Taiwanese singer-songwriter Joanna Wang (王若琳) will perform live in Macau on Friday, the 15th of March at the Venetian Arena. The concert is one in a series of musical events belonging to the 2nd Annual Macau Literary Festival – The Script Road.
Joanna Wang has a relaxed, smoky voice and an emotional range that belie her tender age, drawing comparisons to Astrud Gilberto and Diana Krall, with some hailing her as Taiwan’s answer to Norah Jones. The Taipei native was raised in Los Angeles and sings most of her original lyrics in English, but her rise to stardom began in Asia with a slew of “Best Newcomer” honours (2008 Singapore Hit, Sina and Beijing Chinese Pop Music Awards) and a “Best Newcomer” nomination at Taiwan’s 20th Golden Melodys.
Of her four albums, the latest, The Adventures of Bernie the Schoolboy (2011, Sony BMG Taiwan), exhibits her flair for songwriting, her folk-jazzy vocal stylings and a musical taste that is refreshingly offbeat for someone with so much success in the Asian pop mainstream, though not surprising given her professed range of influences, from the Beatles to Oingo Boingo.
The concert begins at 8:30pm with local rock band L.A.V.Y. in the supporting slot. A leader and mainstay of the Macau scene since 2007, L.A.V.Y. recently brought their pop rock songwriting talents to bear on a new release, My Lonely Journey (2012), featuring ten original songs mastered by Brit Pop guru Jon Astley of Close to the Edge (London).
The following evening, two outstanding acts from Portugal will share stage, Saturday, the 16th of March, to close the 2nd Annual Macau Literary Festival’s Sands China Script Road Concerts.
Dead Combo is a guitar and bass duo, renowned for their bewitching psychedelic Latin sound and fantasy-filled rockabilly aesthetic. Their discography boasts three “Records of the Year” in Portugal and one, Lusitânia Playboys (2008), honoured as “Record of the Decade”. They were featured in the Lisbon episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, and three of their records have reached the top 10 on the North American iTunes charts.
Camané is the undisputed “Prince of Fado”, a Portuguese music genre recently listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. He has released six million-selling albums, released in several European and Asian countries, and has been distinguished with several awards for his voice and talent. British biographer David Bret calls him “The greatest fadista since Amália Rodrigues and Maria da Fé.”
Joanna Wang and Camané’s performances will have subtitles in Portuguese, Chinese and English.
The Sands China Script Road Concerts
at Venetian Arena
CONCERT 1 :: March 15, 8:30pm
L.A.V.Y.
Joanna Wang (王若琳)
CONCERT 2 :: March 16, 8:30pm
Dead Combo
Camané
Tickets go on sale this weekend (Saturday, March 2) via the Venetian Box Office, www.cotaiticketing.com and the Portuguese Bookshop.
