On The Scene: Dos Kolegas 25-05-2013

Alright, I said my birthday wishes last week (yeah a little late – everything is backed up in these parts) but it’s time to roll out the videos from the second day of Dos Kolegas’s wild 8 Year Anniversary Party – with a solid lineup of bands who know a thing or two about whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

See what I mean. Lots more goodness from The Amazing Insurance Salesmen, Wu & The Side Effects, Residence A, Buyi, Steely Heart, and Subs below. Get ready for a workout eyes and ears.

As per usual at 2K. things got off to a slow start – the grass was green, the sun was out, and the prospect of drinking one’s self into obliteration was still not fully formed. Missing out on the first few bands, including Perpetual Motion Machine (dang), Candy Monster, and Ember Swift, I finally took leave from the sun to get my LBM on.

Oh, you Amazing Insurance Salesmen – these boys need the proper outlet to get their off the wall showmanship and zazzy jams, cause really there’s so much skill on display here.

Yeah, getting on your knees in an almost empty venue is a bit preposterous, but that’s kinda their style – they’re music gods in their own heads, and that, well, is kinda awesome (and a much needed approach).

But really, again it’s the chemistry between these three that continues to impress me. Can’t wait to see them headline again.

Speaking of skills, Wu & The Side Effects are very much in the same vein as the previous kids – mixed nationalities, mavericks of their instruments, playing a mix of psychedelic, prog, blues-centric whiskey rock.

And while they’re never show off-ist about Wu and his side effects, if you watch closely, there is some serious Primus-level shredding going on that is downright sexy. Again, a bit early in the day for this kind of mudslide rock and roll, but Wu & The Side Effects makes it slick.

And of course one can’t go wrong with Residence A – really, might have to avoid these guys for some time – seeing them like every other week now. Ridiculous.

And while Cheng Bo’s presence on drums was missing, the band covered their whole catalogue with professional glee. Just see them already, geez.

Let’s hope the good will takes Res A further than ever.

The sleeper band of the night though has to go to Steely Heart, who took the party to a whole new level with their brand of new wave rock. I’ve seen lackluster shows before from these guys, but tonight they absolutely nailed it.

The crowd was eating it up. Heck, I was too. It’s catchy, punchy, with a fist full of attitude to seize the dance floor. Saili’s voice has just enough smarmy, slouched charm that translates (somehow) perfectly to the material.

My fellow cameraman and I turned toward one another at one point, our eyes saying it all – these cats were fucking murdering it. Steely Heart’s set that has thrown them back on my radar – let’s get more please.

Buyi, at Dos Kolegas, at Dos Kolegas’s 8^th bday bash – yeah what the fuck do you expect – a piss poor performance Hells no. These are the nights’ Buyi live for.

This is how you rally up the troops. Not with a ballad, but with some of the fist-pumping worthy hard hitting rock and roll this side of town. And I must say, it hasn’t taken Mojo long to find his place – kid gots the chops and looks like he’s having a hell of a time.

Though I suppose just about everyone at this point is having the friggin time of their life – heck, even I was a sweaty mess after Buyi’s set.

Two times in a month, I think it’s fair to say that Subs are slowly becoming a band that I must get more of. It’s infectious arty punk rock that’s simply bombards your senses all the while maintaining a sense of fun.

Simply put, this is exciting music. And as stated by many others in the past Kang Mao is indeed a ‘force of nature’ – a tornado of aggression, joy, and pure emotion that’s hard to stop once she’s wound up. Even when’s she takes it down for a notch, as in her ‘love song’, it’s only a matter of time before things heat up again.

Though Beijing doesn’t get nearly enough Subs, they are a powerhouse trio who simply need to caught in the wild.

To cap things off, before one too many Tigers sent me giddily into the night (seriously, Tiger is gonna buy out every venue across town at this rate), Inner Mongolian heavy metal band Nine Treasures, hot on the heels of winning their slot in the Wacken Open Air Festival later this summer in Germany, gave Dos Kolegas a hell of show.

Though seeped in traditional ethnic music, the band’s unabashed love for all things heavy and metal is apparent in every song. This is heavy shit. And we the fans, well, they couldn’t get enough.

The interweaving of sounds and a host of instruments works on so many levels, that playing the influence game becomes needless as Nine Treasures has given the genre of pagan metal a breathe of fresh air. 

Not a bad way to close, and once again happy birthday to Dos Kolagas who know better than anyone how throw a rager. Props, and here’s to many more down the line.