Re-TROS Frontman Talks Jittery Performance Style Ahead of Synth Rockers May 1 Strawberry Fest Set
Dong Hua doesn’t just instill nervous energy into his band’s music, he also embodies it. The abrupt spasms, wild flailing of his arms, and a disjointed head of the Nanjing-born frontman of synth-rock outfit Re-TROS will also leave you feeling jittery once witnessed live. That performing style, and the band’s razor-sharp, Krautrock-infused songs, certainly ensnared audiences when the band opened for major foreign acts like The xx and Tortoise during their recent Beijing stops, ushering Dong Hua (who handles guitars, synths, and percussion while also singing) along with his bandmates Min Liu (who covers bass, synths and backup vocals), and drummer Jin Huang to the forefront of China’s alt-rock scene.
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Ahead of the band’s May 1st Strawberry Fest set (more on that here), Dong tells us more about his Nanjing roots, his sting in Germany, and touring with Depeche Mode, not to mention his aforementioned frantic performing style.
You have a very unique and eye-catching type of body language while performing. When I saw you open for The xx a few months back, you often stood as still as a statue, then suddenly burst into spasms of disjointed movement. How did you come up with that?
Thank you. Actually, I just come up with all of these moves as we’re performing, they are not planned beforehand. But if they really are so effective, I’ll work to better finalize them.
A local promoter told me you and your bandmates are huge Tortoise fans. How did it feel to share the bill with them at last weekend’s Yugong Yishan festival?
It was wonderful to have the opportunity to share the stage with Tortoise. Unfortunately, we missed their show because of the terrible traffic. Usually it takes around two hours to go from my apartment to the Great Wall, but it was raining that day and took me around three and a half hours. All I could do was say: “Damn!”
Aside from opening for some big names visiting China, you’ve also had the opportunity to tour with Depeche Mode in Europe. What was that like?
It was an unbelievable experience for us. It was the first time a Chinese band performed on the best arena circuit in Europe in front of 20-30,000 people at each show. Depeche Mode’s team was super professional and nice. It was a big step for Re-TROS.
You’re from Nanjing, the same city that gave China one of it’s best bands, PK 14. How do you think that city shaped you as an artist?
I grew up in Nanjing and, when I was 18, I moved to Germany for university. I’m not sure if my teenage years in Nanjing influenced me as an artist, but it will always be a special place for me because it was where I first started playing in bands and dreaming of becoming a musician.
Your album Before the Applause earned some enthused reviews from western critics. How did it feel to have that kind of success?
I’m very happy to get these positive reviews. We’ve been working on writing this album for a long time and trying to make it sound very different than our previous music. Now I think we might have found a good direction in order keep on moving forward.
My favorite song from the album is "Pigs In the River". Who is the "man with the polished shoes” that you sing about on that song?
Anyone who has listened to our music can define who he is, and who the “pigs in the river” are. It’s not important what my idea was.
What are you working on next?
We’re rehearsing and writing new music now. I promise you the new songs are gonna be very cool!
Re-TROS will perform at the Strawberry Festival’s Love Stage on May 1 at 7.40pm. For a full breakdown of the massive fest’s lineup, click here.
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Photo: Mad Cool Festival
