The 1st of June is Children's Day in China so Yuyintang decided to put on a show despite it being Monday night and everyone having to work the next day. It was a throw together line up but one that featured some interesting elements especially new projects from Lin Di of Cold Fairyland and also Lu Chen of Top Floor Circus.
Here was the full line up:
8MG
Elephant Makers
Bad Himo
Lightninger
Dragon Pizza
Zhi Wang
None of these acts have quality online music available sorry.
Everyone got free red neckerchiefs on entry which made it feel like a costume party to some extent. Unfortunately the carefree fun attitude also extended to the general organisation and tech quality. Back when YYT first opened it was par for the course, and slightly romantic almost. Bands added randomly to the line up after the show had already been advertised ... organisation and timing all over the place, sound quality completely different from band to band etc. But after a long run of top quality shows at YYT it just seemed annoying. Maybe I've been spoiled.
First up were 8MG. Having been amused by the Douban thread 8MG are the most ignorant band I have ever met, I was really interested to see them. They have a large line up with arena rock keyboards, guitar shredding and big epic tunes. The crowd were a bit confused as how to react at first but the band gave it their all and had consistent style. By the end of the set they got a genuinely pleased reaction. The band seem serious about what they do so let's see where it goes. Following them were another young, new band called Elephant Makers. Their set was mainly covers and was strictly in the mould of Sum 41 and Blink 182. Again, they gave a good performance and did the job and people appreciated it.
By this time it was apparent that Zhi Wang, whom I came to see, were not going to get on until midnight due to the expanded line up. Midnight on a weekday.
Next up was Bad Himo. We were then witness to Lin Di and Seppo of Cold Fairyland playing a multi-media experimental set that was completely about their cat and it's bad behaviour. Moving on. At about this time the considerable section of the crowd who were attached to 8MG and Elephant Makers in some way started to filter out. Just like the old days. Bafang, already wound up about having to wait until midnight to get on, could be heard muttering 'buyao zou' by the door as they left, although half jokingly.
Next on was Lightninger who proceeded to compound the scheduling problem by playing a full length set despite there being two more bands to go. They came on in masks and did a kind of Lu Chen tribute show, reading out poetry in Shanghainese and playing mainly covers of TV theme tunes. Then ... out of the blue came the saviours - Dragon Pizza. These guys are a kick-ass hardcore punk band that mix up the styles a bit. They were the first band to have a loud and clear sound and they ripped into their set like lunatics. Bassist Yuki was on top form and drummer Wang Lei (also of Loudspeaker) beat the hell out of the drums. Alas, there was only about 50 people left at that point.
Midnight had come and gone and it was finally time to hear Bafang and Lu Chen's new project. Ba Fang is an outstanding rock and punk performer formally of the Fuckn'drolls. Hearing that she was back in town and starting a band was big news. As they set up, I was puzzled to see them fill the front of the stage with tables and chair then cover them with effects, desks and a lap top. The drums were then not manned. Finally they played a set of strung-together experimental noise stuff with no conventional singing or arrangements at all. I imagine this was a kind of subversive/punk act in itself. Or something like that. I was too wiped to take it in.
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