A Cultural Discourse: Chinese Football in Manila

A Cultural Discourse: Chinese Football in Manila

by rick olivares

Chinese Football vocalist and guitarist Xu Bo sat outside by the tables in Mow’s. he was checking his messages from back home. 

Home is Wuhan, China. Xu and his bandmates – bassist Li Lixin, guitarist Wang Bo, and drummer Zheng Zili -- are on their first trip outside their native China and Japan. Manila is the final stop of their Southeast Asian Tour and its fortuitous that its Halloween Night. As the following day is a holiday in the Philippines, Mow’s, that unlikely rock club in the basement underneath a decades-old Chinese restaurant, is packed. One of the air-conditioning units isn’t working properly and it’s almost like a sauna inside. 

“In China, it’s approaching winter now and it’s cold,” Xu says in halting English. “Here… it is very hot.”

Bo smiled. Humid or not, Chinese Football are happy to be here. He is equally surprised to see the band have a lot of listeners and fans in their stops in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and now, the Philippines (thanks to those guys and gals of Sleeping Boy Collective0.

He explains in the days when the internet wasn’t what it is today, about discovering American Football that laid the foundation for his band. “That band,” he said, “changed my life.”

The bespectacled Bo is shy kid from Wuhan who found something outside the punk rock scene that Wuhan is known for. “We don’t know if we go out of Wuhan, but here we are seeing the world,” he enthused while shaking his head. He gropes for the right words.

“Surreal,” I fill in the blanks.

“Yes. Yes.”

Imagine what it was like opening for his heroes, American Football, last July 30 at the gorgeous Omni Space that has turned the quiet residential Tianqiao district into a cultural mecca that has supplanted Gulao as Beijing’s music epicenter. 

While still in dreamland, the band, along with their American heroes, made the 12-plus hour train ride to Shanghai for another show; this time at the Mao Livehouse. 

“Two of the best days of my life,” Xu underscored with a toothy grin. No doubt, the memories remain vivid like it was only yesterday. 

Like American Football that embarked on a Southeast Asian sojourn after that, Chinese Football have followed suit. 

The tour has been fun and eye-opening. “We learn from new cultures,” he put in.

Chinese Football is the sum of American Football, indie music, video games, Japanese anime and manga, and a love for soccer. The name of the band wasn’t merely an homage, but also poking some fun at their national football team. While some fans have criticized Chinese Football for ripping off their American idols, Xu insists that is far from the truth. “I was the only one who knew of Mike Kinsella’s (American Football’s vocalist and chief songwriter) outfit,” Xu said. “My other bandmates listen to other music that isn’t even like American Football. But it isn’t like we listen to a lot of bands. We are simple people.”

Simple. And unobtrusive.

At one point, while he sat outside checking his messages, a fan engaged him in conversation; not knowing who he was. 

“Do you know the band,” the fan asked.

“Yes,” Bo replied.

“They (Chinese Football) are good.”

“Thank you. I will tell my bandmates,” he added.

It’s easy for Xu to get lost in the crowd. Sporting a shirt of New Jersey, USA emo band, Saves the Day, a baseball cap with “Kawasaki city” on it (he went to school in Japan), and jeans, he’s just like one of the man fans who trooped on a rainy Thursday night to Mow’s. 

Chinese Football's Manila setlist

During their set (featuring songs from their self-titled debut full-length album and three other extended play albums) at Mow’s that lasted well over an hour, Xu admitted to be surprised about the local fans singing along to their songs even if it was in Chinese. When he apologized for his poor English, the fans encouraged him on. By the final song of their long set, the fans chanted, “Please come back.”

After the show ended, the fans gave the band an extended ovation. While gathering his gear, Xu and his bandmates were pleasantly surprised to see many fans come over for autographs and selfies. 

The band obliged while some of their fellow countrymen who attended the show proudly watched on.

“I know there are some Chinese fans in the crowd, but to see the Filipino fans enjoy and have a good time… that was amazing,” summed up Xu. “You can add this Southeast Asian Tour to one of the best days of my life.”

Chinese Football's Xu Bo signed compact discs for fans.

With Chinese Football's Xu Bo (top) and drummer Zheng Zili (below).