Monthly Press Review – 7 (August 2024)

Pictures of Teresa Teng Chiang Mai’s hotel suite surface on social media

Pop legend Teresa Teng’s hotel suite in Chiang Mai where she spent her final days has recently been made public according to a VN Express article. Pictures of her suite have been posted on social media.

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A celebration of Sinophone pop music in New York’s Chinatown

An article from am New York on a block party organized in New York’s Chinatown by the nonprofit Think! Chinatown with a blend of Mandopop and Cantopop songs. A set-list curated by Hong Kong music producer Gia Fu and DJ Rochelle “Yiu Yiu” Kwan who takes care of the beautiful project “Chinatown Records” which documents the sonic history of Chinatown.

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Interview with Gum Bleed on their career

The Beijing street-punk veterans Gum Bleed reflect on their career in a New Noise article during their 2024 European tour.

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A conversation with Hong Kong rapper Novel Fergus

RadiiChina had a conversation with Sham Shui Po-born rapper Novel Fergus ahead of his concert at Asia World Expo. The Cantonese rapper speaks about his working-class upbringing and values: “You know hip hop rappers, they might try to emulate Western rappers and focus on ‘naughty’ things or be with many women. But this simply isn’t my culture and this behavior would be heavily criticized here. Everything that you do has its own consequences — namely developing a sense of value even when it comes to music”. Not sure LMF would agree.

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Music festival (and livehouses) in Japan

Another article by Radii on “concert tourism” by Chinese music fans, who go abroad to attend music festivals such as Fuji Rock in Japan. In Japan also, the Beijing School Bar just opened a live venue in Tokyo. The opening party featured Chinese famous indie bands Fazi, Steely Heart and Berlin Psycho Nurses (all contestants of The Big Band of course).

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Chinese rock ain’t dead

An opinion piece on Sixth Tone because apparently people (who?) think Chinese rock is dead.

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Di-dar, a Cantopop musical on… Hong Kong education system

A new Cantonese musical, Black Comedy Di-Dar (not on Faye Wong) is playing at the Windmill Grass Theatre according to the SCMP. The plot revolves around Hong Kong education system, “traditional Chinese culture” and Cantopop.

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Chinese live music find its way

Very interesting article by Will Griffith on Think China on new live music practices in China after COVID, including the “No Stage” experience which brings the audience and the artists closer.

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Liang Long does another TV show

After The Big Band, Liang Long from Second Hand Rose is ready to participate to more TV variety shows, “expressing his desire to once again experience a sense of youthfulness” according to China Daily. He’s now on Mango TV’s Call Me By Fire. 大哥你玩摇滚，你玩他有啥用啊?

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Chinese indie rock legends are coming back

Old and legendary indie rock and post-punk bands are coming back to tour China during summer – as P.K.14, Carsick Cars, and Nova Heart. Carsick Cars has also released a new album, entitled “Farewell” 告別.

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A curated guide to Chinese’s underground electro

An interesting list published in the Singaporean Female magazine on Chinese electronic music scene, with Howie Lee of course, but also Yu Su, or Voision Xi.

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Taiwan’s Indonesian punk rock band Southern Riot

A video by Focus Taiwan on Taiwan’s Indonesian punk rock band Southern Riot, advocating for migrant rights in Taiwan.

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Wang Yitai and the “Taipei, China” controversy

Famous Chinese rapper from CDC Wang Yitai 王以太 was supposed to perform in Taipei on September. But promotion pictures for his Taipei tour surfaced on the internet, featuring the rapper in front of what appears as a train station going from Beijing (北京) to “Taipei, China” (中國台北). A very subtle move several months after the 回春丹 fiasco. According to UDN (in Chinese), Taiwan’s Mainland Affair Council stated that Wang Yitai violated the “Regulations on Permits for People from the Mainland Area to Enter the Taiwan Area” (大陸地區人民進入台灣地區許可辦法), and the government rejected his application to come perform in Taipei. If only there was a way to write the name of a city without specifying the country.

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Street-dance competition in Shijiazhuang

After the “rock home town” project, Shijiazhuang was also home to China’s street-dance competition according to Xinhua. They did not forget to “incorporate distinctive Chinese elements including martial arts and traditional Chinese musical instruments”.

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A Shandong University professor is revealed as Zuriaake frontman

The historic Chinese black metal band Zuriaake, formed in 1998, has always been mysterious – its members never revealed their identities. According to SCMP, the lead singer is no other than a 41 years doctoral supervisor at Shandong University specialising in metamaterials and electromagnetic functional materials, who published more than 80 scientific articles.

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