True to their name, Seattle’s Chinese American Bear blend elements of Western neo-psych with sounds familiar to the world of C-pop. Wah!!!, the duo’s second album, arrives just two years after their debut, with these 11 bilingual tracks seeing the husband-and-wife duo of Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten amping up the experimentation—as well as the fun—in both English and Mandarin.
Following the record’s release back in October, CAB struck out on tours of the US and UK, followed shortly after with a set of 14 dates across China in December alongside Hangzhou-based dream-pop group City Flanker. The duo was kind enough to document that latter experience for us, with their tour diary taking us behind the scenes of those performances while also exhibiting the local cuisine, Buddhist temples, and, um, laundry they encountered along the way. Check it out below, and listen to Wah!!! here.
Performing in Chengdu (成都), our drummer Rex’s hometown.
Anne looking very happy during our first soundcheck of the tour in Shenzhen (深圳).
On the gaotie (高铁, or high speed train) to Guangzhou (广州) with the tour manager Xiao Tang, eating cookies, trying new teas, and having a laugh about something.
Backstage in Beijing with City Flanker and their label folks (Ruby Eyes/Taihe) before the show—chatting and eating Beijing’s famous Peking duck.
Anne, Rex, and Huaju (City Flanker’s drummer) setting up for soundcheck in Xi’an (西安).
The Bears performing in Xi’an!
Backstage in Hangzhou (杭州) with City Flanker and friends. Hangzhou is City Flanker’s hometown.
City Flanker performing in Quanzhou (泉州).
Alex (City Flanker’s singer/guitarist) eating cake after his smearing. This was our last night of the tour together in Quanzhou. Our tour manager bought us a cake, we celebrated, we laughed, and we cried.
Our last dinner together in Quanzhou. Not-pictured: many more beers.
Anne (盼盼) looking really good at a Buddhist temple in Quanzhou.
Bryce (小步) looking pretty good.
Our bestest tourmates in the whole world, City Flanker, and us Bears, jumping for joy.
On a boat ride around the famous Hangzhou lake Xihu (西湖, or West Lake).
Walking around the temples in Xihu.
Green room table vibes in Wuhan (武汉).
Backstage in Zhengzhou (郑州); Rex serenading Anne with his kazoo. Probably playing his rendition of “Take Me to Beijing.”
Underwear in Wuhan.
