Gig Recap: Breaking The Ice 薄冰 (2021.01.23)

LiveChinaMusic presents Breaking The Ice 薄冰: Clay Doll, Da Seven 大七乐团, BurgerSuicideClub (Yuyintang 育音堂 2021.01.23)

While the rain and coronoia threatened to throw last Saturday’s LiveChinaMusic event into the gutter – the music gods prevailed and allowed the show to go on. And for the brave souls who ventured out and donned their masks, they were in for a hell of a treat with some stellar acts. 

BurgerSuicideClub is punk through and through – yes, they’re bred out of the electronic scene and bathed in industrial beats but this is the kind of band that every basement venue deserves. Detached barely audible vocals, steady yet sharp guitar chords, and an attitude that screams dissidence. And while, as a whole, the screws need to be tightened and the parts need to come together more fluidly, there’s no one out there doing what BSC is doing and I can’t wait to see them again.

Meanwhile, it was great to catch Suzhou’s Clay Doll again – this time with a (new?) fourth member, on vocals and effects, adding a tender indie pop flavor to their shoegaze-infused dream pop palette. Love the laid-back flow of their music – it never attempts to push their music too far into dissonance, but nevertheless finds a mischievous edge within its melodic charm, giving their sound a playful vitality that too many bands give up on in hopes of maintaining their ‘cool’.

But for certain, the highlight of the night was Da Seven, who knocked it out of the park showcasing a lean musicality that I simply didn’t know they had in them. Every note; every chord; every drumbeat; every piano key packed a little more punch than usual, and the band seemed to relish each breakdown or solo with aplomb, managing to satisfy both the music geek and dance freak in me. Definitely a band I should catch live. And one of 2021’s first great performances.

Once again – thanks to Yuyintang, the bands, and the folks who came out to the gig. Let’s get through this winter in one piece and rock on in the Year of the Ox. Stay tuned for some videos from the show! 

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