Eclectic urban folk rock from Lanzhou more topical and edgy
Print Edition
The Guinness “MORE” series has brought some of China’s leading urban folkies for big shows the past two months and they are stepping it up with the three-day Woods + Wires Festival.
The lineup is eclectic featuring Memba minority singer and “Chinese Idol” runner-up Yunggiema, renowned Tuvan throat singer Sainkho, Japanese indie-pop singer-songwriter Shugo Tokumaru and award-winning folk rockers Low Wormwood from Lanzhou, Gansu Province.
“We are defined in the folk genre but our temperament is more rock,” explains Low Wormwood’s singer-guitarist Liu Kun. “Chinese folk contains a lot of feeling and compassion but lacks a critical spirit. I think we should take responsibility” and add some edge.
Part of Beijing indie label Maybe Mars’ impossibly hip roster, the group differs from noisier label mates like Skip Skip Ben Ben by going for a softer touch. The group formed in 1998 and consists of Liu, guitarist San Er, bassist Xi Bin and drummer Dou Tao. Last year they won the China Music Media Award for “Best Chinese Band.”
While they’ve toned down the grungier undertones that marked their early records like 2008’s “We Can’t Help Kissing Each Other,” the band continues to put on a compelling live show.
“With our live concerts, we pay more attention to creating an atmosphere,” Liu says. “I remember when we played in Lanzhou, a girl gave me a card with handwriting on it. It was the ticket of that night’s show and she asked me to pass the card to her boyfriend at the Beijing show. I promised her I would and I found the boy. When I gave the card to him, he was very excited. I will remember this moment when music and romance were tied tightly together.”
Lanzhou looms large in the group’s mystique. The members continue to live Gansu’s capital city and their last album “Lanzhou Lanzhou” was a testament to their hometown.
Many people play music in Lanzhou, he says, calling The Wild Child one of the famous bands that encourage young people to follow their dreams. “It’s a really awesome band. We always meet and play in the same life bar.”
With their upcoming album “The Watcher,” the band shifts their attention to more national concerns. Musically, it’s a more melodic follow up and continues the band’s maturation.
“The lyrics are closer to reality and focus on the mental state of people who want more chances to actualize themselves and want society to be more equal,” Liu explains. “Actually we are all watchers. If you listen to this album when you’re driving alone, you will be lost in thought.”
Despite the weighty subject matter and Mandarin-only lyrics, Low Wormwood has built a buzz outside China. They’re planning to tour Europe next year and are in the middle of a national tour to promote their upcoming disc. While they are stopping by the Woods + Wires Festival for a short afternoon set on Saturday, the band will return with their Shanghai record release show on November 29 at On Stage.
“It’s perfect because the album is like Shanghai in the winter — delicate and special,” Liu says.
Date: November 1-3 (Woods + Wires Festival); November 2 (Low Wormwood), 4:30pm
Venue: Qianshuiwan Culture Center, 179 Yichang Rd
Tickets: 120 yuan (1-day), 300 yuan (3-day pass)
(Andrew Chin is a Shanghai-based freelancer.)
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
