Wye Oak are in China for shows in Shanghai and Beijing this weekend as part of an Asia tour, and we're as excited as they are. We managed to grab a word last week with one half of the Baltimore duo, Jenn Wasner. She was happy to tell us about their intimate lyrics, her mom knowing too much about her, and the sudden popularity spike that comes when you're featured in top US zombie drama The Walking Dead.
Sara Lov’s International Familial Upheaval
May 13, 2013 By
Unlike most aspiring musicians, Sara Lov grew up with a dad who supported her wildest dreams. "He absolutely encouraged everything about me, made me feel like I was amazing," Lov, who formed the cult dream pop duo Devics and is booked for a solo show at Yugong Yishan on May 17, says of the man who went on to put her through her worst nightmare.
Devils at the Crossroad Delve Into the Mississippi Delta
April 24, 2013 By
Eternal damnation is nothing but a pit stop for these bluesy hard rockers. Singer/guitarist Joris Zylberman, drummer Cedric Sadako, and bassist Marco Benitez call themselves Devils at the Crossroad, alluding to the fiendish tempter that once coerced Robert Johnson to swap his soul for guitar prowess. The Beijing-based threesome further draw on that Mississippi Delta blues legend for their debut full length, Moonshine XXX, named after the bootlegged booze that bluesmen like Johnson guzzled with glee. They’ll release the disc with a gig at Temple on Saturday April 27.
Tennis Talk: Peng Shuai
April 15, 2013 By
Did you ever feel transformed by wearing a uniform?
My Olympic uniform, of course. There’s extra incentive and extra motivation when I wear the Olympic uniform to compete. I think for all professional athletes, representing your country is the highest honor you can expect. I like being part of something bigger than myself.
As a professional tennis player, you play for yourself most of the time. Which uniform was the worst fit?
My Tianjin team uniform for the 2009 All-China Games was two sizes too big for me, and the style of the jacket was a straight cut on the side. It looked like a potato sack. Definitely not my favorite.
Did you ruin any uniforms?
I’m sure I dropped plenty of food and juice on my kindergarten uniform.
Screentime: A Talk With Zheng Kuo
April 15, 2013 By
In the biopic of your life, which scene would be filmed in slow motion?
The time I rear-ended a car on the Second Ring Road. I can’t remember what happened exactly. I swerved to avoid a cat and suddenly there was a row of cars stopped in front of me. I didn’t brake in time. It would be nice to see exactly what happened.
Mop Master: A Talk With Guo Hezhong, Housecleaner
April 7, 2013 By
It’s hard out there for a male ayi. When it comes to housecleaning, most clients have a hard time wrapping their head around the idea of hiring a man to mop and do their laundry. It took Guo Hezhong a while, but thanks to his spotless character (and buckets of charm), he built a name for himself as a top-notch housecleaner.
High Steaks: Andreas Block Talks Brews and Beef
April 6, 2013 By
Chef Block, chef de cuisine at The Cut, is a man who knows his meats and marbling. He also loves his beer and has teamed up with Great Leap Brewery to create a beer degustation tasting menu in April. He recently gave us the low-down on steak, his favorite Beijing brews and his wife’s cooking.
Last Orders: Marilyn Mai and Josh Ong, Food Writers
April 6, 2013 By
Every month, we ask noteworthy Beijingers to imagine their final meal before leaving the city for good.
Backstage Pass: Keren Ann
April 6, 2013 By
As the hipster would say, you’ve probably never heard of Keren Ann. Only you really probably haven’t. A big hit in Europe,
she moved to the US a few years ago to make the step up, and it still hasn’t really happened for her.
Vice Editor’s Musical Vices
March 29, 2013 By
We spoke to our former Music Editor, Wang Ge, about music for our regular Playlist Q&A last month. We couldn't squeeze it all in, but some of his listening habits were too frightful to forget. Here's what we couldn't print.