Let's Talk About "The Gar"

March 15, 2012

Some good ol’ Chinese Rock for you. Coming straight from Beijing.

So far The Gar rank number one on my list of favorite Chinese bands, with their self titled album making me an instant fan. They have this ability to?completely?personify what it means to be an adolescent. They capture the cheerful spirit of youth, but also manage to concentrate on those moments where, when left alone, melancholy starts to set in. Those moments when young people have an out of body experience and examine themselves, often times causing them to become upset at sudden realizations. Contrary to popular belief, youth really do have problems of their own. It’s the process of self-realization that can cause emotions to stir, but The Gar shows through music that in the midst of that turmoil there’s still an innocence. The album also plays on the stereotypical reputation that teens and young adults have gained. The loud,?boisterous?rebellion that possesses some and causes them to do things they should, but may not regret. At the end of it all kids are kids, and even through their self-reflection and eventual growth they still like to let loose and have fun. The Gar have managed to grab onto those happy, solacing and wild moments of youth and blend them all together to create music that has definied, and will define, multiple generations.

The Gar’s album (left) provided by DIY music label Tenzenmen.

The Gar is a band that’s very much talked about, not only for their music but because shortly after gaining a pretty decent fanbase they suddenly disappeared. They’ve recently performed in December for a New Year’s thing at D-22 (a venue that’s no longer open), but that was their first show in a while. Granted I haven’t been able to get to China to catch any of their shows yet, but I’m sure they’ve all been superb. I’ve heard that they plan on releasing a new EP this Spring and will do a few shows for it, but even these performances will be few in number.