August 2018 - Scoot In-flight Magazine

NANCHANG
BANDS ON THE RUN
Nanchang’s lively bar
scene has some great
options for lovers of ‘live’
music. U2 Livehouse, a
popular spot located in
the hip 699 Art Culture
Park on Shanghai Road
South, serves up regular
‘live’ acts, as well as an
enviable selection of
imported beers and
spirits. In the mood for
Brazilian themed eclectic
bops? Troop to Bossa
Nova where acoustic acts
and weekend barbecues
are legendary.
ABOVE:
Local hip-hop
artist SJok poses
against an old
rundown train.
Founder Deng (short for
DengZhang) started out by
importing black metal CDs from
overseas to sell them in
Nanchang. A member of Be
Persecuted, Deng used his
new label as a way of releasing
the band’s first demo in 2006.
The recording gained traction
internationally, and soon metal
bands from around the world
were contacting Deng with a
view to having their music
distributed in China.
Since then, Pest Productions
has gone from strength to
strength; it has garnered a
reputation for openmindedness
with its acts
spanning a variety of metal
subgenres. The label celebrated
its ten-year anniversary in 2016
with major events in Beijing and
Shanghai, and aims to become
“Asia’s most famous underground
metal label.” Not bad for an
operation that started out in
Deng’s tiny college dorm.
“We are not in it for the
money,” says Deng. “But we still
have plenty of ambition. Our
intention from the start has
been to invest in human capital.
To be a vehicle for bands to
develop and better themselves.”
MORE THAN JUST
METAL
While the Nanchang metal scene
is prominent, there’s more to the
city’s music landscape than
brooding lyrics and fiddly guitar
solos. Indeed, there are numerous
other styles to investigate. Like
metal, hip-hop is on the rise in
China, and Nanchang’s
contributions include Ocase,
California-based Lei Lei, and SJoK,
the founder of local hip-hop
collective GanGanG.
Other notable players on the
alternative music scene range
from Wang Xu, an artist/
experimental musician and
co-founder of acclaimed
Nanchang gallery Snarte Space –
to Jingdezhen Renaissance, who
specialises in a mellow, delicate
style of folk-influenced indie.
Back in the centre of Nanchang,
Explosicum is winding down at
rehearsal. As Friday night wears
on, many locals will make their way
to karaoke to sing along to
Mandopop and slushy ballads.
Few will be trying their hand at
“Endless Killing” or any other
Explosicum songs. Nevertheless,
the presence of such radical
elements makes Nanchang febrile
territory for any musical explorer.
Scoot
flies three times
weekly to
Nanchang. Book
your flights at
flyscoot.com
PHOTOGRAPHY UNITE ASIA, DREAMSTIME
44 SCOOT