Research and Other Investigations from China

Sound Kapital: Beijing’s Music Underground Trailer

I put together a video slideshow for my recently published monograph, Sound Kapital: Beijing’s Music Underground. It features the song Hard Heart from my favorite electrosurfer band in Beijing, Queen Sea Big Shark, which is also included in the compilation CD packaged with the book. The slideshow was also presented at the New York Photo Festival as part of a warm up for Lou Reed’s Hidden Books, Hidden Stories presentation.

The Chinese Invasion Tour 2010

Carsick Cars ham it up for the camera on a Lower East Side rooftop during the only photo shoot on the tour. - New York, NY

P.K. 14, Carsick Cars, and Xiao He – three of Beijing’s preeminent underground musical acts – toured the United States for the first time in November of 2009 under the auspices of the Maybe Mars Chinese Underground Showcase. It was easily one of the most successful international tours pulled off by Chinese performers to date as they drew large, enthusiastic audiences up and down the east coast. Proving themselves more than just a novelty act, these musicians upped the ante and expectations for new music out of China which now incubates fresh, independent, and frequently irreverent voices in a country renowned for creative conformity and saccharine Cantonese pop. Even though it is too early to tell what may come of the innovative strides made by these musicians, there is no doubt that they will continue to break ground within Beijing’s nascent artistic landscape, helping to push the boundaries of an already expanding realm of independent thought and musical expression in China. I was lucky enough to be embedded with the bands throughout the tour.

P.K. 14 at soundcheck in Open Space. - Baltimore, MDXiaohe and Li Qing, drummer for Carsick Cars, fiddle with a piano between shows in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. - Shepherdstown, WVYang Haisong, lead singer for P.K. 14, relaxes outside during one of the few free days. - Shepherdstown, WV

Shi Xudong takes in some of the classics at the Museum of Modern Art. - New York, NYYang Haisong, lead singer of P.K. 14, executes one of his patented leaping splits during his performance at Club Polaris in Philadelphia. - Philadelphia, PACarsick Cars warm up in an empty UNC theater. - Chapel Hill, NC

Members of P.K. 14 head into Goodwill in search of lost American treasures. - Pittsburgh, PASome of the college bills ended up turning out the best audiences, especially at UNC. - Chapel Hill, NCCarsick Cars' short tour of Washington included a visit to the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. - Washington, DC

P.K. 14 rips through another set in Open Space. - Baltimore, MDXiaohe took advantage and worked the rowdy crowd with one of his best performances at the Velvet Lounge. - Washington, DCShi Xudong, bassist for P.K. 14, was easily bored with shopping on tour. - Pittsburgh PA

2009 Modern Sky Festival: Foreign Acts Denied

2009 Modern Sky Festival Rocks Chaoyang Park

Modern Sky is definitely one of the pioneers in bringing large-scale music festivals to China and were planning something big this year. However, thanks to the sensitive nature of the sixtieth anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, all foreign acts were canceled last minute. This is going to be a huge blow to Modern Sky’s ticket sales and confidence in importing foreign acts in the future. It is also a bit of a scare tactic employed by the local government who like to let people know who is in charge every once in awhile. Nonetheless, the festival continued with its domestic lineup and rocked out Chaoyang Park to great acclaim. Maybe next year.