Have You Met: The Tea Rockers Quintet

Who’d have thought that noise hypnotist Yan Jun, folk maverick Xiao He, academic guqin player Wu Na, underground multi-instrument nomad Li Daiguo and tea master Lao Gu would form a band together? They’ve played two shows in Bern and Basel, and their Beijing debut is scheduled for this month.

The buzz
At times it sounds like ink-and-wash painting, sometimes they just make noise, and often the concert turns into a drunken wedding.

Key tracks
“Today’s Currency,” “Indian Spring Roll” (working titles)

They say:
It ’s homemade medicine for the mind.

We say:
Be careful not to overdose.

See them at: 2 Kolegas on Jan 14.

Click here to see the January issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo courtesy of the organizer.