Artist Information
Biography
International renowned progressive rock band. "The Hsu-nami", named after frontman/Erhu player Jack Hsu, known as the first "Progressive Erhu Rock" band in the world.
Genre: Progressive Rock / new-fusion rock
Origin: New Jersey, USA
Official Band Website: www.hsu-nami.com
MySpace site: www.myspace.com/hsunami
The Hsu-nami integrates an amplified ”erhu”, (a two-string spike fiddle used in Chinese classical and folk music) into an instrumental progressive rock sound. Their music is marked by virtuosic erhu melodies and shredding licks, in place of vocals, as intertwined by heavy guitar riffs, tasteful guitar solos, funky rhythms, and metal-driven rock drumming. Part of the new-fusion rock movement, the Hsu-nami redefines the 1960s and 1970s fusion rock sound.
Band Members:
Jack Hsu(Erhu - Chinese Fiddle), Brent Bergholm (guitar), Derril Sellers (bass), John Manna (drums), Dana Goldberg (keyboard)
The band has perforemed all over the USA, Taiwan, and Canada. Hsu-nami has shared the stage with Yellowcard (USA), Nightmare of You (USA), Tizzy Bac (Taiwan), Van Fan(Taiwan), CthoniC (Taiwan), High and Mighty Color (Japan), Dazzle Vision (Japan), and Hedgehog (China).
Highlights include:
Hsu-nami headlined the Spring Scream Festival in March 2011 Taiwan's biggest rock festival, and then toured the country.
Hsu-nami headlined Modern Sky Records (China) CMJ showcase in Ocotober 2010
Music was featured in the 2008 Bejing Summer Olympics.
Their song, "Rising of the sun", was picked to be the entrance theme for the Chinese Basketball team. The song has also been played during walk-ins, timeouts, and was incorporated with a martial arts routine during half time.
Also featured on MTV Iggy,mtv2 and mtvU
A division of MTV Networks available on more than 750 colleges and university campuses in the U.S. Fans can also get a glimpse of the show through MTV channels like MTV Korea, Japan, Asia and Australia.
Received national coverage from media outlets on USA Today, International Herald Tribune (the global edition of the New York Times), NBC sports, Associated Press, WCBS 880, 1010 wins, NJ.com, The Chinese World Journal, The Bergen Record, Fort Mill Times, Philly.com, redorbit.com and spokesmanreview.com.
Quotes:
"If Charle Danials was adopted by Chinese parents and jamed with King Crimson that is Hsu-nami" - Andrew Watson/Universal Records
Jack Hsu's innovative style of playing and techniques have managed to transform the erhu into a legitimate rock musical instrument. This kind of musical-culture negotiation is no easy task, if you ask me. - Wendy Hsu, phD candidate, Department of music, University of Virginia, Yellowbuzz.org
The Hsu-nami is on the short list "best bands at Arlenes 2009" - Julia Darling/Arlene's Grocery
Instrumentation
Jack Hsu- Erhu (Traditional Chinese Fiddle)
Brent Bergholm- Lead Guitar
Tony Aichele- Guitar
Derril Sellers- Bass
Dana Goldberg- Piano
John Mana- Drums
Discography
Hsu-nami has self-released two albums.
their first CD titled "Entering the Mandala" on November 30th 2007.
Their 2nd CD "The Four Noble Truths" release April 2009.
Links
Audio
Video
Press
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Beckerman: Jersey band makes Olympic cut
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No doubt Fort Lee’s Jack Hsu, originally from Taiwan, will be cheering on his countrymen in the bask...No doubt Fort Lee’s Jack Hsu, originally from Taiwan, will be cheering on his countrymen in the basketball competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics this month.
FILE PHOTO
Jack Hsu, above, and Brent Bergholm headline the band Hsu-nami. Their song "The Rising of the Sun," will be featured during the Olympics as the theme song for the Chinese basketball team.
But it really doesn’t matter. Win or lose, he wins.
His song, “The Rising of the Sun,” played by his band, the Hsu-nami, will be the theme music for the Chinese team every time it enters the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing. It will also be used for timeouts and halftime, and incorporated into a martial arts routine.
“It’s very awesome,” Hsu says. “Not many bands have a chance to say, ‘Our music was featured in the Olympics.’ It’s kind of amazing.”
How many millions of people — on TV, radio and in person — will hear the tune? Hsu-nami band members Hsu (erhu, violin), Brent Bergholm (lead guitar), Tony Aichele (rhythm guitar), Derril Sellers (bass) and John Manna (drums) may never know for sure. But for saturation advertising, it’d be hard to beat.
“It really hasn’t hit me how many people are going to hear this,” says Bergholm, a Red Bank resident.
The “Asian fusion” progressive rock band, formed at Mahwah’s Ramapo College in 2005, began its sprint for the Olympic gold last summer, when it played an Asian cultural festival in New York’s Union Square.
The band happened to be filmed by an Asian cable channel, AZN Television, and that broadcast was seen by a representative of NBA Entertainment, Jason Gilfillan, who later became music coordinator for the Olympics.
“He contacted me in the beginning of June and asked if he could use our music for the Olympics,” says Bergholm, who is also the band’s acting manager. “We said, obviously, yes.”
The Hsu-nami is an unlikely band — and Hsu, 25, is an unlikely rocker.
When he moved with his family from Taipei to Tenafly at age 12, his musical focus centered on classical violin, which he’d studied since age 4.
When he was 15, he became fascinated with the erhu, a two-stringed, bowed musical instrument with a singing tone that is one of the backbones of Chinese folk music. “My parents had one; I kind of picked it up,” he says. “It sounds very different compared to a violin. It sounds like a human voice.”
That summer, he went to Nanjing for a three-month intensive course in the instrument. “It was three months, three lessons a day, no break,” he recalls. “It was kind of like a boot camp for erhu.”
At Ramapo, he played erhu in a coffeehouse folk duo. But when his guitarist abruptly went off to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Hsu found himself booked for a record release party with no musical support.
On impulse, he asked friend and fellow student Bergholm, who had a conventional heavy metal band, Bleed the Stone, to back up his amplified erhu.
“It turned out to have 10 times more energy than it did, and it was more fun for me,” Hsu says. “I guess it’s by accident, but it turned out awesome. No one had really fused traditional Chinese [music] with progressive rock before.”
It was a case of two great tastes that tasted great together — and it was the beginning of a whole new direction for Hsu.
“We got such a good response that we eventually became a regular thing, a band,” Bergholm says.
Dubbed the Hsu-nami (Hsu’s college nickname), the group began to get booked: venues like the late CBGB, Asbury Park’s Stone Pony, Teaneck’s Mexicali Live, the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Long Island and numerous Asian-themed festivals. (They’ll be playing Don Hill’s in Manhattan, 511 Greenwich St., on Aug. 29.)
They shared the bill with such alternative “name” acts as Yellowcard, ChthoniC and Jet Lag Gemini. And in 2007, they released their first (self-produced) album, “Entering the Mandala.” “The Rising of the Sun” is the first track.
What now? Band members hope to parlay the publicity from their Olympic coup into what they would consider the real brass ring: a tour of Asia.
Meanwhile, it’s a great dine-out story. Hsu is already practicing how to drop it in casual conversation.
“‘Oh, by the way, my music is in the Olympics,’” he says, trying it out. “‘How’s dinner?’" -
OLYMPIC GOLD FOR LOCAL GUITARIST
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Wave generators: That’s Red Bank-based guitarist Brent Bergholm on the right, burning while Jack Hsu...Wave generators: That’s Red Bank-based guitarist Brent Bergholm on the right, burning while Jack Hsu fiddles on a supercharged version of the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument. Their band Hsu-Nami scored an international coup when one of their compositions was chosen as the theme for China’s basketball team at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.
By TOM CHESEK
Most unsigned bands would be more than happy getting a gig playing the halftime show at the local high school hoops meet. For Jersey’s own “Ethnical Instrumental Rock Group” known as The Hsu-Nami, the stage is far bigger in scope, and the potential audience numbers in the billions — we kid you not.
When the Chinese men’s basketball team, led by cross-cultural phenom Yao Ming, marched into the stadium for the opening ceremonies, it did so to the galloping strains of a tune that juxtaposed dramatic rock guitars with the haunting call of the erhu, the traditional two-stringed Chinese violin that’s been likened at times to a flute or a mournful human voice.
The tune was “Rising of the Sun,” which just happens to be the opening track on the Hsu-Nami’s independently produced CD, Entering the Mandala. It’s a composition that was penned by two members of the Ramapo College-spawned band — the Taiwan-born erhu virtuoso Jack Hsu (the project takes its handle from his old nickname at school) and guitarist Brent Ovar Bergholm, a Holmdel High graduate who for the past four years has been living in Red Bank.
“Rising of the Sun” has since gone on to be adopted by team China for all of its courtside appearances, and the story of how that came to be made the Hsu-Nami part of the national newscape in recent weeks. The Associated Press ran a widely disseminated article on the band, which apart from Hsu and Bergholm includes bassist-producer Derrill Sellers, drummer John Manna and guitarist Tony Aichele (recently departed member Vinny Belicastro plays on the CD, as does keyboardist Adam Toth).
The disc’s fusion-y mashup of heavy prog, light jazz and world-music accents offers up a little something for everyone who gravitates toward instro sounds during those days when all the singers in the world start to get on your nerves. And who can resist a version of Nino Rota’s Godfather theme played on an erhu? Not us.
Bergholm, who’s the only Monmouth County guy in the band — and who teaches at Rock’n Music in Middletown in between gigs — met up with Red Bank oRBit on the streets of his adopted homeland.
A somewhat more hirsute Brent Bergholm would like to tour Asia and the world beyond. The Dublin House will do for now.
RED BANK ORBIT: I guess I should ask, since I never pay any attention to these things, how the Chinese basketball team is doing. Are you following the team through the mens’ competition? Do you follow any of the basketball teams, or even play it yourself?
BRENT BERGHOLM: Oh, I suck at basketball. Just awful. I used to not really enjoy it, but when you’re watching the games it’s very impressive. I’ve been trying to catch the China team when they play. I heard our song the other day when they won against Angola; they’ve been playing it at halftime and whenever they take the court. Right now I think they’re in fourth place; doing okay I guess.
It’s gotta be a thrill to have your music associated with Yao Ming to such an extent.
It’s great, but it’s not the first time an NBA star has been exposed to the band. When we did an appearance at Tower Records in Paramus, Jason Kidd came in and watched our set for a little while.
Tell me again how you managed to get your song hooked up with Team China.
We’ve played a lot of Asian festivals around the New York area, including the CAPA Festival, which was televised by AZN TV. Someone at the show NBA Timeout did a segment about the band; the director of the show, who worked with NBA Entertainment, became the music director for the basketball coverage at the Olympics — he contacted me about using one of our songs there.
And all of you guys in the band have Ramapo College as a common denominator.
We were all music majors at Ramapo, and we all knew each other from around college. Jack Hsu composed for film projects in the past; he had a band, a duo thing called Gen Tso, and the rest of us had a metal band, Bleed the Stone. He asked us to be his backup band for a track on a compilation CD, and we got such a good response, we kept getting asked to play with him.
So the metal band kind of fell by the wayside as this new project started getting noticed?
Yeah. I’ve always been a fan of Asian culture; I listened to Japanese rock bands. So Hsu-Nami is my dream band. There’s no other band like us. We got to open for Yellowcard, Chthonic — they also use an erhu, and so do a few other Asian bands: the Twelve Girls Band, the Yoshida Brothers from Japan.
And the CD was entirely your own effort; you self-produced and distributed…
We used the punk-rock template and did it ourselves. We recorded the CD where we rehearse, at our bass player’s home studio in South Bound Brook. So we’re actually more punk rock than the punk rock bands.
Taking into consideration the boost you’ve gotten from the Olympics thing, where do you see yourself sitting a year from now?
We’re gonna have a lot of opportunities coming from this. Soundtrack music, animes, martial arts films. I don’t see the band being Top 40, but touring a lot, as a cult band. Our music is being played in clubs in Taipei!
You guys would probably be the Beatles over there.
I’ve always wanted to go to Asia. We’re very involved in the Asian community. We were planning to go to Taiwan this summer, but our scheduling got messed up. Until that happens, we definitely wanna tour places like the South, the Midwest.
Closer to home, where have you been playing around here?
We’ve played the Stone Pony a lot; The Saint, the Brighton Bar, The Claddagh over in Highlands. But the Stone Pony is really our best venue around here.
And now that you’re officially a Red Bank guy, where do you like to hang out?
I like to start at Brannigan’s or The Globe, get good ‘n drunk, then walk over to the Dublin House. I like the Dublin House because it’s kind of a haven for tortured artists and writers. I get to talk about the latest tortured artist type stuff, and I just stumble my way home after that. I’ve also been to the Walt Street Pub, that’s a cool place. I don’t know if I really fit in over at Ashes, though.
Oh, and I have lunch at Manhattan Bagel. Willy’s, Broadway Diner. And Jack’s Music is a crucial place; I spend so much of my money there. I want to do what I can to keep the place alive.
The Chinese got crushed by Lithuania, 94-68, in the quarterfinals earlier today, setting the sun on their hopes of hometeam Olympic glory. But the Hsu-Nami play on. They’ll be performing as part of an Olympic-themed party at Don Hill’s in NYC, on Friday, August 29. Meantime, here’s a taste of what the band sounds like. -
Hsu-Nami attains Olympic glory
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Homegrown band Hsu-Nami landed its first global gig without ever having to leave the Garden State. ...Homegrown band Hsu-Nami landed its first global gig without ever having to leave the Garden State.
In constant play at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, its song, "Rising of the Sun," greets the Chinese basketball team upon entering the arena --timeouts and halftimes -- not to mention the Olympic-sized live audience of 20,000 plus and the households tuning in on TV.
Meet Hsu-Nami, an instrumental-only Asian progressive rock band from Mahwah, taking the world by storm.
Come Aug. 23 the international sensations will come full circle to drummer John Manna Jr.'s hometown of Wharton as the headlining act for the 33rd annual Canal Day.
"My dad got involved with the town and he likes the band," Mannu said.
The meeting of musical minds and majors melded at Ramapo College in 2005 when Jack Hsu -- the band's namesake -- called for backup for his CD release party.
From prior ensemble performances, Guitarist Brent Bergholm knew Hsu and answered the call with his metal band comprised of Manna on drums and Derril Sellers on bass.
The fusion of metal and the two-stringed Chinese violin mastered by Hsu "got such a huge response that we just merged," said Bergholm.
The songwriting process is a collaborative effort with Hsu providing the melodies and the rest of the band "rocking it up," said Manna.
"We're mostly an instrumental group and have no plans for lyrics," said Bergholm. "The music is so epic and powerful that adding vocals would make it lose something. The message is there but open for interpretation by the listener."
One such listener came in the form of an NBA entertainment representative, Jason Gifilian, who later became musical coordinator for the Summer Olympics.
Asian Cable Network AZN filmed Hsu-Nami performing at an Asian cultural festival at New York City's Union Square. The broadcast caught the attention of Gifilian, who asked permission to use Hsu-Nami's music in the Olympics, Bergholm said.
The song "Rising of the Sun" is the first track off the band's CD "Entering the Mandala," released last November.
"I was skeptical at first until I actually heard it," said Manna.
In addition to the Olympics, the band opened for Yellow Card, and played landmark venues such as The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, The Trocadero Theater in Philadelphia, Highland Ballroom in New York City and the legendary CBGBs on closing night.
"Like a proud parent, I think they're wonderful," said John Manna Sr. "We're their roadies."
Mass-media exposure and Olympics aside, Manna hopes their music will provide insight to the Taiwanese culture and politics.
Hsu-Nami is currently recording its second album.
Following the Wharton gig, the band is off to Brooklyn on Wednesday and then on to Greenwich Village for a Beijing Olympic '08 "world as one" party on Aug. 29.
Hsu-Nami is expanding its shows to the South and Midwest.
"Our ultimate goal is to get to Asia," said Bergholm. "But it's cool that our music ended up there anyway." -
Band strikes gold in Beijing
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A local progressive rock band was thrown onto the global media scene when their song was chosen to...
A local progressive rock band was thrown onto the global media scene when their song was chosen to be played during the Beijing Olympics.
Jason Gilfillan, a NBA representative, saw an interview with Hsu-nami on the AZN television network and contacted the band about their song "Rising of the Sun."
"Gilfillan liked our song," said Fort Lee resident bandleader, Jack Hsu. "It’s a high energy song that sounds as if the sun is rising. I understand why they would want to use it."
Gilfillan asked if the Chinese Olympic basketball team could use the song when the team went on or off the court.
"I didn’t hear my song on television because the basketball games were early in the morning," Hsu said. "But my friend said the Chinese gymnasts are also using the song in their routines."
The band’s distinctive sound is attributed to a two-string Chinese fiddle Hsu plays called an Urhu. The other band members include lead guitarist Brent Bergholm, rhythm guitarist Tony Aichele, bass player Darryl Sellers and drummer John Manna. When they perform together the music is a fusion that brings together Asian and American rock.
"Only one band I know in Taiwan uses the Urhu as a lead instrument," Hsu said. "It sounds like an opera woman singing at high pitch."
Hsu was born in Taiwan and moved to Tenafly at an early age. In middle school his acoustic group played in local cafes. When members of the band left to college, Hsu was asked to play at a record label party where he met guitarist, Bergholm.
"I was already a fan of Asian culture and excited about playing with Jack," Bergholm said. "It was the type of sound I had always wanted to play."
Hsu-nami attempted to reach a broader audience by performing in Asian festivals. But when festival officials from a Taiwanese organization learned Hsu-nami’s song was performed at the Olympics, they were disappointed, due to China’s controversial treatment towards its neighboring countries.
"I feel for Tibet and Taiwan," Bergholm said. "But the point of the band is bringing together Asian and American cultures. Now we’re playing on the world stage. The Olympics are multi-cultural, just like the band. It’s not a political thing. We just see it as cool."
Hsu also has mixed feelings about the Beijing Games.
"China is oppressing Taiwan and Tibet," Hsu said. "But we’re try to emphasize the relationships and goodwill of ‘East meets West’. We’re trying to bring awareness through music." -
A New Sound by Cynthia Blair Kane
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Sometimes the thought of having more of the same thing is better than having nothing at all, but w...
Sometimes the thought of having more of the same thing is better than having nothing at all, but when it comes to music, and in a place like New York City, more of the same thing can become down right disappointing. With so many bands in the area, it often seems difficult to find one band that is doing something truly different. But all it takes is a little time, and one can begin to discover sounds never thought possible. There are unique bands to be found! It may require some work, but the musical rewards are well worth it.
Many people look for a distinct sound they have never heard before; a sound that not only has the ability to energize, inspire, and entertain, but one that also uses elements of music’s past to create a style completely its own. Hsu-Nami is this sound.
The band, which includes Jack Hsu, Brent Bergholm, Vinny Belcastro, Derril Sellers, John Manna and Adam Toth, is an Asian rock-hybrid instrumental group that is turning Asian fusion into more than just a type of cuisine. What makes this band stand out is the use of the Er-hu, a traditional Chinese instrument that dates back to c.1104 AD. Guitar, bass, drums and piano is added to the mix. It becomes clear that this is modern music with an Asian flavor.
Since each band member has a different musical background, Hsu-Nami’s songs range from metal and funk, to dance rock and indie. However, the Er-hu, played by Jack Hsu, is omnipresent. Others have tried to do Asian fusion before but tend to sound very classical. As lead guitarist, Brent Bergholm, says, “There’s no danger in it. What we’re trying to do is take something that people are familiar with and do something different.â€
For an instrumental band, the music thankfully bares no pretension and is extremely accessible, creating a following of older and younger generations alike. They are currently working on an EP, which will be out in October. In the meantime, you can listen to songs and browse their upcoming shows at hsu-nami.com or myspace.com/hsunamirocks.
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Jack Hsu Q&A
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17 December 2007 Like guitar legend Slash, with his top hat and Les Paul electric guitar, Jack Hs...17 December 2007
Like guitar legend Slash, with his top hat and Les Paul electric guitar, Jack Hsu wants to make his mark in the rock world with his trademark baseball cap and erhu (Chinese fiddle).
Raised to be a classical musician by traditional Chinese American parents, the 24-year-old only recently discovered rock music. Soon after a chance meeting with a local metal band, Hsu-nami (consisting of band members Jack, Brent Bergholm, Vinny Belcastro, Derril Sellers, John Manna and Adam Toth) was formed – marrying the cultural sounds of the erhu with aggressive instrumental hard rock.
Jack's ease in leading Hsu-nami is reminiscent of Bela Fleck leading The Flecktones. The characteristics of his cultural musical instrument are fully represented, and the mixing of styles never sounds forced or gimmicky. It's a unique sound because of the odd pairing, yet seems surprisingly familiar to the ear. Fresh, yet old; high on musicianship, but never mathematical – it's a heavy cinematic soundscape.
Jack tugs his baseball cap low and shakes his head when called a virtuoso erhu player. Partly because he is humble. But mostly because, after years of practising, he just wants to rock out.
With the release of Hsu-nami's debut album, Entering The Mandala (available on their website and iTunes), he gets his chance. Squat's Shereen Low and Johnny-Lee Solis managed to catch the Hsu-nami frontman for a chat.
Squat: Congratulations on the album.
Jack: Thanks! It's awesome, I'm really happy. It's what we expected – and better. Hsu-nami formed in 2005 so it's about time.
Why has it taken two years to get your debut?
We've been dragging because we were all studying at college. But now that we've all graduated, we can now focus full-time on the band.
Have you always wanted to be a musician?
Well, I have been playing instruments since I was little – I've played the violin since I was four. Everyone in Taiwan played piano so I wanted to be different. I was going to major in business but music is what I know best. I play the violin, erhu and piano very well, and also dabble in the guitar and cello.
That's a lot of instruments! Any others that you would like to learn?
Yes. I would like to learn how to play the shamisen [Japanese three-stringed instrument]. Perhaps I could be a jazz shamisen player! [Laughs] I learn very quickly.
We'll check back with you in six months' time then. You can play us a song on the shamisen.
[Laughs] I'll play "Mary Had A Little Lamb".
When did you learn the erhu?
I picked up the erhu when I was eight, but stopped, and then I played it again when we moved to the US when I was 12. I went back to China to learn how to play it – like a summer boot camp. I had three teachers! They were intense sessions, but I learnt a lot in a short space of time. I find it easier to play than the violin, but then I already have the foundation of being able to play the violin.
What do you like about the erhu?
I love the sound of it. And the fact that no one I know plays it. I play it like a guitar – like how Slash would play. I hate the classical training of a violin – I prefer the freedom of improvisation. It's not as restricted, and it's more fun than playing a classical piece. What do your traditional Chinese parents think of all this?
They want me to get a real job. My style of music isn't their thing, but they're supportive. They brought me up with the whole music stuff. They made me practise, like twelve hours a day. Classical violin every day after school, and practise until I go to sleep at night.
And then, I used to hate holidays because that meant more practice. Like Christmas - what's Christmas [laughs]? That's violin practice. Twelve hours a day, with breaks for lunch and dinner. Every day.
But it paid off. They wanted to teach me how to focus on things, like in music, work ethic, and other things. But I'm sticking with music. They think our music is noisy though!
You describe Hsu-nami as an "Asian rock fusion band". Can you define your sound?
[Laughs] We're trying not to be as confusing! It's progressive rock, psychedelic, metal...with an Asian sound. It's erhu rock.
Did you ever flirt with the idea of utilizing rock and roll scales – pentatonic blues scales – when playing the erhu?
Well, there are pentatonic scales in Chinese music, Chinese melodies. It just sounds different than rock because it's rearranged and played in a different way. I try to consciously play traditional sounding melodies because I want the band to sound different. Asian but with progressive metal.
Instrumental progressive metal.
Oh! A lot of people come up to me, and I'm getting sick of this but they'll say "Where are the lyrics, where are the lyrics?" We don't have lyrics for a reason, you know? We have our instrumental influences. Instead of saying "you should have lyrics", why not say "I know a good singer you would like".
Wait, are you saying there's a chance that you would add a lead singer to the band?
Actually, we're thinking of having different guest singers on some songs. But for Hsu-nami, vocals aren't the best part. And we don't want vocals to take over the instruments. We're not actively looking for a vocalist, but if things come up...
If a record company finds that you're more marketable in Asia, would you relocate?
Depends on what’s going on with the band. But if the opportunity arises, then we’re there – Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, whatever – definitely. But I would move there, too. I hope to book us a tour at Taiwan, Japan and California. We have been focused on playing, but not touring. Hopefully in the near future.
Any thoughts on the Chinese music scene?
I think the major artists are too corny, too pop and too commercialized. The industry doesn't want to take risks and inject a bit of danger into the scene.
Have you heard of the 12 Girls Band? They are a Chinese female ensemble who play different Chinese instruments like erhu, pipa [pear-shaped lute], and guzheng [zither]. They do western covers of Coldplay's "Clocks" and Enya's "Only Time", and are very big in Asia, but play soft music.
I believe if they can make it, we definitely can do better. We're noisier and have an edgier style of music.
What do you think Chinese artists find it so difficult to break out in the west?
They try to fit into the western music mould. I see an Asian person trying to rap, but it's not our culture. I just try to be myself and present my culture. I represent myself. People understand that easier.
We have to be really good to make westerners like it – and we're starting to see the results. The audience at our shows are not just Chinese people, we get a lot of westerners who love our music.
How does the music come together?
I usually write most things, at least for the first album. I compose everything on Pro Tools and I bring the MP3's to the band and they come up with their parts. I'll tell them what I want, but I don't tell them how to play their instruments. After all, they don't tell me how to play my erhu. I write all the songs on piano, but I have a piano player who rearranges.
You're the only Chinese person in the band. Does that work to your advantage?
I think that's good. I play traditional music, so the band tends to come up with songs that are really western. I'll write a whole song and they'll rearrange it so it sounds really awesome – a fusion of east and west.
When you made the jump to rock/metal venues, you started playing your erhu standing up.
Yes, well, I've seen other people play erhu standing up. When I was about five, I saw this guy who was the first to play fusion with Chinese erhu music mixed with jazz. That influenced me. But when I play erhu, I play it differently. I play erhu like it's a guitar.
So who are your musical heroes?
I like Tak Matsumoto, frontman and guitarist of a Japanese hard rock band B'z, and then Slash. Also Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne, Jeff Beck, and Joe Satriani. Musically, I'm inspired by instrumental and rock bands like B'z, Asian Fung Fu Generation, Liquid Tension Experiment, AC/DC, and Guns N' Roses.
I listen to a lot of Japanese rock and world music like traditional erhu music, anything that has an Asian influence. But I also listen to western music too.
But you don't sound anything like those musicians.
Well... visually, I want to play like that [laughs]! But the erhu is very expensive and it's hard to get them from China – I'm not going to smash it onstage [laughs].
A lot of the musicians you mentioned are sex symbols too. Do you see yourself as one?
[Laughs] It's happened a few times after our shows. We played once in a university to 800 to 1,000 people. After our performance, a group of girls said that they would surround me with girls at the afterparty.
And did they keep their promise?
Of course! It was pimp, but it was good. We don't go out to tour that much, and the furthest we've been is Albany and Philadelphia – basically, still the tri-state. So when we go out that far, we go and party.
So what's next for Hsu-nami, now that your album is released?
We're working on our second album. We've got some songs already written for it and we are going to start recording next year. Our bassist Derril Seller has a home studio, and he's like, "I want a break" since he's been working so hard on Entering The Mandala.
You're such a slave-driver!
Well, we have to keep the buzz going. We formed in 2005, but our album only came out last month. Doesn't that tell you something?
:: Check out
http://hsu-nami.com
http://myspace.com/thehsunamirocks -
From Mahwah by Way of Taipei
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Many bands try to find something unique about their style to help promote their music. It might be t...Many bands try to find something unique about their style to help promote their music. It might be their look, their lifestyle or their background story. When the music itself is what makes the band unique, that creates something special.
New Jersey's Hsu-nami has your traditional rock-band string section, six here and four there. But it also has two strings, on lead performer Jack Hsu's Er-hu, a traditional Chinese instrument. With his classical background with the violin along with his training on the Er-hu and exposure to traditional Chinese music, Hsu has helped to create a true fusion of eastern and western musical tonalities. Based at Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ, Hsu and band mates Brent Bergholm (lead guitar), Vinny Belcastro (guitar), Derril Sellers (bass), John Manna (drums) and Adam Toth (piano/synths) have played most of the area's traditional rock venues, and have been invited back to play one of the last sets ever at CBGBs' Downstairs Lounge when that legendary venues closes its New York location on September 30.
The band's track "Roguewave," was included on the 'Po Records' ComPOlation Volume III compilation CD and the Hsu-nami is planning to release their debut eight-song EP within the next month. As the bend's members prepare to complete their education at Ramapo, they are poised to take the band to new heights, expending their touring area and eventually being signed to release their first long-player. If anyone is able to bring the Er-hu to the masses of MTV watchers and iTunes downloaders the same way they've already conquered MySpace and Facebook, here they are.
Hsu, born in Taipei, Taiwan, learned the violin at four and before the age of ten was touring the United States with an orchestral group called VIP. He has performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and in 2000 played Carnegie Hall as part of the NYC Opera Orchestra program.
Bergholm is a nine-year veteran of the New Jersey music scene, having played in projects touching on the genres of metal, jazz, funk, hardcore, hip hop, and punk. His lead guitar playing style draws upon all of his influences and ranges from shredding to a bass-like tapping and slapping.
Chorus and Verse interviewed Hsu and Bergholm about their music, the recording process for the upcoming EP and plans for their remaining time at Ramapo and afterwards.Let's start off by discussing your instrument, the Er-hu. Can you describe the Er-hu to our readers who might not be familiar with it? How did you first start playing and is the instrument that you perform with today traditional or has it been modified for the type of music you're making?
Jack: The Er-hu is the most common traditional instrument in China. It's a two string fiddle, also known as the “Chinese violin”. When you go into a music store in China, you will find yourself in a maze of traditional Chinese instruments, mainly the Er-Hu. Funny thing is, the last time I went to China I only saw two acoustic guitars and one electric guitar in the entire store. It's completely different from music stores in America.
I started playing violin when I was four years old. I picked up the Er-Hu when I was in elementary school. I got really into the Erhu when I traveled to Nankin, China in 1998, a very famous place to study the instrument. While I was there, I had three teachers. I progressed quickly because I had such a strong background in classical violin. It helped me speed up the learning process.
I put a fisherman’s violin pick-up on the Er-hu and a wireless system so I can walk around stage while I perform. The Er-Hu is a very delicate instrument because it’s made for an acoustic only environment. The sound is so different with a fisherman’s pick up. It gives the instrument a really high tone, so I have to use an EQ pedal on my pedal board to get a good sound. I also have a loop pedal, and a reverb module that vocalists usually use.
How does the Er-hu fit into the traditional rock band format? The Hsu-nami has two guitarists, bass and drums, along with keyboards, so you've already covered both your hook and groove elements. Do you use the Er-hu to solo over the melody or as part of the overall chord progression? Was it a challenge for your band members to integrate the Er-hu into their performance styles?
Jack: Well, the Er-hu is like the vocalist of the band. People who have never heard instrument before have told me that it sounds like a vocal singing. I mainly play the melodies and solos in different part of the songs, here and there.
Brent: It’s not really much of a challenge at all. We see the Er-hu as the role of the vocalist. It takes the responsibilities of the melody, and hook. We approach song writing just like any other band. When it’s all said and done, we let Jack write the melody. We usually try to convey certain feelings with each song, and then let Jack match the feeling with appropriate melodies. Also, I'm personally a fan of Asian music so playing with Jack is just like second nature for me.
Your Myspace page has an interesting comment that your "music is considered a backlash to the traditional Asian folk musicians in China." Can you elaborate on that point? What types of music were you exposed to growing up in Taipei and how would you describe the traditional and popular Chinese music scenes?
Brent: There aren't many Er-hu players doing what Jack does. The majority of them in China focus on playing old Chinese folk songs and classical pieces. There are other Er-hu players trying to do fusion, but they're playing more pop-influenced kind of music. Hsu-nami is taking the Er-hu and applying it to an American progressive rock band. Some songs are heavy and abrasive, and others are mellow and sweet. It's a backlash to the Traditional Asian Folk Musicians because Jack is playing something old in a modern way. It’s truly east meets west.
Jack: Everything you see and hear in Taiwan has some kind of traditional Chinese influence. Everything, from pop music, television, to movie soundtracks, has a heavy influence from the traditional Chinese folk music.
The funny thing was that I was exposed to European classical music earlier in my age during my time in Taiwan, because I was taking violin lessons. I really got into the Chinese traditional music during my trip to China at 1998, and after a while I started listens to a lot of mainstream rock, classic rock, J-rock and a lot of world fusion music. It had a heavy influence in my song writing today.
Do you still maintain any ties or have family in Taiwan? Do you think that you'll make an effort to promote the Hsu-nami in Taiwan or mainland Chain and do you think there is an audience for your music outside of the United States?
Jack: Yes, I have families and friends in Taiwan who love Hsu-nami's music. They're trying to find ways to help us get some connections over there.
We are trying to book a tour In Taiwan either next summer or sometime in the future. I think the people over there would defiantly dig the music. People over there can relate to the instrument much more than people in America. I'm not saying that people in American can't appreciate it, it's just that they don’t have the cultural connection like people in China would have. Also, the majority of Americans have never seen or heard an Er-hu before.
You recently opened for Matt O'Ree at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. How was your experience performing at the Pony and where are some of your other favorite venues to play? Can you compare the difference between performing at a rock venue as opposed to being on stage at Carnegie Hall or the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)?
Jack: Oh, it is completely different. NJPAC and Carnegie Hall are majestic halls. I played in classical orchestras in those buildings. They have a lot of rules when you perform in places like that. You have to play a certain way, stand a certain way, and present yourself in a certain demeanor. Places like the Stone Pony, Lion’s Den, The Saint, and CBGBs are completely different. I can have fun, hang out, and drink a few beers and rock out any way I want. There are no restrictions. It’s so much more enjoyable to play, personally.
I can't imagine that there are too many new age fusion bands with influences from Chinese traditional music floating around the New York and New Jersey music scene. Do you find that people don't "get" what you're doing or don't know how to characterize it? Do you think that the band could also find a place in the blues or jazz genres if those fans were introduced to your sound?
Brent: [There are] definitely not many bands that sound like us in New Jersey. I think people are confused when they first hear the concept of the band, but when they see us live they get it 100%. I really love playing shows where the majority of the crowd doesn’t know who Hsu-nami is. We win over the audience the second we kick into the set. It's fun to watch people’s reaction to our music, and how much they get into it. We get a strong reaction from people because nobody has ever seen a band like this before. People appreciate originality and that’s something we're trying to do. Probably some industry people might not know how to characterize us, but that’s the beauty of the band. We don’t try to mess around with labels and genres, we’re all about breaking the mold and trying something different.
I think fans of blues and jazz would definitely appreciate the band. They would appreciate the song writing and musicianship. Also, some of the members of Hsu-nami have backgrounds in jazz and classical. That comes through in the way we play.In addition to the Er-hu, you also play the violin, guitar, piano, cello and saxophone. How does having the ability to pick up and compose on so many different instruments affect your songwriting process? Do you find that your knowledge of one instrument can affect how you use another one and how do you decide when a song idea develops in your head if you want to explore it by sitting at the piano or holding a violin or guitar?
Jack: I basically write songs with my guitar and piano. I play around with different progressions and work the idea like a puzzle. Some sections fit together better than other sections. You just have to match the right pieces and you got yourself a perfect puzzle, or in my case, song. After the sections are done I record different instruments, and then write my melody with my Er-hu. After I'm done with that I take it to the band and we usually rearrange the song into the band version. It’s cool to see what the band adds to my songs. After it’s all said and done we have a great song on our hands.
You're currently attending Ramapo College of New Jersey majoring in music business while working towards being a professional music producer/musician/sound engineer. Do you see performing and producing music with Hsu-nami as good "real world" experience for being able to work in the industry once you're finished with school? Are there certain parts of making music, say working behind the faders in the studio or songwriting, that you especially enjoy and would like to make the focus of your career?
Jack: It definitely is a real-world experience, especially because we produce and record all our songs ourselves. Our bassist, Derril Sellers owns a professional $10,000 home recording studio, called “Lacuna Recording”. There's a great luxury in having your own studio at your disposal. You don't have to worry about bad engineers, expensive session bills, and time constraints. We can take all the time in the world to have the song sound as good as we want.
I’m really precise when it comes to my ideas of what and how a song should sound like. I prefer my songs to be produced like a well-produced pop track. I want perfect timing and intonation. I prefer that to a raw first-take performance. Each member, however, has a different idea of what a song should sound like. Some like it well-produced, and others like it rawer. I think we get the best of both worlds, with a happy medium of raw energy and good production.
The most enjoyable thing for me in the studio is producing. Thinking of new ways to make the song sound different is fun. I always focus on what specific sections should sound like. Our bassist is the sound engineer, getting all the levels right and then eventually mixing the final product. The band members put their input in every section of the song. It's a good way to make things perfect, because you have six guys constantly coming out with new ideas.
After I graduate this winter I would like to be both the producer and sound engineer at recording studios.
How is the music scene at Ramapo College? Are there any cool places to catch a live show on or around campus and are there outlets where students can be exposed to different types of new music? Was there a reason that you selected Ramapo College as the best place to pursue your degree?
Brent: The music scene at Ramapo is pretty good. There are a lot of bands that come through to play shows. There aren't many all-Ramapo student bands, though. A lot of people have great bands, but usually only one or two members go to Ramapo. Hsu-nami is one of the few all-Ramapo student bands. There are four places where bands could play at the school: Friends Hall, Jay Lee's, the Band Shell, and the Basketball Stadium. Friend’s Hall is like a banquet hall that’s usually used for seminars, but can be used for live entertainment. Jay Lee's is a lounge where you can play pool and hang out. The Band Shell is outside and it’s where graduation is held every year. If you're lucky, you get to play in the Basketball Stadium. That’s where the big leaguers, like Reel Big Fish and Street Light Manifesto, play. The majority of the bands at Ramapo are punk bands. There aren’t any bands at Ramapo like Hsu-nami. There aren’t any bands like Hsu-nami period. Hsu-nami is one of a kind.
Jack: I went to Ramapo because I received a full scholarship. A full scholarship is hard to pass down, so I accepted. It was definitely the best decision I made my whole life, because if I didn’t go to Ramapo then I wouldn't have met Brent, Vinny, John, Derril, and Adam. Hsu-nami wouldn't exist.
What are the band's plans for recording and releasing a debut album? You've blogged about plans for an eight-song EP coming out at the end of the summer. Are those plans still in the works and when do you expect that fans will be able to get their hands on it?
Brent: We're currently recording our eight-song EP at our bassist's home studio, Lacuna Recording. It was originally supposed to be ready by the end of summer, but things got pushed back. We're just about finished with everybody’s parts and then we're going to mix it. Hopefully it'll be ready by the end of September or early October. The track listing is going be:
1. Rising of the Sun
2. Mimosa
3. Godfather
4. Interlude
5. Rogue Wave
6. Oh Beautiful Night
7. Entering the Mandala
8. Horse Race
As for a debut album, we're still trying to get signed. After we're done with this EP, we're probably going to have enough new material for two albums.
What else can we look forward to from the Hsu-nami in the near future? What are your plans for the duration of your time at Ramapo and where do you see your career progressing, both personally and with the band, after you complete your education?
Brent: It’s hard to say what’s in store for Hsu-nami in the future. Hopefully, we’ll be signed to a relatively large label, and have lots of dedicated fans. I can definitely say that, as a band, we’re going to work as hard as we can to achieve that goal. Our plans at Ramapo are to create a larger fan base. We also want to branch out and play other colleges like Columbia, NYU, Rutgers, and any others that want us. Hopefully, by the time we graduate more people will know about us, and we’ll be on our way achieving our dreams of a dedicated fan base, and a record deal.
{ Website: www.hsu-nami.com ] -
A New Sound
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Sometimes the thought of having more of the same thing is better than having nothing at all, ...
Sometimes the thought of having more of the same thing is better than having nothing at all, but when it comes to music, and in a place like New York City, more of the same thing can become down right disappointing. With so many bands in the area, it often seems difficult to find one band that is doing something truly different. But all it takes is a little time, and one can begin to discover sounds never thought possible. There are unique bands to be found! It may require some work, but the musical rewards are well worth it.
Many people look for a distinct sound they have never heard before; a sound that not only has the ability to energize, inspire, and entertain, but one that also uses elements of music’s past to create a style completely its own. Hsu-Nami is this sound.
The band, which includes Jack Hsu, Brent Bergholm, Vinny Belcastro, Derril Sellers, John Manna and Adam Toth, is an Asian rock-hybrid instrumental group that is turning Asian fusion into more than just a type of cuisine. What makes this band stand out is the use of the Er-hu, a traditional Chinese instrument that dates back to c.1104 AD. Guitar, bass, drums and piano is added to the mix. It becomes clear that this is modern music with an Asian flavor.
Since each band member has a different musical background, Hsu-Nami’s songs range from metal and funk, to dance rock and indie. However, the Er-hu, played by Jack Hsu, is omnipresent. Others have tried to do Asian fusion before but tend to sound very classical. As lead guitarist, Brent Bergholm, says, “There’s no danger in it. What we’re trying to do is take something that people are familiar with and do something different.”
For an instrumental band, the music thankfully bares no pretension and is extremely accessible, creating a following of older and younger generations alike. They are currently working on an EP, which will be out in October. In the meantime, you can listen to songs and browse their upcoming shows at hsu-nami.com or myspace.com/hsunamirocks. -
Classical Gas, Chinese Accent
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Sunday, November 26, 2006 By EVELYN SHIH STAFF WRITER You know you're doing something new i...Sunday, November 26, 2006
By EVELYN SHIH
STAFF WRITER
You know you're doing something new in music when the stage crew refers to you only as "the guy playing that thing with the string."
The Ramapo College-based band Hsu-nami is making waves on the New Jersey and New York circuit with its fusion rock, featuring Jack Hsu on the erhu. Hsu, a Tenafly resident since moving to the United States from Taiwan at age 12, plays the traditional Chinese instrument that sounds like a violin but has only two strings on an elongated, delicate-looking neck.
The microphoned and amplified erhu takes the place of a vocalist in this ambitious band, playing Thursday at Mexicali Blues Cafe in Teaneck.
For a purely instrumental band, Hsu-nami has really been making the rounds; recent stops include the Stone Pony in Asbury Park and New York City's Lion's Den and CBGB, before it closed. It has also been building momentum on the college circuit, playing to crowds at Rutgers, Columbia and Ramapo.
After band members graduate from Ramapo in the spring, they plan to expand their reper-toire, build on the local fan base and play nationally -- or even, if they reach Hsu's native Taiwan, internationally.
Brent Bergholm, the lead guitarist, said the erhu is an alluring instrument. "It's very emotional, and I think audiences grab onto that. People are tired of the same old stuff," he said.
"I used to play it sitting, with a stiff back posture," said Hsu, describing the traditional style of playing. "Now, I play it standing, supported by a hook."
"He's playing it like a guitar player. It's crazy," added Bergholm.
In fact, most of Hsu's musical heroes are guitarists, including Stevie Ray Vaughan and instrumentalists from Japanese groups Asian Kung-fu Generation and the B'zs.
From a young age, Hsu took lessons in classical violin in Taiwan. He also dabbled in the erhu. It was only after his family's move to America, however, that he reignited his interest and traveled to China to explore traditional erhu music.
"Once I got there, I picked it up like that," he said, snapping his fingers.
In college, Hsu combined the new rock ideas with his traditional training on the erhu, forming an erhu and guitar duo, Genso Fantasia -- a perfect laboratory to experiment with these new ideas -- but the overall effect was a quiet, cafe sound.
Enter Bergholm's metal rock band, Bleed the Stone.
Last spring, Hsu's guitarist was out of town during the annual studio session of Ramapo's record label, 'Po Records, and Bleed the Stone filled in as his backup band so that he could appear on the compilation album.
The result, over the course of the past year, was Hsu-nami, a group that not only blends rock with the erhu sound but also mixes in the band members' backgrounds in progressive rock, metal, punk, ska, funk and jazz. Band members include Derril Sellers on bass, Adam Toth on keyboard/synthesizer, Vinny Belcastro on guitar and John Manna on drums.
Within the eight- to nine-track album the group will be releasing in December, tracks swing from high-octane wailing duets of guitar and erhu to soulful keyboard solos that usher in plaintive, Chinese-inflected melodies.
Before jamming with Hsu, Bergholm already had contact with Asian pop culture, particularly current Asian music.
"I remember one day after we'd just met, freshman year, we were talking online and [Hsu] mentioned some Japanese rock bands," said Bergholm. "I was like, yeah, I know about them. Are you surprised?"
A music major like most of his band mates, Bergholm cites the '70s jazz-rock fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra as recent favorite. Led by John McLaughlin, the group boldly mixed Indian as well as European classical music in their funky rock brew.
"The thing about Hsu-nami is we don't want boundaries," said Bergholm. Beside him, Hsu smiled in silent agreement.
E-mail: shih@northjersey.com
Setlist
1. Rising of The Sun 4:46
2. Snake Skin Shuffle 3:30
3. Jubei Chan Theme 5:00
4. Mimosa 6:00
5. Godfather Theme 3:07
6. Rogue Wave 4:40
7. Naruto Theme 5:00
8. The Four Noble Truths 10:00
9. Moonlight 4:46
10. Beautiful Night 5:40
11. Entering of the Mandala 6:04
12. Luxy 3:42
13. Cannon in D 3:30
14. Carol of the Bells 5:00
15. Taiwanese medley 6:00
16. Temple Song 3:00
Basic Requirements
Calendar
There are no upcoming dates at this time.
| Date | Time | Venue | City | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2010 Sunday | 8:00 PM | Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre (Chinese American night 30 year Anniversary) | Long Island, NY, US | |
| Jun 21, 2010 Monday | 10:00 PM | Make Music NYC | New York, NY, US | |
| May 30, 2010 Sunday | 3:00 PM | Passport 2 Taiwan Festival - Union Square Park | New York, NY, US | |
| Apr 30, 2010 Friday | 9:00 PM | Red Lion | Brick, NJ, US | |
| Apr 4, 2010 Sunday | 3:00 PM | Sakura-Con | Seattle, WA, US | |
| Mar 21, 2010 Sunday | 12:00 PM | Wayne Firehouse with Crash Romeo | Wayne, NJ, US | |
| Mar 6, 2010 Saturday | 12:00 PM | St Patrick’s Day Party | Hoboken, NJ, US | |
| Feb 20, 2010 Saturday | 12:00 PM | Bennett Media Studio - AsianinNY.com Lunar New Year party event | New York, NY, US | |
| Nov 6, 2009 Friday | 8:00 PM | Reid Castle - Manhattanville College | Purchase, NY, US | |
| Oct 18, 2009 Sunday | 12:00 PM | The College of New Jersey | Ewing, NJ, US | |
| Oct 3, 2009 Saturday | 6:00 PM | Six Flags Great Adventure (Fright Fest) | Jackson, NJ, US | |
| Sep 7, 2009 Monday | 12:00 PM | Plaza of Nations (Taiwan Fest) | Vancouver, BC, CA | |
| Sep 6, 2009 Sunday | 12:00 PM | Plaza of Nations (Taiwan Fest) | Vancouver, BC, CA | |
| Sep 5, 2009 Saturday | 12:00 PM | Plaza of Nations (Taiwan Fest) | Vancouver, BC, CA | |
| Aug 30, 2009 Sunday | 12:00 PM | Harbor Front Centre (Taiwan Fest) | Toronto, ON, CA | |
| Aug 29, 2009 Saturday | 12:00 PM | Harbor Front Centre (Taiwan Fest) | Toronto, ON, CA | |
| Aug 28, 2009 Friday | 12:00 PM | University of Toronto (CIUT 89.5 Live on air performance) | Toronto, ON, CA | |
| Aug 28, 2009 Friday | 12:00 PM | Harbor Front Centre (Taiwan Fest) | Toronto, ON, CA | |
| Aug 26, 2009 Wednesday | 12:00 PM | Arlene's Grocery (Typhoon Marakot Aid) | New York, NY, US | |
| Aug 8, 2009 Saturday | 12:00 PM | Corona Park (Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival) | Flushinng, NY, US | |
| Jul 19, 2009 Sunday | 12:00 PM | Mercury Lounge (Headline) | New York, NY, US | |
| Jul 12, 2009 Sunday | 12:00 PM | School of ROck East | Hackensack, NJ, US | |
| Jun 19, 2009 Friday | 12:00 PM | Port Con Main | South Portland, ME, US | |
| Jun 13, 2009 Saturday | 12:00 PM | Six Flags Great Adventure | Jackson, NJ, US | |
| May 24, 2009 Sunday | 2:00 PM | Union Square Park North (passport 2 Taiwan Fest) | New York, NY, US | |
| May 23, 2009 Saturday | 10:00 PM | Crocodile Rock Cafe (fetzer ent) | Allentown, PA, US | |
| Apr 25, 2009 Saturday | 8:00 PM | NYU Eisener and Lubin Auditorium | New York, NY, US | |
| Mar 28, 2009 Saturday | 12:00 PM | Arlene's Grocery (CD Release) | New York, NY, US | |
| Mar 26, 2009 Thursday | 12:00 PM | NYU Eisener and Lubin Auditorium | New york, NY, US | |
| Feb 28, 2009 Saturday | 9:00 PM | Massachsetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA, US | |
| Nov 24, 2008 Monday | 8:00 PM | NYU Eisener and Lubin Auditorium | New York, NY, US | |
| Nov 15, 2008 Saturday | 12:00 AM | Brooklyn Rocks Fest @ Red Star | Brooklyn, NY, US |  |
| 37 Greenpoint Ave. (between Franklin & West Streets) Greenpoint Brooklyn, New York 11222 US | ||||
| Nov 7, 2008 Friday | 8:00 PM | Cornell University | Ithaca, NY, US | |
| Nov 1, 2008 Saturday | 1:00 PM | six Flags Great Advanture | Jackson, NJ, US | |
| 1 Six Flags Blvd Jackson, New Jersey 08527 US Cost:N/A Description:LIVE & LOCAL becomes DEAD&LOCAL!! | ||||
| Oct 18, 2008 Saturday | 8:00 PM | AnotheAnimeCon | Nashua, NH, US | |
| 11 Tara Boulevard Nashua, New Hampshire 03062 US Cost:$20-$40 Description:Hsunai wil be a featured guest at Another Con 08! More info: http://www.anotheranimecon.com/ | ||||
| Oct 15, 2008 Wednesday | 10:00 PM | Pianos | New York City, NY, US | |
| 158 Ludlow Street New York City, New York 10002 US Cost:$8 Description:Hsu-nami performing at the Pianos! http://www.pianosnyc.com/ | ||||
| Oct 2, 2008 Thursday | 12:00 AM | ONE Art and Music Festival | Greenwood, SC, US | |
| This year’s O.N.E. Art and Music Festival is being held October 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2008 at the Greenwood County Agricultural Fairgrounds in Greenwood, South Carolina. Last year’s festival was attended by over 4,000 people, and between 6,000 and 10,000 people are expected to attend this year. | ||||
| Sep 29, 2008 Monday | 7:00 PM | Club Don Hills | New York City, NY, US | |
| an 21+ Event - FTSANY party - Club Don Hills Annual Taiwanese FTSANY summer Welcome party!! 300+ are expected. dance party after the set. http://ftsany.org/ an invitation only event. anyone interested attending please contact hsunami.rock@gmail.com. Hsu-nami to playing their full one hour set!! | ||||
| Sep 20, 2008 Saturday | 8:00 PM | Ramapo College of New Jersey | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Location: 505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, New Jersey 07430 Admission: Free Admission | ||||
| Aug 29, 2008 Friday | 9:45 PM | Club Don Hills | NYC, NY, US | |
| ocation: 511 Greenwich St. (at Spring St.), New York City, New York 10013 Admission: 10$ More Info: Hsu-nami rocks Labor day weekend at Club Don Hills NYC. 18+ http://www.donhills.com | ||||
| Aug 27, 2008 Wednesday | 10:00 PM | Public Assembly | Brooklyn, NY, US | |
| Location: 70 North Street, Brooklyn, New York 85 Admission:$5 More Info: Singha Loud! Check out the club at http://www.publicassemblynyc.com/about.html | ||||
| Aug 23, 2008 Saturday | 3:00 PM | Hugh Force park | Wharton, NJ, US | |
| Location: West Central Avenue Wharton, 07885 Admission: More Info: Wharton’s Canal Day raindate of August 24th event run from 10:am - 5:00pm http://www.canalday.org/index.html | ||||
| Aug 5, 2008 Tuesday | 12:00 AM | Live and Loud | Jackson, NJ, US | |
| Jul 30, 2008 Wednesday | 5:00 PM | Manville Public Library | Manville, NJ, US | |
| Jul 7, 2008 Monday | 8:00 PM | Asian Film Festival Party- China One NYC | New York, NY, US | |
| Jun 21, 2008 Saturday | 9:00 PM | Opening for the Parlor Mob- The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Apr 26, 2008 Saturday | 12:00 AM | Connolly's Kliub 45 | New York, NY, US | |
| SATURDAY APRIL 26 CONNOLLY’S KLUB 45, 121 West 45 Street (between 6th Ave. & Broadway), 212-597-5126 - Take Elevator to Third Floor $10 admission - 21+ w/ID For further info: www. connollyspubandrestaurant. com | ||||
| Apr 25, 2008 Friday | 7:00 PM | Ramapo College | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Show at the Alumni Lounges with Trust and the Molotov Cocktails | ||||
| Apr 12, 2008 Saturday | 5:00 PM | Marriot Hotel- Anime Punch | Columbis, OH, US | |
| Hsu-nami will be apart of the Anime Punch 2008 Anime Convention. It’s a 3 day event from April 11th to April 13th. Hsu-nami will be performing Saturday April 12th. More info tba. Check out their page for more info. http://www.animepunch.org | ||||
| Apr 11, 2008 Friday | 7:00 PM | Radisson Hotel- TekkoshoCon | Pittsburg, PA, US | |
| Hsu-nami will be apart of the 6th annual Tekkoshocon 2008. The Convention will be held at the Radisson Hotel Pittsburgh Green Tree. It’s a 3 day event starting on Friday April 11th. Hsu-namis Performance will be held on the 11th. Check out the site for more info! www.tekkoshocon.com | ||||
| Apr 7, 2008 Monday | 12:00 AM | Connolly's Klub 45 | New York, NY, US | |
| SATURDAY APRIL 26 CONNOLLY’S KLUB 45, 121 West 45 Street (between 6th Ave. & Broadway), 212-597-5126 - Take Elevator to Third Floor $10 admission - 21+ w/ID For further info: www. connollyspubandrestaurant. com | ||||
| Mar 29, 2008 Saturday | 9:00 PM | Ramapo College | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Mar 22, 2008 Saturday | 7:00 PM | Paul's Tavern | Lake Como, NJ, US | |
| Mar 14, 2008 Friday | 9:00 PM | The Paramus VFW | Paramus, NJ, US | |
| Mar 4, 2008 Tuesday | 7:00 PM | Ramapo College- Friends Hall (Kick off event for SGA Spirit Week) | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Feb 10, 2008 Sunday | 6:00 PM | Private Party- Chinese New Years Celebration | Rockland County, NY, US | |
| Jan 19, 2008 Saturday | 12:00 PM | The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Dec 30, 2007 Sunday | 12:00 PM | The Stone Pony- End of an Era's CD Release Party | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Vinny Belcastros Good bye show. | ||||
| Dec 22, 2007 Saturday | 9:00 PM | The R Bar (CD RELEASE PARTY!!!) | New York, NY, US | |
| Nov 20, 2007 Tuesday | 7:00 PM | Asian Occasion at SUNY Albany- Page Hall | Albany, NY, US | |
| Nov 20, 2007 Tuesday | 7:00 PM | Rutgers University- Busch Student Center | New Brunswick, NJ, US | |
| Nov 11, 2007 Sunday | 12:00 AM | TandokuCon Anime Festival- The Trocadero Theatre | Philadelphia, PA, US | |
| Oct 19, 2007 Friday | 12:00 AM | Priviate Party- Eva Lins Wedding | Flushing Queens, NY, US | |
| Oct 13, 2007 Saturday | 12:00 AM | Zenkaikon Anime Festival | King of Prussia, PA, US | |
| Oct 4, 2007 Thursday | 8:00 PM | M.E.A.N.Y Festival 2007- Cave Canem | New York, NY, US | |
| Sep 21, 2007 Friday | 7:00 PM | The OVNY JUMP OFF- The Claddagh Lounge | Highlands, NJ, US | |
| Aug 10, 2007 Friday | 8:00 PM | Highline Ballroom w/ Chthonic | New York, NY, US | |
| Aug 9, 2007 Thursday | 6:00 PM | The Internet Cafe with Down to Earth Approach | Red Bank, NJ, US | |
| Jul 21, 2007 Saturday | 3:00 PM | Rock N Music in Union Square Mall | Middletown, NJ, US | |
| Jul 19, 2007 Thursday | 7:00 PM | The Iron Monkey | Jersey City, NJ, US | |
| Jul 8, 2007 Sunday | 12:00 PM | The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| End-Dependance Day festival. More info TBA | ||||
| Jul 6, 2007 Friday | 3:00 PM | End-Ependence Day at The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Jun 30, 2007 Saturday | 2:00 PM | Chinese Radio Network Event at the Flushing Mall | Flushing Queens, NY, US | |
| Jun 23, 2007 Saturday | 7:00 PM | Shields Skate Park | Flemington, NJ, US | |
| Jun 14, 2007 Thursday | 2:00 PM | Ronald Mcdonald House Charity show | New York, NY, US | |
| Jun 8, 2007 Friday | 8:00 PM | Relay for Life at Red Bank Regional HS | Red Bank, NJ, US | |
| Charity Event for the Relay for Life Cancer run. More info tBA | ||||
| May 26, 2007 Saturday | 6:00 PM | The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Two-stage event with Status Green and One Inch Punch on the main stage and Hsu-nami, Trust, and End of an Era on the Summer Stage. Its all Ages and $10 at the door. Doors at 6 pm and Hsu-nami goes on at 8 PM. | ||||
| May 26, 2007 Saturday | 3:00 PM | The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| May 20, 2007 Sunday | 2:00 PM | Passport to Taiwan- Union Sqaure | New York, NY, US | |
| May 19, 2007 Saturday | 8:00 PM | Digorgios | Bayonne, NJ, US | |
| May 18, 2007 Friday | 10:00 PM | The Court Tavern | New Brunswick, NJ, US | |
| 21 and up. more info tba | ||||
| May 6, 2007 Sunday | 2:00 PM | Union Square | New York City, NY, US | |
| Hsu-nami is playing this years CAPA festival. One of the biggest asian culture festivals on the east coast. | ||||
| May 6, 2007 Sunday | 2:00 PM | CAPA Festival- Union Square | New York, NY, US | |
| Apr 5, 2007 Thursday | 12:00 PM | Asian Expo- Ramapo College | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Mar 30, 2007 Friday | 6:00 PM | The Court Tavern | New Brunswick, NJ, US | |
| Mar 11, 2007 Sunday | 5:00 PM | The Break Contest Round 1 at the Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Feb 21, 2007 Wednesday | 8:00 PM | The Wicky Lounge | Suffern, NY, US | |
| Feb 16, 2007 Friday | 4:00 PM | Chinese New Years Party- Tenafly Highschool | Tenafly, NJ, US | |
| Feb 9, 2007 Friday | 8:00 PM | The Mean Fiddler | New York, NY, US | |
| Feb 2, 2007 Friday | 9:00 PM | Chinese News Party- Marlboro High School | Marlboro, NJ, US | |
| Jan 27, 2007 Saturday | 6:00 PM | Stone Pony Opening for the Parlor Mob | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Dec 30, 2006 Saturday | 8:00 PM | Club Deep | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Dec 7, 2006 Thursday | 7:00 PM | Rutgers University | New Brunswick, NJ, US | |
| TASA Event | ||||
| Dec 5, 2006 Tuesday | 8:00 PM | Ramapo College | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Nov 30, 2006 Thursday | 8:00 PM | The Mexicali Blues Cafe | Teaneck, NJ, US | |
| Nov 19, 2006 Sunday | 6:00 PM | Rutgers University | New Brunswick, NJ, US | |
| KSA Event | ||||
| Oct 31, 2006 Tuesday | 6:00 PM | Hsunami Halloween at the Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Oct 20, 2006 Friday | 8:00 PM | The Underscore | New York, NY, US | |
| Oct 8, 2006 Sunday | 6:00 PM | Ramapo College Opening for Yellowcard | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Opening for Yellowcard | ||||
| Oct 7, 2006 Saturday | 6:00 PM | Chinese Moon Festival | Edison, NJ, US | |
| Sep 30, 2006 Saturday | 8:00 PM | CBGBs Downstairs Lounge | New York, NY, US | |
| Closing Night | ||||
| Sep 17, 2006 Sunday | 7:00 PM | Ramapo College Battle of the Bands | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Battle of the Bands | ||||
| Sep 15, 2006 Friday | 6:00 PM | Espresso Joes | Keyport, NJ, US | |
| Sep 12, 2006 Tuesday | 7:00 PM | Ramapo College Hsunami Unplugged | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Sep 9, 2006 Saturday | 9:00 PM | Club SinE | New York, NY, US | |
| Sep 3, 2006 Sunday | 6:00 PM | The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Aug 19, 2006 Saturday | 8:00 PM | The Court Tavern | New Brunswick, NJ, US | |
| Aug 18, 2006 Friday | 12:00 PM | St Lukes Church | Ho Ho Kus, NJ, US | |
| Aug 13, 2006 Sunday | 4:00 PM | Chubbies | Red Bank, NJ, US | |
| Jul 31, 2006 Monday | 6:00 PM | The Continental | New York, NY, US | |
| Jul 22, 2006 Saturday | 5:00 PM | Bogota VFW Hall | Bogota, NJ, US | |
| Jul 21, 2006 Friday | 5:00 PM | The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Jul 11, 2006 Tuesday | 9:00 PM | CBGBs Downstairs Lounge | New York, NY, US | |
| Jul 8, 2006 Saturday | 8:00 PM | Bloomfiel Ave Cafe and Stage | Montclair, NJ, US | |
| Jul 7, 2006 Friday | 12:00 PM | The Stone Pony | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| Jun 30, 2006 Friday | 8:00 PM | The Lions Den | New York, NY, US | |
| Jun 28, 2006 Wednesday | 5:00 PM | Manville Public Library | Manville, NJ, US | |
| Jun 23, 2006 Friday | 6:00 PM | Chubbies | Red Bank, NJ, US | |
| Jun 14, 2006 Wednesday | 9:00 PM | The Brighton Bar | Long Branch, NJ, US | |
| Jun 3, 2006 Saturday | 4:00 PM | The Saint | Asbury Park, NJ, US | |
| May 10, 2006 Wednesday | 7:00 PM | Ramapo College | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Po Records CD Release Party | ||||
| May 3, 2006 Wednesday | 2:00 PM | Passport to Taiwan Festival- Union Square North | New York, NY, US | |
| May 2, 2006 Tuesday | 5:00 PM | Ramapo College | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Asian America Night | ||||
| Apr 30, 2006 Sunday | 7:00 PM | Columbia University | New York, NY, US | |
| Apr 29, 2006 Saturday | 12:00 PM | Alpha Phi Delta "Frankapalooza" | Suffern, NY, US | |
| Apr 28, 2006 Friday | 6:00 PM | Ramapo College | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Hsu-nami opens for Nightmare of You | ||||
| Apr 25, 2006 Tuesday | 7:00 PM | Asian Acoustic Cafe Night at J-Lee's | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Apr 22, 2006 Saturday | 9:00 PM | Chubbies | Red Bank, NJ, US | |
| Apr 2, 2006 Sunday | 8:00 PM | The Rail | Boundbrook, NJ, US | |
| Jersey Shows Battle of the Bands | ||||
| Mar 18, 2006 Saturday | 8:00 PM | Vernon | Hex Bar Mountain Creek, NJ, US | |
| Mar 9, 2006 Thursday | 7:00 PM | Ramapo College | Mahwah, NJ, US | |
| Ramapow Battle of the Bands | ||||