Weekend Update (08.05-10.05)

Andddd like that it’s the weekend – and fairly stacked weekend it is, with the majority of showcases geared toward the folk heads (or WHAI). That ain’t a dig – in fact, I’m with summer right around the corner it might be time to settle in with some dusty folk tunes. Or not. Just spit balling here. Here’s the spreadsheet for the next four days – get at em! And as always, check out our events page for more.

 

Friday May 8^th

The Guangzhou-based folk outfit Wu Tiao Ren, who hail from Haifeng, Guangdong, have been playing their folky guitar and accordion tunes, often in their native Haifeng dialect (the least spoken language among the three major dialects in Guangdong province), since 2003. They release their latest album, Canton Girl, tonight at Mako Livehouse. Music rife with personality, lush melodies, and a sense of playfulness that’s often missing from most contemporary folk music, it’s brimming with life, sounding as though you’ve stumbled upon a private party hosted in the band’s hometown. The perfect way to start the weekend. Been itching to get over to Houshayu? Well, for what it’s worth, I hear there are so nice restaurants out there. And sometimes we need to explore a little, right? And what better reason than for the Rynostock benefit show where shit stirrers and hard rock hard-ons Bastards of Imperialism, Nakoma, End of the World, and Harvesters of Sorrow (the latter being a righteous Metallic cover band) join the Mad Dogs Motorcycle Club at The Garage as they raise money for the Shepherd’s Field Foundation. Awww shucks! Grizzled and burly men giving back to the kids. I love it. A \’purely imaginary\’ night of blissful indie rock coming straight at ya as a score of the scene’s most promising up and comers (and a couple seasoned vets) bring the heat to Mao Livehouse including hot mess new wave outfit Steely Heart, who I’ve been dying to catch again, as well as post rock The Grinding Ear, who are back in fighting form, and garage rock poppers Bye Bye Noise and Heat Mark ,both fresh off the release of their first full length album. And yeah, WHAI – who just can’t get enough as they will also be bringing their powerhouse badassdom to DDC tonight with the help of alternative rocker Disaster Chat, with the welcomed addition of VJ 3day aka Charles Saliba whose masterfully provided some bewitching visuals at last April’s Spring Fever bash. School gets their folk on as they host Japanese mad poet Kazuki Tomokawa – according to SmartBeijing via wiki: \”Kazuki Tomokawa (友川 かずき) is a prolific Japanese musician, active in the Japanese music scene since the early 1970s. He is often described as a \’screaming philosopher\’ due to his idiosyncratic singing style. His music has been used in the films of cult directors Takashi Miike and Kōji Wakamatsu, and he also appears in person in Miike\’s Izo (2004).\” That’s some serious cred – it’s not often School goes all out for their folk artists so expect some of the most beautifully deranged and ethereal folk music. Ska it up over at Temple with Mr. Honey. Korean soap opera junkies untie cause Korean pop outfit Jace are in town to spice up your love life – only at Yugong Yishan. Itching for your Irish music fix – then head on over at XP (of all places) for Steerage or to Caravan where Blackwater will be drinking all the whiskey.

Saturday May 9^th

90s generation folk singer Hua Zhou, whose unique, foul mouthed yet oh so sweet, brand of folk music has generated quite the fanbase releases her debut Joy at First Sight and new EP this evening at Mako Livehouse. I had the pleasure of checking out all the commotion back in January and truth be told, she knocked it out of the park . Frank, tender, and earnest folk music that doesn’t come off as cheap. There’s a bare honesty and modesty to her songs that’s all too rare in folk music nowadays. Expect animalistic college kids going mental for this one. As Loud As We Can!!! It\’s a night full of new and familiar faces at Mao Livehouse, including the return of high kicking tight jeaned hard rockers Jacky Danny\’s albeit in the new suit – Rosewood Bullet. They’re joined by the recently signed minstrel prog rockers The Harridans, always a treat as well as Su & The Paramecia, a up and coming sturdy voiced hard rock outfit. Expect a lively showcase from all. Local label and promotion group D.O.G. presents ‘Ladies Night’ at School Bar, where D.O.G.\’s very own Secret Club and Hot Wave will bring their Brit-pop and electro-pop stylings, as well as Free Sex Shop (female punk rock) and Paper Memory (power pop) coming along for the ride. Ladies get in for free so expect this one to get packed with men looking for a mate. Jasmine Chen is a jazz musician and songwriter, based in Shanghai, China – watch as she brings China’s rich musical heritage into the world of jazz at DDC. Chill way to spend an afternoon me thinks. If you’re keen in staying all day and evening at DDC they will later be hosting cross talking traditional opera shaker uppers Chenianpo. Painkiller gets extreme at Yugong Yishan with this magnetic combo from hell as they host demonic Austrian death metal monsters Belphegor along with Swedish extreme metal champs The Haunted. It’s gonna get sweaty folks – just surrender to the metal and let that mad man out of its cage. Last, check out traditional chinese rock outfit Echo at Jianghu Bar. Oh and WHAI paying them bills at Temple.

Sunday May 10^th

Free folk at School. Not sold? Well, Yulin sounds kinds awesome according to his douban pay. Surly, rumbled, guqin-enhanced folk tunes that has more edge than usual for your folk artist. This I can dig. And it’s free on a Sunday next to the new Tube Station Pizza where they will be selling 5rmb pizza all evening. See what I did there. Over at Mako Livehouse, Harbin via Guangzhou folk artist Tong Yan presents her newest album. Shanghai visual kei rock band Lilith break out the eyeliner at Mao Livehouse. Finally, catch Mongolian outfit Yisu at DDC.