Essentially a Sunday evening backburner, one last swig of Labor Day holiday kool aid, LiveBeijingMusic’s latest endeavor at DDC was as low-key as they could – which made the unexpected surprises and the bite of the bands reverberate that much more. Audiences were treated to an eclectic lineup of sounds and characters that we’ll surely be hearing a lot more from in the following months.
Xiao Wang kicked things off with a riotous, ‘take no prisoners’ set, full of punk rock gusto and cathartic release. They’re a band that continues to evolve and refine their sound and performance – proving themselves to be one of the scenes’ most wondrous new bands.
It’s amazing how Wonder Sea hasn’t been tapped to perform more here in Beijing. Touting the line between sincere post rock and emo-inflicted indie rock, they invoke an adolescent sound that manages to be intimate and sprawling at the same time; tangible and far reaching. Excited to see where they’re heading.
The highlight of the evening was Pure, a band that feels so fully formed and realized, I’m hitting myself in the head for not stumbling upon them earlier. A volatile, boisterous, tight as a button, madcap blend of grunge, reggae, and old school rock and roll that’s above all, charismatic and dangerously fun. Music that hits that sweet spot, compelling you to try your darnest to sing along.
The evening winded down with a killer set from Husband Killers, another band with a clear agenda of what they want out of their sound – stealthy injecting down and dirty melodies into their dusty rugged blues-ridden rock and roll. It’s a big sound with an emphasis on rich story telling and old school magnetism. And worked like gangbusters.
Kudos to all the bands and audience members who kept the holiday spirit alive and well. Stay tuned for Live Beijing Music’s next outing.
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