Lonely China Day
From: Beijing SXSW show: Tag Team Records showcase, Spiro's (March 14) Total cost of trip: $14,000 Pre-SXSW goals: Atmospheric alternative rock band Lonely China Day traveled to Austin with Tag Team Records labelmates and compatriots the Re-TROS as part of their U.S. tour, hoping to raise awareness ahead of its U.S. album release "Sorrow" (out June 26). "Playing SXSW legitimizes labels and bands in the minds of international press," Tag Team label president Mathew Kagler says. "The showcase was a big 'coming out' party for our brand and Chinese indie music in general." Post-SXSW achievements: Kagler says SXSW brought his bands the most press attention of the entire tour. "All the big stuff came out of doing the SXSW thing. We got a massive amount of exposure that we wouldn't have had otherwise." The band received positive reviews in The New York Times and Chicago Tribune, which Kagler says had an immediate impact. "Our distribution company [Eenie Meanie] is elated," he says. "Playing the conference made helping release virtually unknown Chinese bands a more realistic proposition for them." He also says the Times article brought offers from several companies, including Converse, which wants the band to design a limited-edition sneaker. "It's not as though contacts were sending mails that said, 'Because of the NYT article we now take this band seriously,' but that is definitely the jist." As a result of its SXSW performances, Lonely China Day is also tentatively booked for an early fall West Coast U.S. tour with an Eenie Meanie Records band. Rating (from Kagler): 7/10 "I was impressed by how free and open the festival was," Lonely China Day singer/guitarist Dong Pei says. "We all learned a lot from looking for the strengths in each band we saw perform." However, the band and management were disappointed with a number of last-minute day-party cancellations. "That was a huge bummer," Kagler says, "but since the trip was for promotional purposes, our goals were realized and then some." - Will Freeman April 28, 2007 |
