der Berliner Nebel 柏林的雾, Double Speed Timing 二倍速定时, WeatherKing天气王 – Yuyintang 育音堂 2024.1.27

After a week of panic, anxiety, and fatigue – the gig gods blessed our show last Saturday with a killer turnout, some fresh sounds, and good vibes all around (except for that one person who demanded to pay for a double ticket at the door – bad vibes there).

Things kicked off with der Berliner Nebel from Ningbo. It’s been quite a while since I last caught the band – nearly seven years – on their hometurf. The band has refined themselves quite a bit since then – releasing an LP on Modern Sky – and adding in a lot more electronic elements. And while those backing tracks can sometimes distract, the band really crackles when they lean into the more bombastic Faculty Records-esque jams – its backing tracks melding in seamlessly with the band’s post punk technics to make a seductive dance number with some real bite. Great stuff.

Meanwhile, art rock dup Double Speed Timing – also from Ningbo – has the harder task at hand – finding melodic pleasures within its swirl of punk, psych rock, and no wave. While the monotone backing drum track proved to be a fascinating adversary to the guitarist and bassist’s unconventional straddling and chords – one can only imagine how much more electrifying it would be to have a real drummer on hand to complement their eccentricities. But logistics aside, they strike a sound that I’m drawn to – one that is brimming with potential.

Last, WeatherKing has seemingly brushed off its softer edges and has gloriously fallen digger into the world of psych rock. Its playfulness and intrepid spirit are still very much on hand – with songs pivoting gleefully mid-way through – but there’s a scrappy, vitality to their music now that one can savor. A hell of a way to reintroduce the band to Shanghai audiences – let’s hope we get a lot more of them in the next year as I think they’re one of the scene’s best-kept secrets.

Thanks once again to the bands, to Yuyintang, and to everyone who came out – keep on supporting local music in the Year of the Dragon!
































Be the first to comment