Bonaparte in Asia
Formed in 2008 by the tirelessly innovative multi-instrumentalist and singer Tobias Jundt, Bonaparte are one of the most spectacular live bands anywhere. Part variety show, part theatre, part electro-homage to glam rock, the live ensemble can involve as many as twenty performers of all kinds. Bonaparte have released three albums so far, but their live extravaganza continues to be their lifeblood and the primary source of income. Starting on 9 November in Beijing and ending on 1 December in Saigon, Bonaparte will be bringing their show to China, Thailand and Vietnam. Swiss Music Export caught up with Tobias Jundt to have a word about this exciting trip ahead.
SME: Why China? How did this tour come about?
Tobias Jundt: One of the reasons we have a band is our desire to see the world – the world inside and the world outside, musically and geographically. It is our desire – a constant need – to be always on the move. And we have made it our task not just to go to countries where touring makes financial sense, but also to go places where we hope a particularly exciting exchange of cultural ideas and impressions will arise. Every “culture clash” creates new possibilities. For both sides. In the early days of Bonaparte it was New Zealand, later it was France and Russia, last year it was America, so now it is a matter of fairness to explore Asia. As musicians we are involved in a constant exchange of ideas and experiences, be it as song writers and the ways in which we turn our experience of the world into songs, be it as performers in direct contact with an audience. Every country makes something different from your music. Every culture reacts differently to your work. As a consequence, your work grows because it is received in different ways and you have to think in new ways about what you do, taking these new insights into account.
SME: What does touring in general mean to you?
Tobias Jundt: It always involves a considerable amount of risk to travel so far with such a large group of people and without really knowing what to expect. Risk, however, is part of our raison d’etre. In summer 2014 we will be back on the road in Europe with a great new album to play. We don’t just want to sit around until then. We wanted to use the time to discover something new. As I’m still managing Bonaparte by myself, I have put together this tour of China with the help of a friend who lives in Beijing. Actually, we’re still working on the schedule, taking into account where we would like to go to as a group and which cities we pick up a signal from that we would be welcome to perform. This kind of impromptu touring is no longer possible for us in Europe, the mass of people and equipment involved is too large. It is difficult to maintain the excitement of our early pirate attitude, but it also creates a lot of adrenalin and re-ignites the youthful spirit of adventure in us.
TOUR
09.11.2013 – Yugong Yishan, Beijing CHINA
10.11.2013 – Aperture Club, Xi’an CHINA
13.11.2013 – 7 Live, Zhengzhou CHINA
14.11.2013 – VOX, Wuhan CHINA
15.11.2013 – Nuts Bar, Chongqing CHINA
16.11.2013 – Little Bar, Chengdu CHINA
17.11.2013 – 9 Club, Hangzhou CHINA
20.11.2013 – Castle Bar, Nanjing CHINA
21.11.2013 – Wave Livehouse, Suzhou CHINA
22.11.2013 – Yuyintang, Shanghai CHINA
23.11.2013 – B10, Shenzhen CHINA
24.11.2013 – T-Union, Guangzhou CHINA
25.11.2013 – Cosmic Cafe, Bangkok THAILAND
29.11.2013 – Hanoi VIETNAM
30.11.2013 – Hong Kong CHINA
01.12.2013 – Cargo, Saigon VIETNAM
