch. 

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