Wayne Hsu

Artist Information

Biography

Wayne Hsu makes the kind of music that your mom will like too. His songs give you the sweet old school sound that has been missing in popular music these days. His newly released debut EP titled "A Boy Named Hsu" is a catchy collection of well crafted pop songs that will charm you the first time you hear them, and then continue to enchant you on every other level.

Born in Taipei on the island of Formosa, Wayne began to play the drums at the age of 12. Shortly after, Wayne moved stateside where he attended boarding school in California. Unable to play the drums while confined to a small dorm room, Wayne picked up the guitar in order to satisfy his musical appetite.

Around this time Wayne began developing his musical style. While mostly listening to jam bands such as Phish and Dave Matthews Band, Wayne discovered and fell in love with 60s pop songs by the likes of The Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach, and Stevie Wonder. With a touch of Antonio Carlos Jobim influenced bossa nova, you have Wayne Hsu's own unique "Lounge-Core" sound.

Wayne Hsu is currently based out of Philadelphia where he has quickly gained recognition. Having garnered awards such as the "Best USA Artist" in the Toronto Independent Music Awards and having won multiple band competitions in the Philadelphia area including World Café Live's "Best of Philly Rising" and Drexel University's "Battle of the Bands", Wayne is setting out "not to change the world, but to have a sing along."

Instrumentation

Wayne Hsu- Vocal, guitar

Discography

A Boy Named Hsu EP (2006)
Millenium Music Conference 9 Compliation Discs (2005)

Audio

• Nancy
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• All I Need
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• Everybody Knows
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• Night and Day
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Video

The Rooster Song Music Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Wayne Hsu [+ Show ]
  

  "...Acoustic guitar-plucker Wayne Hsu wants to knock you over with a feather. His debut EP, A Boy Na..."...Acoustic guitar-plucker Wayne Hsu wants to knock you over with a feather. His debut EP, A Boy Named Hsu, is blissful and lovely—but don't mistake that for wussy and vanilla. The pop hooks are gentle, the rhythms are peppy and the lyrics are sincere and utopic..."
  
  - Patrick Rapa, writer

• The Rooster Song Music Video [+ Show ]
  

  MTVchi, a new MTV affiliate designed to showcase the best bands fronted by Asian-Americans, has adde...MTVchi, a new MTV affiliate designed to showcase the best bands fronted by Asian-Americans, has added the Rooster Song music video by Wayne Hsu to the rotation.

• Contagious Cool in This Indie EP [+ Show ]
  

  "Say goodbye to the album you retire to your CD rack after five or six times of playing it through. ..."Say goodbye to the album you retire to your CD rack after five or six times of playing it through. You’ll get old before this one does."
  
  - Laura Sweet, writer
  

• Wayne Hsu [+ Show ]
  

  "The music of Wayne Hsu is as unique as Wayne Hsu himself. In an age of cookie-cutter music, Wayne H..."The music of Wayne Hsu is as unique as Wayne Hsu himself. In an age of cookie-cutter music, Wayne Hsu truly defines originality. you are guaranteed to be a fan of his music from the time the first note permeate your brain wave."
  
  -Matt Spade, promoter

• EP review [+ Show ]
  

  ..."The cross-generational appeal comes from the 60s pop influence mixed with Hsu's smooth and sweet......"The cross-generational appeal comes from the 60s pop influence mixed with Hsu's smooth and sweet vocal style. This is definitely the summer album of '06."

• Wayne Hsu: No Such Thing as Too Much
  

  "A Boy Named Hsu is the sweet, breezy stuff of a simpler time."

• EP Review
  

  I truly enjoyed every single track I listened to! A very compelling composition...

• musicnerve.com
  

  "Philadelphia's favorite indie-lounge-pop band!"

Setlist

Those Times We Spent Awake
All I Need
Suzanna
The Rooster Song
Also
Scene from a Bar
Gettin' Dizzy
May I Be a Fool For You
Before You Leave
Sleepy Wonder
You Said
Ever-Lasting Comfort
Nothing is Right
Do Do Do

Covers:
Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head (Burt Bacharach)
Nancy (Sinatra)
Brick (Ben Folds Five)

Set Time: 30-50 Minutes

Basic Requirements

Calendar