October 28th, 2009 |
Posted in Articles by zack
There is a great show coming up this Friday at YuYinTang, brought to you by S.T.D. If you are hip and smart enough to attend, you will be transported back to the 80s by the Violent Phlegms, a Violent Femmes project featuring Adam and Fabien from the Rogue Transmission. Resist Resist and Youth and the Destroyer will also enchant you with their musical stylings. However, the centerpiece of the evening, this all-important All Hallow’s Eve, is the stylish American electro duo, YACHT.
How to describe YACHT? Well, let’s take a quote from their RCRD LBL bio (which, incidentally, is a great site for free, new music):
YACHT is a lot of things. It’s kind of a band, but it’s mostly a genre-and-media-spanning life project founded and led by Jona Bechtolt of the Northwest’s very own Portland, Oregon
I don’t want you to get the wrong idea here: There WILL be music played. Bechtolt and singer Claire Evans have discovered that chic electronic dance music is the new hipster crack. Four on the floor is back and better than ever. YACHT deals it out in a highly mysterious, highly stylized package. And people are smoking this stuff like it’s going out of style. This is dance music for people who would normally be uncomfortable with the idea of dancing, but it seems to go deeper than that. Check this excerpt from their mission statement:
YACHT was formed in 2002 as Y.A.C.H.T., “Young Americans Challenging High Technology.” The current incarnation began gestating in 2008, and at this point bears no resemblance, except biologically, to the previous versions. The YACHT of 2009 is the true form of YACHT
Intriguing. I like that I can’t really tell if this is tongue-in-cheek or deadly serious stuff, so check it out for yourself (online and in person, this Friday) and make your own judgment. I really like the fact that at the end of their mission statement YACHT feels the need to stipulate that “YACHT IS NOT A CULT.I believe them when they say it is not a cult. I think their persona is a clever marketing strategy, designed to add to the band’s mystique. And it’s working, at least on this humble music hound.
But wait! The plot thickens: One other interesting thing about the group is the back story concerning their recent album “See Mystery Lights”. There is an unexplained light phenomenon in Marfa, Texas, that they have become fascinated with (as well as the town, also, I think). They recorded the album and have even talked of moving their operations there.
What is the connection between these mystery lights and YACHT? Does life exist on other planets? Are these lights their advanced spacecraft or, perhaps, their auras? Are the members of YACHT, in fact, visitors from another, more fashionable and technologically advanced planet? Is their true mission to prepare us for invasion?
These and many other questions will be answered if you come to YuYinTang on Friday, October 30th.
Click here for the deets.
tags: Adam Gaensler - Claire Evans - Fabi - Halloween - hipster crack - Jona Bechtolt - Marfa - Oregon - Portland - RCRD LBL - Resist Resist - S.T.D. - See Mystery Lights - Texas - The Rogue Transmission - Violent Femmes - Violent Phlegms - YACHT - Youth and the Destroyer - YuYinTang
June 5th, 2009 |
Posted in Live Music Reviews by zack
“I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe Ratatat is playing!” said one concertgoer last Thursday night at the Zhijiang Dream Factory. Believe it, sister. We were packed in on the floor so tight I am still picking her DNA out of my elbow as I transmit this dispatch. Me? I was trying to believe that someone else was as cuckoo for this Brooklyn band as I was. In retaliation, I tried to convince her that my shades were actually 3D glasses that were necessary to view the show properly (she seemed incredulous, but I had her going for awhile). I have to agree with her, though. It was pretty unbelievable. If you have been in Shanghai for a few years you aren’t used to this, but Shanghai is now a viable destination for the bands that were previously only available via download in the past.
I speculated in my preview of the show that we would see seven laptops. We did not even see one. The featured instruments were good old guitar and bass, but there was obviously some sort of sampler rocking out their beats and backing accoutrements. In addition to this we were treated to electronic and acoustic drums, keyboards, mouth organs (sounds dirtier than it is), and a cast of other gadgets that defy my powers of comprehension. The most intriguing gizmo to me was what seemed to be a portable, electronic harp, but I couldn’t exactly see the ghost inside the machinations (thanks, plaid-clad tree in front of me).
The highlights of the night included everyone’s favorite feline jam, “Wildcat”; the set-closer, “Seventeen Years”; and a near studio-pristine version of “Falcon Jab”, the single off of their latest album. I was consistently impressed by Ratatat’s ability to reproduce their studio songs faithfully, just like the last New York band to play Dream Factory, Battles. However, I guess it is a matter of taste to say that this is a good thing. Some people might prefer to hear interpretations of the old songs that add new wrinkles, or new material. Personally, I like to see a measure of boundary-pushing experimentation in my live music. Here I felt like I was at the Hongqiao zoo, throwing water bottles at the golden bears.
I have realized that that was what my attendance at this concert became, and why I was disappointed. I was just watching the bears, rather than sticking my head in their mouths. This seemed like an exhibition, rather than a show. Right now, it is enough for people in Shanghai that bands are simply showing up, but I want to see the bear attack. One wonders about the difference between a Ratatat set in New York and Shanghai. Would it be different?
In the first paragraph I referenced the relative newness of this good band phenomenon to Shanghai. This lead me to the revelation that the concert-going public is relatively green and, therefore, non-discerning. My theory is that bands believe audiences here are unknowledgeable, but enthusiastic for anything, which makes this stop a lay-up on any grueling tour schedule. It is hard to stab at elusive symphonic nirvana nightly, easier to crank out the hits.
As a music-going public, how can we change this perception? It is a two-part harmony, consisting of equal parts support and indifference. First, go crazy for the penultimate moments. Support what is true and real with dedication and wild abandon. Secondly, don’t support what is not in key simply because it is the only game in town. Because it’s not anymore. Perfect pitch is supporting and elevating your homegrown talent, which leads us to our last observation.
We were treated to AV Okubo as an opener (I know they’re not from Shanghai, but they should move here, so I’m counting it). This band has knocked me out like no other on two occasions now. Their H1N1 gag with the surgical masks seemed a bit comical, especially when the lead singer was trying to emote through the mask, a megaphone, and the microphone (talk about disconnection) unsuccessfully, a struggle that he eventually abandoned. Their danceable cohesion (combined with a commendable level of melodious noise) brought to mind a more dexterous Blood Brothers. I got to chat a bit with their drummer and he said that their new album was recorded and could be out soon. I’m not promising anything, but let’s hope so. He also told me the name of their genre (I was wondering)—Breakwave.
Fresh, catchy, noisy, cool: Now this is something we could latch onto.
PS: If you missed the show and are short on time, check out this time-lapse video, complete with road beers, after-parties, and Shanghai noodles to cap it off (but minus AV Okubo, for some reason). Hat tip to Mary.
tags: AV Okubo - Breakwave - Ratatat - S.T.D. - The Dream Factory - Video - Youth and the Destroyer
June 5th, 2009 |
Posted in Live Music Reviews by mache
Editor’s Note: It took us awhile to collect our thoughts and reflect upon the events of May 21st. Like any eventful night, it inspired conflicting opinions. We will bring you two of those opinions, the first from Mache here, and the second from Zack in the next post.
It’s 3:43 AM and I’m back from Logo, where the celebration for S.T.D.’s concert featuring Youth and the Destroyer, AV Okubo, and Ratatat is still happening. The night wasn’t as long as other nights at Logo, or as crowded as others around Xingfu Lu, but the atmosphere was exhilarating. People were so excited that the police even came to…well, I can’t really tell you why. It was an intense night for music in Shanghai. S.T.D’s production seemed to be the result of alot of work, and it is impossible to not feel (yes, that’s a double negative) that music scored tonight in Shanghai. Here’s how it went down.
The Dream Factory was already crowded when I arrived at 9 PM. The entrance floor was loud and excited. People were having fun, ready for something, but they didn’t know what. Near 9:30, Youth and the Destroyer began to play. We were at the middle of the place and there were enough people to create the right mood. The band played a moderate, but strong start, Reggie said, “Thank you for coming for a great night with Ratatat.” The vibe was on.
After a few songs I was at the very front of the stage. People were watching the band and having fun. Then the sound did its nasty thing and one song that could have been beautiful turned into something scary. The next song (sorry, I don’t know the titles) made me truly listen to the band. I thought for a second these guys could be a new Blondie. After the lost song, the music came to life, stood up with big strength, and yelled, “Fuck the sound!!!” It was intense. Was it new metal? Heavy punk? Post-Industrial Rock? Who cares?! The bass was killing the speakers, the drummer was pushing rhythmic limits, and the singers were moving the crowd with their voices and attitudes, totally into their own thing. The band left to loud cheers. Reggie was happy, along with the rest of the band. The air was very hot. It was time to go to the back. People were still coming in.
At the back, I found some friends and chatted. The sound at the back was bad. People were complaining that the Dream Factory has a disturbing echo that requires a good sound engineer. At the front the music sounded nice to me, but maybe it was just me having too much fun. It was clear that when AV Okubo began I must go to the front if I wanted to enjoy the music.
AV Okubo is interesting. They can be fun, heavy, strange, rock stars, or just cool guys. They are strong and playful musicians. This music is more sensitive to bad sound than Youth and the Destroyer, but they take sound issues well. The songs are full of changes, and you never know really where they are going, but it always takes you to a more exciting experience, like a freaking roller coaster. The people feel them and react by dancing, moshing, and yelling. AV Okubo is the band of excitement.
They finished smoothly, almost gently. The crowd was dense, jumping at the front, and it was airless and hot. I made it to the very back. I stood up when I met Super Sophia near the stairs, and I stayed hanging there. It must have been around 10 pm and many people were still coming inside. I relaxed. I drank water and did all those things one does when enjoying quietly. But people were still coming in. It was a long wait already. The noise from the people’s voices inside was loud, and the music was getting louder. No one was yelling for the band to begin. Everybody was into their chats and eventual looks around. Then, suddenly, the movement toward the human swimming pool accelerated. Out of the speakers came ACDC’s “Back in Black” and the floor became full in a blink. Not one more person could fit, not even a cat. Ratatat soon started. The lights were moving, the screen had strange visuals, the music was heavy, but slow. I was waiting for the song that obliged people in front to come to the back. It came, and the exodus began. Julie Glasses passed by and ordered, “To the front!” I followed her.
The music was powerful, attractive and a bit disturbing. The lights and video were amazing. The guys on the stage knew how to use the elements. The huge, shadowed guitar player, with his long-haired head banging into orange fire on the screen was not shy at all. It was interesting that the crowd was not going crazy. They were just there. The concert was memorable anyway, music burning. A big sample of the planet was there.
I found Julie Glasses again, whom I had lost once we arrived at the front. We stayed there until the last chord died, had some chats with friends, drank more water, and began to find a balance with silence again. When going out, Julie said about Ratatat, “Isn’t it great Metallica, without the lyrics?” We laughed. It was funny because I was thinking, “Isn’t it cool Stravinsky with electric guitars?”
Logo was the celebration of the night. The DJs were fine and people were excited. I wonder if everybody had this much fun. I hope so. It was a music party, tuned in rock.
*Photos by Daisy Zhou
tags: AV Okubo - Ratatat - Rock - S.T.D. - Shanghai - Youth and the Destroyer
