[:en]
It all started back in 2005, when Dan Boeckner, frontman of Canadian indie rockers Wolf Parade locked eyes with a bewitching girl in the audience during a gig in Vancouver. That girl was short-story writer Alexei Perry, and by the end of the night, the two were kissing by the merch-table. Awww.
Planning a romantic vacation around Scandinavia, the lovers had a flash of inspiration: why not form a band, and make a European tour out of it? Nevermind that Perry had no musical training save for a few childhood piano lessons. Boeckner got on the phone with his agent and booked the tour. The couple christened themselves Handsome Furs, the title of a short story Perry was working on at the time, banged out a set list of songs in a week’s time, and Perry performed live on synths for the first time ever in Oslo.
The thing is, they didn’t suck. And critics are taking notice. Rather than being simply an excuse for an extended honeymoon, the now-married Handsome Furs duo have been earning raves. Now signed to Subpop — the iconic label that helped engineer the success of bands including Nirvana, CSS and Death Cab for Cutie – the Furs released their first album, Plague Park, in 2007, and followed it up with this year’s Face Control. While the inspiration for Plague Park was taken from their travels through Scandinavia, Face Control draws heavily on their recent trip to Russia. The term “Face Control” refers to bouncers at Russian nightclubs turning customers away based on their physical appearance.
So what do they sound like? Think “a synth-pop pep rally for the damned” (according to Blender). Boeckner’s well-honed guitar steez and haunting vocals and Perry’s beats combine to form sounds that are stripped-down yet complex, and straddles a line between crest-fallen and optimistic; at once bleak and soulful. Kinda like marriage.
Split Works is stoked to be hosting these nomads on their first Asia Tour – 5 countries, 7+ shows, and hopefully the inspiration for a new album.
Tianjin
Thursday, September 3
With: Sulumi
@ Nic Club
Heping District, Munan Dao Number 143
RMB 40 (advance) / RMB 50 (door)
Doors: 8pm
Ticket Bookings:
Booking address: Balitai New Culture Plaza Floor-4 Sonic Candy Record
Tel: 022-23331511
Beijing
Friday, Sept. 4
With: Guaili
@ MAO
111 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
RMB 70 (advance) / RMB 80 (door)
Doors: 9pm
Ticket Bookings:
- On Taobao: http://shop33367440.taobao.com
- By email: fanone@126.com (English and Chinese)
- By phone: 13051597837 (Chinese only)
Shanghai
Saturday, Sept. 5
With: Boys Climbing Ropes
@ Yuyintang
1731 Yanan Xi Lu, near Kaixuan Lu
RMB 70 (advance) / RMB 80 (door)
Doors: 9pm
Ticket Bookings:
- On Taobao: http://shop33367440.taobao.com
- By email: fanone@126.com
- Info: 13601647747 (Mon – Fri, 10am-7pm)
Hong Kong
Sunday, Sept. 6
Presented by
@ Grappa’s Cellar
Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place,
Central
HKD 200 (advance) / HKD 250 (door)
Doors: 7pm
Ticket Info:
- Grappa’s Cellar: (852) 2521 2322
- White Noise Records: (852) 2591 0499
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Thursday, Sept. 10
Hanoi, Vietnam
Friday, Sept. 11
Bangkok, Thailand
Saturday, Sept. 12
Singapore
Friday, Sept. 18[:zh]
让我们重新回到2005年的那个时刻，在温哥华的一场演出中，加拿大独立摇滚乐队Wolf Parade的主要成员Dan Boeckner的目光紧紧追随着观众中一个迷人的女孩。那个女孩叫Alexei Perry,是一个短篇小说写手。在那晚快要结束的时候，他们两个在贩卖唱片的小桌子前亲吻了对方。
在策划一个在斯堪的纳维亚半岛的浪漫假期的同时，灵感的火花在这对恋人脑中闪过：为什么不组一个乐队，然后进行一场欧洲巡演呢？Perry除了在小时候上过几节钢琴课以外没有任何的音乐训练，但这又有什么关系呢，Boeckner还是拿起电话跟他的经纪人确定了这场巡演。这一对情侣称自己为“漂亮皮草”乐队，这也是Perry当时正在写的短篇小说的题目。他们在一个星期内就列出了歌单，在奥斯陆，Perry用合成器进行了自己的处女演出。
事实是，他们一点也不糟糕。乐评界开始注意他们了。这绝对不是一个延长蜜月的借口，已婚组合漂亮皮草乐队已经受到了广泛的赞扬。他们现在已经签约于Sub Pop——–一个曾经培养出Nirvana,CSS和Death Cab for Cutie的标杆型的音乐厂牌。他们2007年推出了第一张专辑《Plague Park》， 随后又在2009年发行了《Face Control》。前者的灵感来源于他们在斯堪的纳维亚的旅行，而后者这个名字是指他们在俄罗斯看到夜总会的保镖因为顾客长得不怎么样，就把他们轰走了。
他们的声音听起来是如何的呢？Boeckner娴熟的吉他震音，配上他有些纠结的声音，而Perry合成器的节拍声又在删减已经形成的音效。他们在下降与上扬中跨越着那条巧妙的界线，有一种同时出现的苍凉与深情，就有点像婚姻带给你的感受一样。
开功 引进并主办这两个游魂的第一次亚洲巡演——五个国家，七场或以上的演出，并希望，这可以激发他们新专辑的灵感之光。
天津
9月3号，星期四
@ Nic Club
和平区睦南道143号 画国人创意空间地下一层
票价：40元（预售）/50元（现场）
时间：20点
预售地址：八里台新文化广场四楼声音堂唱片
电话：022-23331511
_______________________________
北京
9月4号，星期五
@ MAO
东城区，鼓楼东大街 111号
票价：70元（预售）/ 80元(现场)
时间：21点
预售地址：
淘宝: http://shop33367440.taobao.com
Email: fanone@126.com
电话: 13051597837
_______________________________
上海
9月5号，星期六
@ 育音堂
长宁区延安西路1731号，入口在凯旋路
票价：70元（预售）/80元（现场）
时间：21点
预售地址：
淘宝：http://shop33367440.taobao.com
Email: fanone@126.com
电话：13601647747（周一到周五，10点—19点）
_______________________________
香港
9月6号，星期日
@ Grappa’s Cellar
怡和大廈，中環，康樂廣場1 号
票价: 港币200元（预售）/250元（现场）
时间: 21点
预售电话:
Grappa’s Cellar: （852）25212322
White Noise Records:（852）25910499
_______________________________
胡志明，越南
9月10号，星期四
河内，越南
9月11号，星期五
曼谷 ，泰国
9月12号，星期六
@ Club Culture
新加坡
9月13号，星期日
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