Gig Recap 现场回顾: Pumpkins 小南瓜, Zilu 子路 (Yuyintang 育音堂 2021.02.19)

Ducked out of the Goosebumps Festival early last Saturday to check in with Pumpkins - a band that's held a special place in my heart since I invited them to perform in Beijing five years back (one of the few times I was able to get the School crowd to make their way over to DDC). The band have been a staple of the punk scene for years - holding down the fort in the rustic city of Xinxiang - one of the tall-tale signs a band will stand the test of time. 

They’ve stuck to their guns over the years, building a solid fanbase of fellow rock and rollers across China. And despite not having the mass appeal or success some of their compatriots have garnered in the past couple of years, they have managed to remain one of the scene's best. Steadfast in the power of their music, even as they dabbled more and more in the waters of psychedelic rock and anthemic indie rock, their sound is authentic and comes directly from their hearts. 

The band was in top form last weekend - loud and loose, dirty and decadent. And donned in some very revealing wrestling tights - they gave a riotous, sincere performance - one embedded with just the right amount of inebriated conviction. Rock and roll at its best boys and girls! 

Support came from Zilu, who themselves have become quite the live act since reforming last fall. They’re a twinkle in their eye during their madcap performances - a rollicking swirl of punk, Britpop, ska, and ballad tomfoolery. It’s fun, vulnerable, deranged and twisted - yet never cruel - and always leaves audiences with a smile on their faces. Really excited to see them develop over the next year.