Ticket Giveaway: Nugget Records Bring Their Scrappy DIY Ethos to Yue Space, Jul 3
There are few things in this world as precious as seeing good people succeed at life, which is why it’s been an absolute pleasure to watch nugget records go from a humble, homegrown art market vendor and tape label to a legacy-defining enterprise in Beijing’s indie music scene. Since 2019, nugget has kept both its ear and soul to the ground, diligently cultivating some of the capital’s best musicians, whether it be through releasing music on their eponymous tape label, booking gigs on their “tiny stage,” or simply spreading the good word to their loyal community. Now, all of that hard work and scrappy DIY spirit is culminating in a stellar showcase at Yue Space this Saturday, Jul 3, featuring four of the label’s finest acts – sourtower (酸塔 suān tǎ), The Claptraps (小吵闹 xiǎo chǎonào), MFmachine (没发霉 méi fāméi), and gossamer sea (游丝 yóusī).
The showcase marks a first for the small(ish) label, seeing their brand and ethos taken to a significantly larger stage than ever before. However, the bands themselves – bolstered by the unwavering support of nugget’s dedicated team – are no stranger to big shows and big crowds. This past May, sourtower – who released her debut EP < how many times? > on nugget records in July 2020 – was invited to play the outdoor stage at Xi Festival, where she transfixed her cult-like following with a witchy blend of cold wave, psychedelic, post-punk, and indie-pop. Likewise, MFmachine – who was actually one of nugget’s earliest releases back in 2019 – has gone on to sign with China’s preeminent indie label Modern Sky, and clinched a main stage slot at this year’s massive Strawberry Music Festival.
Meanwhile, up-and-comers The Claptraps – who will be releasing their debut EP at the show – and gossamer sea – who recently dropped their first release – are primed to disrupt the local scene in all the best ways, with their reverb-soaked slow drip trip and palatial, shimmering dream-pop soundscapes, respectively. Simply put, Beijing’s indie scene is thriving, and nugget records is undoubtedly one of the main arteries pumping blood to its wild heart.
Aside from the sheer force of their musical output, if there was any doubt that nugget is currently enjoying a meteoric rise in the community at large, the showcase is being co-sponsored by Beijing’s heavyweight brewers, Slow Boat, who will be taking over Yue’s taps for the night. "Slow Boat is excited to team up with nugget records because they seek out and nurture young talent to thrive in such a tough industry,” says marketing director Michael P. Dobrowolski. “We immediately resonated with their mission as we 100 percent understand what it's like to start from the bottom up. Just like the support that Beijing offered and continues to offer us, we hope to also be there for these young artists.”
Now, for the reason you're all here: We're giving away two pairs of tickets for the nugget records showcase. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post on the Beijinger's WeChat account (ID: theBeijinger), with your best name for a new record label. We’ll throw all the comments in a hat and pick the winners at random. The contest closes at 2pm on Wednesday, Jun 30.
The nugget records showcase featuring sourtower 酸塔, The Claptraps 小吵闹, MFmachine 没发霉, and gossamer sea 游丝 takes place at Yue Space, Saturday, Jul 3. Tickets run RMB 100 presale, RMB 120 at the door, or RMB 180 for a paid, can can be purchased using the QR code in the poster above. For more info, click here.
READ: China's Best Album Releases of 2021 – So Far!
Images courtesy of nugget records
