Beijing Punk Rockers stop in Pomona during their tour of the U.S.
April 12, 2005, Pomona, CA: “We are from Beijing!” screams Brain Failure lead singer and guitarist Xiao Rong, “but we don't give a f*** where we come from! We just want to rock and roll.”
And Brain Failure did rock the house at Friar Tuck's, a small bar in Pomona, CA, midway though their western tour of the United States with American punk rockers, The Escaped. For the Pomona show, Brain Failure stole the show as The Escaped got kicked off the bill after getting involved in a minor scuffle outside the venue. There was also an element of novelty for the crowd as many in the United States are not as exposed to Chinese subculture music; but even with the gimmick, it was ultimately their music that led fans after the show to compliment the band at their merch table.
Musically, Brain Failure draw mainly from more modern American punk rock and pop-punk than the old school 1970s punk beginnings. Their style varied throughout their set, with some songs written in a more ska/pop-punk feel, others with more of a hardcore aura. Also featured was their punk rock anthem, “Coming to the USA.” Lyrically, the band covers a diverse range of topics as well. On their song “BEIJING,” they express localism through singing with pride about their hometown of Beijing. Conversely, on “Coming to the USA,” the band sings with excitement about, as the title would suggest, coming to the USA.
Brain Failure is currently Xiao Rong on guitars and vocals, Shi Xudong on bass and vocals, Wang Jian on guitars, and Xu Lin on drums. The band formed in the late 1990s, part of the first wave of the Beijing punk movement and went through subsequent roster changes before their current incarnation. The band was prominent with other first wave bands such as Reflector and Hang on the Box, and played at the then-punk club, the Scream Club, before it closed. This current tour is in support of the American release of their latest album, American Dreams, released on Ohio-based Thorp Records. It is the fourth time the band has come to the United States and will definitely not be their last, with a brief East Coast stint in the 2005 Vans' Warped Tour already scheduled for August. But while they enjoy touring the States, it is never better than the comfort of home. After the show, bassist Shi Xudong kept asking where he could get some good Chinese food.