Tuesday nights are usually reserved for a simple McDonalds dinner after I sit through an hour of my daughter’s gymnastics class. This past Tuesday I decided to add the Mong Tong show at No Fun in Troy to the lineup of Tuesday’s to-do list. This turned out to be a welcome addition as I watched 2 men get on the stage, do a quick sound check, and then blindfold themselves before performing a very unique brand of Asian-infused Psychedelic sound.
Mong Tong is a 2 man instrumental group consisting of Taiwanese brothers Hom Yu and Jim Chi and are no strangers to the United States. They’ve performed multiple times in the South By Southwest festivals and have gathered a decent following. This particular appearance at NoFun is the 7th stop of their 9 location US tour with their 9th and final stop being at TV Eye in New York City on March 29th. This tour celebrates their new EP 銘 Epigraphy which dropped on March 8th.
Blindfolded musicians performing music is something everyone should see at least once in their lives. Dressed simply in black pants, white shirts, and red blindfolds, and using an arsenal of electric and electronic gear, the 2 brothers create intricate and complex arrangements that capture the essence of kung-fu movies mixed with punchy beats and well thought out melodies. Staccato guitar arpeggios dance over conga laden drum lines. Traditional Asian instruments and unidentifiable synth sounds mash together in a strange 70s Psychedelic rock jam. All accentuated by the smooth and groovy bass that anyone could get next to.
The duo takes you on a trip though soundscapes that vary from ethereal to hectic to confusing to serene and you’re not sure where its going next. The energy is positive and contagious and while some people are dancing, others are taking in the light show, and others are still amazed at the blindfolded-ness of it all, none are missing out on this one-of-a-kind experience.
With polyrhythmic beats and sampled and non-sampled traditional Chinese instruments it’s safe to say that Mong Tong has few competitors. Since I’m struggling to find a similar band to compare them to I’ll just say I’d classify Mong Tong as Psychedelic Asian Electro-Funk Trip-Hop with a dash of Techno. They’re continuing their tour of the US with shows at the Columbus Theater in Providence, RI on March 28th and at TV Eve in New York City on March 29th. Tuesday to-do lists aren’t the same any more.
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