This summer's live music festival hits Dino Beach on June 29.
After years of living in the shadow of Beijing, never getting its much
deserved respect, Shanghai rock is finally making its biggest mark to date on
the Chinese music map. The Rock it! festival at Dino Beach will be the largest
outdoor music festival ever staged in Shanghai, with over 30 bands coming from
all over China for three days of music, swimming and food. The festival is being
organized by 13D Studios, a rehearsal space and recording studio in the Xuhui
District, where most of the bands were hand- picked by studio owner Wu Jun and
fellow organizer Roxy Cui. "We want to teach Shanghai people about the cool
lifestyle of rock music, and let people know the strength of the Shanghai rock
scene," says Cui.
13D Studio also organized last year's 123 Beach Party, but while that event
focused on punk, the Rock it! festival will present a more diverse cast of
genres, including many indie and post-punk bands from Modern Sky Records in
Beijing, including favorites like New Pants, Re-Tros, 33 Island, Joyside, and
Muscle Snog.
With 18 of the performing bands being from Shanghai, Rock it! promises to
help boost the image of Shanghai rock. However, there is a catch: "You can swim
and use the water slide, but no alcohol is allowed because there will be many
children [there]," explains Cui.
Here present three performing bands at Rock it! that are shaping the future
of live music in our beloved metropolis.
The
Honeys
Since their formation in 1997, The Honeys have become one
of the most successful rock bands in Shanghai. They play melodic pop-rock in the
classic U2 / Coldplay style (one American radio broadcaster dubbed them the
"Chinese R.E.M."), singing mostly in Chinese and recently integrating
traditional Chinese instruments into their songs. With two albums under their
belts and much well-deserved international praise, The Honeys got their first
chance to play outside China this spring when they went to America for a
three-show mini-tour. Now they hope that Rock It! can serve as a blast off site
for the Shanghai rock scene."We believe in the future [of Rock It!] as a way for
Shanghai bands to show themselves and teach people what rock n¡¯roll is all
about," says guitarist Wang Zhe. Look for a new album from The Honeys coming at
the end of this year.
Crazy Mushroom Brigade
Shanghai nu-metal band Crazy
Mushroom Brigade was formed in April of 2006 by four friends, J. Lee, Pupu, AKI
and Lezi, who share a common passion for hardcore and rap-metal. Drawing
influences from bands like Limp Bizkit and Muse, CMB plays a wild brand of
Shanghai metal tailored for moshers and headbangers. They have earned a
reputation as one of the youngest and liveliest bands in Shanghai with their
heavy riffs and tight rhymes.
For the Rock it! festival, CMB will play their first show with their new DJ,
Hikaru. Fresh from a trip to Japan, Hikaru will add turntable scratching to fill
out the band's nu-metal sound.
Keep your eyes open for a Crazy Mushroom Brigade EP is planned for the end of
this year. CMB can also be seen every weekend at 288 Bar on Taikang Lu.
Happy Strings
Shanghai's most famous all-girl band,
Happy Strings has been playing energetic pop-punk for over four years. Though
their songs may be few, the Happy Strings have earned a substantial following
among young girls in Shanghai by proving that girls can rock just as hard as
anyone else. "Girls have many words to say together, and we have more
imagination than boy bands," said singer Xiao Yi. Happy Strings have a fun and
antic-filled show, with plenty of opportunities to dance and get crazy. And for
any young women in Shanghai who dream of having their own band, Xiao Yi offers
this advice: "If you like rock music, then do it!"
Live Music Festival
Date/Time: 1:30pm, June
29
Location: Dino Beach, 78 Xinzhen Lu, Qibao Town, near Gudai Lu
Tel:
021-6478-3333
