It’s been a while since Saigon saw major action, especially in the heavy scene, amid constant flooding, vacation season, and maybe general gig fatigue. It’s also been a while since Ethos hosted a show. Waking up from a mild hibernation, Ethos decided to step things up and bring some energy back into the sluggish weather. As before, Ethos brought in acts from outside Vietnam, switching things up and introducing local audiences to music from beyond the board. Taiwan has always been a point of interest, with its heavy scene among the region’s more active ones. Đường và Ớt, or sugar and spice, delivered exactly what the name promised. From the “sweet”, lovesick bangers of Jaigon Orchestra và 18.18 to special guest The Broken Flowers, and on to the “spicy” mosh pits of fellow guest Yee Water và KINH, the night covered a lot of ground.
Jaigon Orchestra kicks off the “sweetness”
Jaigon Orchestra seems to open shows quite often, and it’s easy to see why. Their uplifting, youthful energy is all it takes to wake up a timid crowd, and the formula rarely fails. Heavy shows still struggle to draw big numbers locally, and this night was no exception. But, as usual, Jaigon Orchestra got things moving. A quick intro led straight into high-paced Cantopop-punk riffs, drawing people closer to the stage to dance, bop their heads and sing along. The modest turnout didn’t mean there weren’t dedicated fans in the room. Plenty had clearly been following the band for a while and knew the songs by heart. Jaigon Orchestra’s sound is playful and climactic, with trumpets and saxophone adding a ska-like rhythm to a Cantopop backdrop. Frontman Ket is always engaging, bringing a playful vocal delivery and keeping the audience involved throughout the set. They also played a new song that leaned more towards screamo, carrying a heavier emotional weight than their usual material. As expected, the set reached its peak with their all-time classic, “China Town” as heads bopped, voices joined in and the crowd danced along.
18.18 ramps up the room with sweet-and-sour lovesick melodies
Carrying the punk spirit forward, 18.18 arrived with their signature sweet-and-sour, lovesick hits. From the moment their gritty, stylized vocals kicked in, the band brought a blissful, almost chaotic energy to the room. What stands out about 18.18 is their signature pop-punk sound. Their catchy, lovesick lyrics speak directly to the romantic and hopelessly romantic side of the local youth, and the audience seemed to know the words all too well. Heads bobbed, voices sang at full volume, people screamed and jumped, and the floor finally had the kind of chaos everyone had been waiting for. It’s hard not to notice the resemblance to local pop-punk predecessors 7uppercuts, which makes sense given that some of 18.18’s songs were written with their help. The riffs lean heavily on upbeat power chords, often building towards climactic solos or vocal screams. At one point, the band introduced a potentially unreleased track driven by yearning screams and breakdowns, carrying a noticeably heavier emotional punch. The local pop-punk scene seems to be moving toward this more emotional direction, and perhaps for the better. Metal-like breakdowns blended with punk rhythms, while some songs leaned closer to ballads. 18.18 managed to cover quite a bit of ground without losing the lovesick energy that makes them who they are.
Punk goes old-school with The Broken Flowers
The first major highlight of the night came next: The Broken Flowers, one of the earlier bands to emerge from Taiwan’s punk subculture. Despite their years in the scene, the band still brings the same enthusiasm. Kudos to them for handing out free mini gifts, too. Their sound is rooted in old-school melodic punk, with heavy power chords, fast-paced rhythms and aggressive vocals, occasionally shifting into heavier, chugging breakdowns. Visually, they were perhaps the night’s most distinctive act, with heavy eyeliner and extravagant hairstyles that screamed emo. They had some technical difficulties during their set, but rather than detracting from the performance, they added to its DIY character. Nothing felt overly polished, and that was part of the charm. Their performance was raw, genuine and full of energy. The set reached another high point when Jaigon Orchestra’s horn players joined them for the second half, adding a melodic, funky twist to the band’s sound. Their music felt nostalgic, reminiscent of earlier eras of punk rock. At the same time, their Taiwanese roots brought a different flavor from what local audiences might be used to hearing from Vietnamese bands. The Broken Flowers offered just the right transition from sweet to spicy: still melodic and uplifting, but with a heavier edge.
Ethereal metalcore with Yee Water
Genre-wise, Yee Water was arguably the night’s most distinctive act, bringing an atmospheric take on modern metalcore. Like The Broken Flowers, they opened with a mood-setting intro, this time built around mellow strings and cinematic sounds that gradually led into a heavy, ambient breakdown. The contrast with The Broken Flowers‘ nostalgic punk and 18.18‘s pop-punk energy was immediate. Yee Water brought something altogether more contemporary, with a dense, layered sound built around two vocalists switching between melodic singing and screams. Their riffs were heavy and experimental, firmly rooted in modern metalcore. Once again, Jaigon Orchestra’s horn section stole a little of the spotlight, with the saxophonist joining Yee Water mid-song. The unexpected addition gave the performance a unique twist. Yee Water’s songs often moved from ethereal melodies into slow-burning passages, building tension before dropping into atmospheric silence. The pause never lasted long before the climactic breakdowns arrived and the mosh pits opened up. The set ended on a high, with one final burst of movement before everything came to an abrupt stop. Judging by the crowd’s reaction, everyone was feeling “Cao Pei Sung La” (Taiwanese for feeling good) after Yee Water’s set.
Closing with the dads of death metal: Kinh
It was getting late for a loud gig in Saigon. By 11 p.m., the night was already well underway, but the heaviest act was still waiting in the wings. KINH embodied everything “spicy” about the lineup, and of course, the hottest part had to come last. The death metal trio is a familiar face in the local scene, so no introductions were needed. They got straight to business, and the crowd knew exactly what to do. One barrage of noise led to another, and one pit followed the next. KINH brought out the most physical movement of the night, with heavy headbanging, circle pits and even a wall of death. You name it, it happened, all despite the relatively modest crowd. KINH barely needed to say a word. No lengthy introductions, no unnecessary talking, just a few signals, and everyone was ready to go. Their new album, “Nghiệm”, has made a noticeable impact on the scene, and the band has been keeping busy with plenty of touring and live shows. By the end of the set, the room was left sweaty, exhausted and probably in need of a good night’s sleep. Not exactly surprising after a KINH performance.
It’s nice to see a change of pace in Saigon’s live music scene. Heavy music still exists within a relatively small bubble, and lineups can sometimes lack variety. That’s why it’s refreshing to see international acts willing to make the trip to Vietnam, where the audience is still relatively small and drawing a crowd is never guaranteed. Yee Water và The Broken Flowers offered a solid introduction to different corners of Taiwan’s heavy music scene. Yee Water’s modern metalcore, in particular, felt relevant to the tastes of younger local audiences, while The Broken Flowers reminded the audience of how rock and roll used to sound like in Asia’s early 2000s. Hopefully, nights like this will encourage more musical exchanges with international acts and give local audiences more opportunities to discover sounds beyond their usual rotation. Here’s to more shows like this, and, with a bit of luck, bigger crowds next time.
