Feel the sweat-dripping, head thrashing angst of post-punk/experimental local heroes P.K.14 and Die! Die! Die! >>>>>P.K.14 formed in Nanjing in 1997 during the Rotten Generation movement. Their permanent move to Beijing in 2001 and regular slots at D-22 could be said to have sparked the rite-of-passage pilgrimage to the capital that has seen the Beijing music scene growContinue reading "Some TING! 听 #004 P.K.14 & Die! Die! Die!"
How to Apply for a Student Visa to China 101
You just bagged a mean scholarship to 努力学习 in China, now what? Kiwese went through a load of paperwork and bureaucracy to make the process easier and less shocking for the rest of you. Prepapre to enter the world of the big red stamp... Being an international university student in China is great. You get to meet peopleContinue reading "How to Apply for a Student Visa to China 101"
Banana Split
Kristen Ng aka Kiwese went to the Diverse Bananas, Global Dragons' Conference in Auckland, to be told she was in fact white on the inside, but her yellow skin gave her great job prospects in the corporate business world. I was born in Wellington. So was my dad. My mum was born and raised in Gisborne.Continue reading "Banana Split"
Some TING! 听 #003: Skip Skip Ben Ben & Astro Children
Skip Skip Ben Ben and Astro Children are two bands from your wildest grunge-noise-pop-shoegaze-dream. Find them in your nearest garage. BYO booze. >>>>>Skip Skip Ben Ben was created in the mind of Taiwanese guitarist/songwriter/singer Ben Ben 斑班, one half of the now defunct but brilliant Boyz&Girl of Taipei. After gigging and collaborating with bands on the D-22 scene and "ping-ponging between TaipeiContinue reading "Some TING! 听 #003: Skip Skip Ben Ben & Astro Children"
Flat3 in the Super City: Interview with Perlina Lau
I first emailed Perlina Lau as a nervous 17-year-old for advice about taking a gap year in the West Midlands, UK. Five years on, Kiwese hung out with Perlina at a mate's flat in Auckland, to get the deets on Flat3 over some wines and see who's Asian glow was the hottest. KIWESE: To be honest, when I first heard there wasContinue reading "Flat3 in the Super City: Interview with Perlina Lau"
China in the Documentary Edge Festival
The Documentary Edge Festival is well upon us here in Wellington, showing a range of documentaries from New Zealand and around the world at the Roxy Cinema in Miramar. Kiwese picks out two docos with links to China that you might be keen to check out over the next week or so! CHIMERAS (2013) FINLAND / 89min. / Chinese with EnglishContinue reading "China in the Documentary Edge Festival"
Some TING! 听 #002: Hiperson & Cut Off Your Hands
Hiperson from Chengdu are one of my favourite bands right now. Cut Off Your Hands were one of the first live bands I ever saw in Wellington. They are both awesome. >>>>>Hiperson 海朋森 Hǎi péng sēn are a rock band from Chengdu, the capital city of the mountainous greenery that is Sichuan. Their super tight rhythms, haunting male-femaleContinue reading "Some TING! 听 #002: Hiperson & Cut Off Your Hands"
Spice Up Your Life! Interview with Brad and Jing
While most of us are repeatedly hitting the snooze button on a Sunday morning, the duo behind Wellington's first Sichuan street food enterprise are firing up the woks down at Chaffers Market. Kiwese caught up with Jing and Brad from Sichuan:Spice in their nifty Panda trailer for a chat and some deliciously spicy street food! Hey guys, what's on the menu tonight? *salivatesContinue reading "Spice Up Your Life! Interview with Brad and Jing"
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