My Blog List

Search This Blog

Pages

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Godspeed You!black Emperor- Postrock Gets Serious in Asia

Go Back To My Site

GYBE came to our city bearing bad news in the form of doomy,hypnotic postrock anthems but they were greeted rapturously by the select band of devotees of postrock gathered in The Vine.
HK is becoming seriously cool when we can attract bands of this calibre to venues like The Vine instead of soulless arenas like Asiaworld.I can even forgive the band/the organisers for the agonizingly long wait which preceded the set!
Throughout the 2 hour set there were moments of stillness and delicate beauty in familiar favourite tracks like 'Gathering Storm' balancing the heavy postrock crescendos of newer material like 'Mladic'and fans were mesmerised.No chatting with the fans or polite exchanges.Just serious postrock.
Godspeed Godspeed!


 Setlist


1.Hope Drone 


2.Mladic


3.Gathering Storm


4.Behemoth


5.BBF3

  
                           


                  


Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Eatliz China tour at Hidden Agenda Hong Kong



EATLIZ Chinese tour dates
IDIOTEQ MARCH 12, 2012 0
EATLIZ, a progressive/art rock band from Tel Aviv, will be touring China later this month.
Coming to Hidden Agenda on Sunday 18th!!

Tour Dates:
17.3 Guangzhou @ 191space, with: Turtle Giant (Macau)
18.3 Hong Kong @ Hidden Agenda, with: Turtle Giant (Macau)
19.3 Changsha @ Freedom House 20.3 Wuhan @ Vox 21.3 Nanjing @ 61House
22.3 Hangzhou @ 9-Club 23.3 Shanghai @ JUE | Music + Art Festival, Yuyintang, with: Yourboyfriendsucks! (Guangzhou), Battle Cattle (Shanghai)
24.3 Beijing Music Video and Animation Screening and Q&A @ The Hutong
25.3 Beijing @ JUE | Music + Art Festival, Tango, with: Devil Music Ensemble (USA)

EATLIZ is one of the biggest alternative acts in Israel, performing internationally for the past 3 years, including spots at major festivals as SXSW (Austin, TX), Primavera sound (Spain), Exit (Serbia) and more. So far the band released 3 album, and it is signed at Anova Music, Israel’s biggest Indie label. EATLIZ will perform at JUE | Music+ Art festiva, the biggest urban festival in China, along acts like THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART and DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE.

Tel Aviv’s most innovative act, Eatliz, will bring its spectacular visual performances and outstanding genre-crossing music to China for the first time in March 2012, performing at the JUE Music + Art Festival in Beijing and Shanghai, China’s biggest urban festival and in additional shows in Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan and Changsha. Eatliz’s astounding creative vision has already been recognized with multiple awards in China.
Israel’s hottest Art Rock group, Eatliz, have been causing quite a stir in the world of alternative rock for some time now, earning them an ever-growing cult following across North America, Europe and Israel.
With a discography of critically acclaimed albums spanning half a decade, the band’s penchant for mixing sonic pounding with delicate meandering has struck a chord with listeners worldwide who appreciate unconventional song structure. Playing what’s been termed “Art Rock”, Eatliz creates music with elements ranging from pop with a Middle Eastern edge to hard rock. The result is a sound that calls to mind artists like Faith No More, The Cranberries and Blonde Redhead.

Eatliz has gained a reputation for their eye-popping animated music videos – for songs such as “Hey”, “Lose This Child” and “Attractive” – which have been seen by millions in 200 domestic and international film festivals, where they received dozens of awards, including the Babelgum Online Film Festival’s “Spike Lee Award”, granted by the renowned director at the New York Tribeca Film Festival, “Best Foreign Video” at the 11th Sichuan TV Festival “Gold Panda” Awards, “Best Experimental Foreign Short Film” at the China Xiamen International Animation Festival and the Special Jury Prize for TV Animation at the China International Animation and Digital Arts Festival Golden Dinosaur Awards, plus screenings before the film “Avatar” at cinemas across America. These unique music videos have earned the band a great deal of press attention worldwide, along with performances on TV shows and at major music festivals.
“Eatliz makes dreamy, atmospheric songs and imbues them with complex and ornate arrangements and haunting vocals.” MTV Buzzworthy [USA]









Sunday, April 3, 2011

The Whitest Boy Alive-You Say Party We Say Party!

Go Back To My Site
Erlend Oye's electro outfit The Whitest Boy Alive leans more to the indie pop style than his better known Kings of Convenience alter ego but his charm and ability to communicate with the audience are a constant factor.This may not have been one of the most challenging of indie shows for the audience but it was definitely one of the most fun.as one comment on my video said 'A wonderful night....all people dance high' and the band did give the crowd a natural high in their 2 hour set.
I couldn't really make up my mind whether to go to this show but a friend had got some good seats so we decided to see if  Whitest Boy were as good or better live than Erlend Oye's other band, Kings Of Convenience.
First off,minus marks to Untitled Asia ,the organisers for having no crowd control.It's very annoying to find that late comers could just wander around at will when the show has started looking for their seats and blocking everyone else's view.Couldn't they at least let people wait till a break in the songs?
Also what's the point of having reserved seating if everyone can just rush to the front?Next time just say free seating and everyone will know what to expect.Don't get me wrong.It was hilarious the way everyone just charged forward but if only I'd known I coulda got to there first!

Ok how about the bands?The support act featured Analog Girl from Singapore,an electronic experimental artist who was given a warm reception for her electrodance beats. 
The Whitest Boy are one of the best live acts I've seen in Hong Kong but I still had a nagging feeling that the singalong ,arms waving,handclapping show backed by synthesised dance beats as well as a live drummer  was more pop than indie fare.Sure,the atmosphere was great and Erlend is such a charismatic performer nd lovl guy that it seems churlish to complain with a show full of big songs,geeky dancing and the rest but it still felt to .me like something was missing although most of he ecstatic crowd didn't agree.Party n dudes!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

EF-Nordic postrock in Hong Kong

Go Back To My Site
A bunch of Hong Kong indie fans turned out in numbers for the first of this week's Scandinavian visitors ,Swedish band EF at The Hangout.Like most rock venues in the city it's quite small but the proximity of audience to performers can generate an intimate atmosphere that at times is electric.
The other plus point is that thereis none of the intrusive security measures seen at larger venues with security guards blocking your view of the band.
First on were Whyoceans ,a local outfit from whose melodic ,intricate guitar lines and ghostly vocals set the postrock mood for the main band.
If your only experience of Sweden so far has been Ikea or Stig Larsson then you missed a chance to check out on its more euphoric sid at this show..
Headliners EF are  on the less heavy side of the postrock spectrum,more aethereal Sigur Ros than earblasting Mogwai.They played a noisy,rhythmic but fairly melodic set full of crashing harmonies and intricate guitar figures which soon had the audience jumping around,clapping hands and generally enjoying some moody but uplifting Swedish postrock.
the band's latest offering should be available from local record store whitenoiserecords   


Hong Kong's next visiting postrockers the Besnard lakes are at Hidden Agenda  on the 17th March or alternatively head on over to HITEC to see the Berlin based electro outfit The Whitest Boy Alive if there are still any tickets left!