Music Night “Transitions”: The Observatory + Moe + Xai
Fri 27 Jun 2014, 7.30 pm
Hanoi Rock City
From The Onion Cellar:
THE ONION CELLAR proudly presents Singaporean astronauts THE OBSERVATORY & Norwegian heavyweights MOE – live in Hanoi! Support comes from new local technopunk formidable force XAI.
In all seriousness this is quite possibly going to be the LOUDEST AND RAWEST show in Hanoi this year. Specially dedicated to people who were rocking with us and ZENI GEVA almost a year ago!
THE OBSERVATORY (Singapore – avant-rock)
The heart and soul of The Observatory is in its constant reinvention. With each release, the members have persisted in their experimental take on the pop songform.
In 12 years, The Observatory have gone from folk electronica to prog to avant rock, to approaching a more primal sound in recent years, evident in their fifth album, Catacombs; a study in delusion, insanity and obsession.
Genre preoccupations aside, The Observatory’s music is texturally complex, viscerally emotional and splintering in its bleakness. The attempt to cross wasted borders and find musical extremities that parallel polarities within human existence provokes and inspires in a deeply enigmatic way. Even at its coldest and most abstract, it is human to the core.
Based in Singapore, the independent avant rock band has released five albums and several special project releases. Their indie and improv leanings reflect an obsessive intent to stifle inhibition and undermine mechanical ways of commercial music-making.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/80344696[/vimeo]
MOE (Norway – experimental noise rock)
The Norwegian band MoE is known for mixing their minimalistic compositions with alternative and experimental approaches that fails to fit in the rock genre.
With countless collaborations exceeding the borders of rock and noise, MoE seeks the absolute presence in the execution of the music. Loud and violently, they molest their instruments and brings the listener closer to a healthy insanity.
Their recent activity includes touring in Mexico, Japan, Europe, seeking new collaborations with experimental scenes all over the planet to expand the music. MoE continues working in an unpredictable, noisy and dark landscape, with a broad musical hunger. Over the years MoE have collaborated with musicians and bands such as cellist Okkyung Lee, Lasse Marhaug, John Hegre, The Observatory and Arabrot ++++.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/QK_dgPg7VfU[/youtube]
XAI (Vietnam – technopunk)
XAI are hot lava that spilled when a group of young artists emerging from Hanoi’s experimental music school, DomDom, came together with two members of Vietnam’s rawest fem punk band, GỗLim, and recruited UK front woman Lizo to ‘play the microphone’.
Loosely defining their music as technopunk, this frantically playful, live electronic band blend trumpet and keyboard melodies with crashing drums, scratchy vocals and analogue object play upon layers of solid baselines and originally crafted beats and textures. Visual art, fluid performance and unrestrained exploration of sound expression bond and drive XAI, whose name literally translates to ‘wrong’ – but spelt wrong.
The band, still very much in the embryonic stage of development are one to keep on the radar for fresh future music.
TICKETS (please read carefully)
VND 30K – 25 EARLY BIRD tickets at this price available from HẦM HÀNH from 16.00 – 25 May
VND 60K – once those 25 early bird tickets run out, tickets will be priced at 60k and also available from HẦM HÀNH until 23.30 – 25 June
VND 100K – at doors
*HẦM HÀNH – 170 Đội Cấn – Hà Nội – www.facebook.com/hamhanhhanoi
*Part of THE OBSERVATORY & MOE’s TRANSITIONS tour
Follow their Facebook event for frequent updates.
The Transitions Tour with The Observatory and MoE also takes place in HCMC on 28 Jun.
 | Hanoi Rock City 27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho |
