For as long as we can remember, there has been a “neo-folk” niche in China, an antidote to the very indulgent, glitzy acts that typically head the charts – whether they be local C-pop stars or international acts. As China embraces its newfound confidence as a self-sustaining world power, on the creative side there is less need to use foreign inspirations as a crutch. Chinese artists are looking for inspiration at home, seeking forms of expression that truly reflect their own lived realities.
Wood+Wires Festival (a Split Works venture in association with Guinness) will be bringing over 30 artists to the QSW centre 1st-3rd November for a three-day showcase of this movement. Though there are big named artists (Sainkho Namtchylak, World’s End Girlfriend and Yunggiema 央吉玛 to name a few) there are plenty of local rising stars from the post-80s generation who will be taking the baton and leading the next stage of the development of China’s music industry, including Buyi (布衣), Xiban (戏班), Bloody Woods and Low Wormwood (低苦艾).
Expect heaps of energy, native instrumentation (with Hanggai 杭盖 bringing a distinct Mongolian flavour to the line-up) and participation on the part of the audience (with extras such as Square Dancing from Michael Ismerio presenting a nice touch).
Of course the festival is called Wood+Wires for a reason. On the Saturday there will be an Afterhours event in partnership with Sub-Culture, featuring one of Shanghai’s strongest line-ups of underground electronic music to date. Emika, Objekt, Ikonika, Kingdom and local talents ChaCha and Downstate will rumble the foundations of the QSW into the early hours (well hey, the naughty expats who didn’t do their Chinese 练习need to get involved too!).
There are various ticket types available: at 120RMB for a day, the festival is accessible to all and not just the expats who have been conditioned into forking over wedges of cash for live events at home.
[Disclaimer: sister company Split Works is the promoter behind this festival]