Monthly Press Review – 3 (April 2024)
Young Dan 回春丹 Controversy in Taiwan
Hui Chun Dan is an indie rock band from Guangxi, who rose to fame during the third season of The Big Band. Another cross-strait controversy: they sent a Weibo message mentioning “Taiwan, China” before their concert in Taipei according to an article on Yahoo (in Chinese). They were welcomed with Taiwan and Hong Kong independence flags, and their scheduled performance at the Taiwan Music Festival in Pingtung County was canceled according to a Taipei Times article.
Taiwanese indie singer-songwriter Yokkorio released a new single
A Bandwagon article on the indie Taiwanese singer-songwriter Yokkorio (Liao Yuwen, ex-The Fur) new single, “Can You Fix It”.
Closure of another Hong Kong indie live venue: Music Zone
HKFP article on the closure of Music Zone, one of Hong Kong only medium sized live venue for indie performances, established in 2012 in the Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre (KITEC),. The manager of the late-Hidden Agenda told HKFP: “It’s a ‘good-kid’ type of venue – no drinks, no food, people go home after the show – very rigid. But it really helped a lot of organisers.”
Taiwan rock band Shin concert in Shanghai
The popular Taiwanese rock band Shin 信 is set to perform in Shanghai Jing’an Sports Center in April 20.
Indonesian migrant workers’ punk band Southern Riot hit Kaohsiung Megaport Festival
Taipei Times article by Muhammad Irfan on the Indonesian migrant worker punk band Southern Riot’s performance at the Kaohsiung Megaport Festival for the second time in a row. “Fred Hsieh and Shawn Hsu, the program directors of Megaport, say the participation of the migrant worker community at the festival reflects the social reality in Taiwan”.
Kaohsiung Indie Scene At The Megaport Festival
Another article on this year’s Megaport Festival by Muhammad Irfan in The New Lens on Kaohsiung own indie bands, as Elephant Gym, Shallow Levée, and Fire EX.
China’s performance market strong start in 2024
Global Times article on China’s performance market strong start in the first quarter of 2024 (10.8 billion yuan), including music festivals, dramas, traditional opera, cross talk, concerts, musicals and children’s plays: “As of March 14, the box-office revenue from music performances in 2024 reached 941 million yuan, accounting for 79.3 percent of the total box-office revenue from performances. The total attendance for music performances reached 1.9 million. according to data from box-office tracker Dengta”.
Li Zhi returns (in Japan)
The true international Chinese musician Li Zhi – he can only perform outside China apparently – is finally back after his “disappearance” back in 2019. Jake Newby has devoted his (essential) Substack newsletter “Concrete Avalanche” to Li Zhi come back… in Japan. After several failed attempt to perform in China, Li Zhi will (try to) give 5 concerts in Japan in April/May through Panda Records (a Japanese label specialized in Chinese music). If you go to their Instagram page, you’ll see plenty of messages from Chinese nationals buying tickets to see Li Zhi…
A French singer on Chinese TV
The French singer (only known in China) Joyce Jonathan is participating to the Chinese TV talent show “Ride the Wind” 乘风 (ex-sisters who make waves), according to Charts in France. Another victory for French soft-power after the Notre-Dame de Paris performance during last 春晚.
MayDay offers its help to Hualien earthquake victims
The Taiwanese rock band MayDay (featured in a previous press review) announced that they will organize a charity concert in Hualien to help the victims of the earthquake. A proposition well-accepted by Hualien residents according to this Taiwan Plus report (and an article in Taipei Times):
Hong Kong international songwriting camp
An international songwriting camp was organized in Hong Kong by Universal Music, according to this deep-dive article in SCMP, interviewing Billboard chart-topping songwriter Chris James, TikTok sensation Gaston Pong and multi-instrumentalist Chiyo. The initiative suggests that China will be the next Asian music hub, with the Hong Kong expertise at its core.
Indie bands play Taiwan Beats Showcase at SXSW in the US
Taiwanese bands and artists recently wrapped up shows for the Taiwan Beats Showcase at SXSW 2024, in the U.S. state of Texas, including Fire Ex., The Dinosaur’s Skin, Mong Tong, Chih Siou, and Gummy B, according to this article by Taiwan News.
RadiiChina April’s music pick
Will Griffith from RadiiChina picks his favorite Chinese music for this month: Jade Breaking Plan for Liberty (Chongqing), Noooodle King, iimmune (Beijing), Riot in School 返校日 or post-punk veterans Sparrow 文雀.
Interview with Taiwanese singer Marz23
An interview on Lifestyle Asia with the Taiwanese singer Marz23 of the rock band TRASH, who recently turned to emo-rap in his first solo album, 23.
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Nathanel Amar (1 mai 2024). Monthly Press Review – 3 (April 2024). Scream For Life. Consulté le 12 octobre 2024 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/10shz
