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Friday: Brain Failure at Speakeasy Bar Beijing punk veterans Brain Failure (脑浊) bring their high-energy show back to Kunming tonight, almost a year to the day since their last show in the Spring City. One of China's most-traveled rock bands - they've toured all over China, the US and Japan - Brain Failure will be joined this time around by local bands Noise Addiction and the recently renamed Pretty in Punk (打死我也不说, formerly No Answer) for a 9:30 show at Speakeasy Bar. Admission is 30 yuan. For a taste of Brain Failure's live show, check the above video of a 2006 performance, one of the last punk shows at the legendary CBGB in New York. Friday: English movie and discussion at Chicago Coffee Chicago Coffee will host its weekly English movie and discussion at 7pm tonight. Admission is free with any purchase – call 5389288 for movie details. Tags: Brain Failure, CBGB, Chicago Coffee, No Answer, Pretty in Punk, Speakeasy Bar Arguably the Chinese band with the biggest buzz swirling around it at the moment, Subs will bring its raucous brand of garage punk to Kunming on May 21 when they return to the stage at Speakeasy Bar. Based out of Beijing, guitarist Wu Hao, bassist Zhu Lei and drummer Zhang Shun and frequently screaming vocalist Kang Mao are renowned for tight, high-energy shows and their ability to get audiences involved. Subs' Kunming performance is one stop on a west China tour that is taking the band to Chengdu, Guiyang, Lanzhou and even Xining in Qinghai province. After their April 5 performance in Shanghai (see above video for that evening's performance of the song 'The Man'), Shanghaiist couldn't help but gush about the band's live show:
Subs will be joined by opening band Pretty in Punk, formerly known in English as No Answer and still known in Chinese as 打死我也不说 (loose translation: 'Beat me to death and I still won't talk'). The video below is from PiP's first show with new lead singer Bai Cai at last month's Kunming Outdoor Music Festival Tickets to see Subs, Pretty in Punk and a second opening band to be announced are available at Speakeasy Bar for 30 yuan – the first band will take the stage at 9:30. Update: We have been notified that Pretty in Punk will not be playing the show as originally scheduled - the opening band will be Noise Addiction. Image: Shanghaiist Related articles: Music under the stars at Kunming Outdoor Music Festival No Answer: Kunming's Riot Grrrls Tags: Kang Mao, No Answer, Pretty in Punk, Shanghaiist, Speakeasy Bar, Subs Music under the stars at Kunming Outdoor Music FestivalMonday, 21st April 2008 ~ Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (4)
The second installment of the Kunming Outdoor Music Festival took place over the weekend in Taiping Town outside of Kunming - this time featuring two days of music from bands based in Kunming and Dali. This edition of the festival attracted around 600 people and featured a greater variety of performers than the last - plus perfect weather for taking in music under the stars. Many of the performers from the first edition of the festival last November made it back to perform on Friday and Saturday nights, including organizers Gouride (狗日的), Tribal Moons, Heiyu (黑宇), and No Answer (打死我也不说). No Answer, whose Chinese name means 'beat me to death and I still won't talk', was arguably the most improved band since the last festival – owing primarily to the addition of vocalist Bai Cai, whose energetic stage presence was able to get the audience more involved than at the band's previous shows （see above image). Drummer Yang Yang also put in a solid performance, confirming her status as one of the more talented young drummers in the Kunming music scene. Perhaps the biggest surprise at the festival was the opening night performance by the rock/reggae hybrid Made in Dali, who were the consensus favorite among people who attended the festival both evenings. There was a sizeable military presence at the festival, with dozens of (officially) off-duty soldiers checking out the variety of musical offerings under a nearly full moon. On Saturday night during an 11 pm set by Co Op Sol (邪作社), formerly known as Rap Republic, two military personnel carriers drove into the festival, lights flashing and sirens blaring. Some of the audience was slightly confused when a few dozen soldiers quickly assembled at the rear of the seating area. Things quickly returned to normal, however, after it became apparent that the soldiers seemed more interested in watching the show than interrupting...好玩嘎！ Photo: Aaron Bono Related Article: Kunming Outdoor Music Festival returns this month Tags: Co Op Sol, Gouride, Kunming Outdoor Music Festival, live music, Made in Dali, No Answer, Rap Republic, soldiers, Taiping Town, 打死我也不说, 邪作社 Kunming Outdoor Music Festival returns this monthMonday, 7th April 2008 ~ Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (0)
With the success of the first Kunming Outdoor Music Festival (昆明露天音乐节) last November, the event's organizers are bringing the all-day – and most of the night – music festival back to Taiping Town outside of Kunming on April 19. The all-local festival should be even more diverse than last time, with bands performing punk, blues, metal, hiphop, punk and bluegrass. The lineup for this edition of the festival includes Heiyu (黑宇), Gouride (狗日的), Broken String (断弦), Endless Torture (无尽折磨), Noise Addiction, No Answer (打死我也不说), Brain Concussion (脑震荡), Co Op Sol (邪作社 – formerly known as Rap Republic), Kouxian (扣弦), Chicken Butt (鸡屁股), Tribal Moons (see above image), Chaling (叉灵), Fang Band (坊乐队), The Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project and Nicole. The festival starts at noon and will go late into the night – festivalgoers are encouraged to bring tents to stay on the campground overnight. Food and drinks will also be on sale throughout the day and evening. Tickets for the festival are 30 yuan at the gate, or 20 yuan if purchased in advance at The Hump Bar, Halfway House, Speakeasy Bar or Laowo Bar. The festival will once again be held at the Wumozhai Jiuzhuang Eco-garden on Xiao Jie in Taiping Town (太平镇小街无墨斋酒庄生态元), near the city of Anning (安宁). According to event organizers, the number 17 bus at Xiao Ximen can be taken to Taiping Town, and there will also be a shuttle bus between Taiping Town and the Arts Theatre at Wuyi Lu and Dongfeng Xi Lu throughout the day for five yuan one way. UPDATE: We have just received notice from the festival's organizers that the festival has been expanded to two days – with a short evening set on Friday, April 18th and 19th, with a few additional bands and DJs. Here's the schedule for the two days: Friday, April 18th 8 pm: Gouride 9 pm: Jinzi 10 pm: Stiop 11 pm: Made in Dali Midnight: Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project 1 am: Brain Concussion Afterward: DJs Tantrum, Jezz and Menace Saturday, April 19th 1 pm: Nicole 2 pm: Fang Band 3 pm: Anyeqi 4 pm: Brain Concussion 5 pm: Kouxian 6 pm: Gouride 7 pm: No Answer 8 pm: Tribal Moons 9 pm: Heiyu 10 pm: Broken String 11 pm: Co-op Sol Midnight: Chaling 1 am: Endless Torture 2 am: Noise Addiction Afterward: DJ Moon Unit/DJ Chengcheng UPDATE 2: The festival site is rather difficult to find, here's a Chinese map:
Related articles: No Answer - Kunming's riot grrls Kunming Bands to play outdoor music festival Tags: blues, Co Op Sol, Gouride, Heiyu, hiphop, Kunming Outdoor Music Festival, live music, metal, No Answer, punk, Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project, Rap Republic, Tribal Moons, 打死我也不说, 昆明露天音乐节, 狗日的, 邪作社 With the good weather expected to last through the weekend, this is a good time to get out and enjoy a variety of events including live music, dancing and holiday buffets. Here's a preview of some of the more notable events taking place in Kunming this weekend: DJ Kris at Speakeasy Tonight from 10 pm until late, Speakeasy Bar will feature DJ Kris, one of Kunming's more popular DJs. If recent sets are anything to go by, there should be loads of people dancing into the early morning. Admission is free. KIA Christmas Performance The second and final night of Kunming International Academy's annual Christmas performance featuring KIA students singing traditional Christmas songs will take place tonight. The 7:00 performance will be held at the HNA Hotel at the intersection of Huancheng Xi Lu and Xiba Lu. Tickets for the performance are 20 yuan – call 4126887 for more information. Lucia buffet at TC/G Nordica TC/G Nordica will celebrate Lucia, the Scandinavian celebration of the festival of Santa Lucia today and tomorrow with a buffet and concert both nights. The buffet begins at 6:00 pm and will be followed by a Lucia concert at 8:00. Admission to the buffet is 50 yuan, those who only attend the concert will be charged 25 yuan – 65 yuan gets you entrance to both events. For more information, call 4114691 or 4114692. Han Ying at Halfway House Eclectic musician Han Ying (寒鹰) will give a special performance at the Halfway House on Saturday night. Han, a Kunming native, is noted for his organic style of music – and making all of his instruments by hand. The 9 pm show costs 10 yuan, with tickets on sale at Halfway House, I Am Living and Wheatfields Bookstore. Rock and Roll Circus at Shelter Bar Also on Saturday night, Shelter Bar will host a night of local rock, with performances by Gouride, No Answer, Noise Addiction and Brain Concussion. The free show starts around 9 pm. Tags: Brain Concussion, Christmas, DJ Kris, Gouride, Han Ying, Kunming International Academy, No Answer, Noise Addiction, Shelter Bar, Speakeasy Bar, TC/G Nordica
Featuring No Answer, Gouride and The Tribal Moons, the concert will celebrate Tribal Moons drummer Ma Tu's 21st birthday with live music and dancing well into the night. No Answer and Guoride will open the 9:30 show. The cover charge at the door is 15 yuan, which includes a free bottle of beer. The Laowo Bar is located across from the front gate of the Yunnan Art Institute (云南艺术学院), just west of Kunrui Lu. Tags: arts and entertainment, Gouride, Laowo Bar, live music, No Answer, Tribal Moons
Finding the underground scene in any city always takes a little digging - last Friday night it meant searching around a sketchy former 'KTV' near Kunming's north rail station. We were searching for No Answer (打死我也不说), the all-girl punk band that stole the show at a night of music at Shelter Bar earlier that week, despite being the opening act. After making our way down a narrow alley and up two dark flights of stairs, we came upon a red hallway with pink lighting and small rooms named after the Western zodiac. The entire floor of small rooms had been converted into small practice spaces rented by local bands. At the far end of the hallway a rock band was practicing loudly. We were greeted by Shi Yang, No Answer's 18-year-old guitarist, who led us to her band's practice space. Shi Yang and bandmates Jiang Yuhan (bass, 21) and Yang Yang (drums, 19) have been practicing together every day in their small rented space since forming two months ago. Although they've only been playing together for a short time, they are already one of the city's tightest and more interesting musical acts. As with most Chinese punk bands, No Answer is heavily influenced by Western punk bands - Bikini Kill, Action Pact and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs being their favorites. So far Their favourite song to play at the moment - all of their song lyrics are in English - is the edgy "Big Aunty", which explores the feelings of crankiness that accompany premenstrual syndrome. Although Kunming's music scene is typically dominated by men - many of whom dismiss the girls as having too heavy a feminist slant - No Answer said they're just writing about their experiences and feelings. Drummer Yang Yang, who's been playing drums since age nine, said the band wasn't interested in being pigeonholed as feminist. "We're just making music about our lives," she said in between puffs on her cigarette, "Making music that other women can relate to is a way for women here to have more self-respect." Elder band member and bassist Jiang Yuhan said that although the trio is currently playing punk they are also beginning to develop a more New Wave sound with the songs they are currently writing and practicing in their slightly cramped practice space. According to Jiang, the band loves punk but wants to explore other musical styles. "Good music has no style - it's anything that touches one's heart," she said. For the short term, No Answer is working on new songs in preparation for an upcoming demo. The band will also be playing their first festival gig at the Kunming Outdoor Music Festival this Saturday in Taiping town outside of Kunming. They are scheduled to take the stage around 7 pm. Tags: Jiang Yuhan, KTV, Kunming Outdoor Music Festival, live music, No Answer, punk, Shi Yang, Yang Yang This weekend around Kunming there will be flurry of events catering to a variety of tastes - contemporary dance, classical music, yoga, girl rock and pub crawling plus the beginning of monthly no-car days will be some of the highlights of the next 48 hours. Crossing Festival: Contemporary Dance and Cinema at Yuansheng Studio Beginning this afternoon, Yuansheng Studio in the Loft/Chuangku art compound will be hosting the Crossing Festival, an annual independent festival promoting the development of China's independent contemporary dance and theater, documentary film and experimental video. Founded by Caochangdi Workstation (草场地工作站) in Beijing in 2005 and co-organized by Borneoco/CultureXpress in the Netherlands, this is the first time for the Crossing Festival to come to Kunming - the only other stops are in Beijing and Shanghai. Two dance performances presented by Chinese choreographers nunu and Eagle Ho will be accompanied by dance films brought by Janine Dijkmeijer, director of the Dutch international dance film festival CineDans. Dance performances will take place at Yuansheng Studio Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 - admission is 20 yuan. Film screenings will take place at Yuansheng Studio Friday afternoon at 2:00, Saturday at 3:00 and Sunday around 2:00 - admission to the film screenings is free. Kunming launches monthly no-car days Kunming is the first city in China to adopt monthly no-car days in which private vehicles are not allowed into the city center. Saturday is the first of the city's monthly no-car days, with only buses, taxis, government vehicles and private vehicles with 17 seats or more and a minimum of 50% occupancy allowed within Huancheng Dong Lu, Huancheng Nan Lu, Xichang Lu and Yieryi Dajie. The downtown car ban starts at 9 am and lasts until 7 pm. Yutao Yoga fifth birthday celebration
Wenlin Jie area Halloween pub crawl Starting just after the end of the no-car day at 8:00 Saturday night will be the second Wenlin Jie area Halloween pub crawl. Beginning at the Yunda Sunshine Cafe just outside of the Yunnan University north gate on Yieryi Dajie, the roaming costume party will visit several bars before finishing at Chapter One. All costume-wearing partygoers will receive discounts on beers at each stop and there will be Halloween-themed drinking games. Classical violin concert at TCG Nordica Following on the heels of last weekend's packed jazz concert, TCG Nordica will host a classical violin concert featuring Li Qi on Saturday night. Admission to the 8:00 show is 40 yuan. Girl bands to play Shelter Bar Two local girl bands will play a free show Saturday night at 9:30 at Shelter Bar (防空洞酒吧). One of the bands - No Answer (打死你也不说) - will be playing next month's Kunming Outdoor Music Festival and will be joined at Shelter by Medusa (美杜莎). After the show, DJ Shuangma and DJ Chengcheng will take the stage. Tags: Caochangdi Workstation, DJ Chengcheng, DJ Shuangma, girl bands, Halloween, No Answer, no-car days, Yuansheng Studio, Yutao Yoga Next 1 2 |
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