Shanghai music videos (still better than MTV)

We have bands in Shanghai! Also, sometimes they make music videos, because that’s what bands do, right? I mean, if they’re good-looking enough and all. Here’s a roundup of some recent vids from the Shanghai scene. Fire up those VPNs!

First up, a little something from Banana Monkey. Banana Monkey is a too-cool rockabilly band that’s been around Shanghai since about 2006, though they’ve been off and on over the years. Luckily though, they’re back on and they’re back on in a big way. Banana Monkey is a quartet but driven mostly by the showmanship and singing of front man Bono Zhang along with Misuzu on lead guitar. With the rest of the band they create loud, melodic garage rock a la England in the 60s and 70s. Really good to listen to and even better to see.

Their video for Double Trouble, filmed last year the Layabozi Anniversary Show at Yuyintang, is a pretty good example of that.

And here’s one of my favorite tracks from them called Miss Fur. Eagerly awaiting new material, please please please.

Next up, Astrofuck.

Astrofuck is a newer band in Shanghai, but only new as in they recently formed since the members have all been around and into music here for a while. Most notable in Astrofuck is Andy Best on guitar, as Andy Best writes the definitive Shanghai indie music blog (and yeah, I say that as someone who also writes about Shanghai indie music. We pale in comparison.), so basically, he knows the scene and it’s no surprise to see him pop up in another project. I’ve only seen them play live once, and they were decent for ones just out of the gate. Electronic beats and a lead singer who’s more talk-y than sing-y. It’ll be interesting to see where they go. Read all about them here.

Here’s their video for The Funeral, a song about wanting to puke on Yoko Ono (as far as I can tell).

And just like everywhere else, if you make a music video in Shanghai someone else is gonna make a video making fun of that video. But in the sweetest, most delightful way possible.

That honor fell to Stegosaurus?. Stego just gave a solid performance last week at the Rainbow Danger Club/Hell Hounds goodbye show and they’re a band that at any given time is pretty much up to no good, making their schizo rock. But a good kind of no good. Their parody of The Funeral is called Sonny Bono and it’s pretty awesome. Well, it’s either stupid or awesome. Mostly stupidly awesome. Best moment by far comes at :32 where a Chinese guy gives Sonny a “WTF” look and it doesn’t even phase him. If you’re only gonna watch one video I’ve posted, make it this one.

You can catch Stegosaurus? live this Friday (July 5, 2013, 21.00) at Yuyintang as part of the Made in Shanghai Vol. 5 show. They’ll be playing with sonnet and FIRE SCENE. Info here.