Was happy to get back to Neo Bar last weekend – one of Shanghai’s true blood dive bar venues that reminds me how necessary venues of this size and ilk are to any scene here In China.
Was even more excited to check out Hangzhou’s Tomorrow Salt – the post-punk outfit that keeps the focus on its razor-sharp melodies (that often use repetition to its strength) that are rich in lyricism. Led by former Wisdom Tooth singer and guitarist Li Wangnian, it’s equally playful and tender – not afraid to slow down the pace to an affectionate simmer before cutting loose with a jangly off-kilter chord progression that ratchets up the tension with each turn. Already have found a couple of my favorite songs of the year via these four so it’s only a matter of time before I catch them again.
Opening for the Hangzhou outfit was Poetry in Shorts, feeling right at home in their friendly neighbourhood. They delivered a slower, more relaxed set, relying on their innate charm and rapturous layered melodies to help audiences to shed off their weekend hangovers. Great stuff as usual.
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