The Underground

Live Review from Underground 57:
Start learning the lyrics.
The Train were the 2006 World Battle Of The Bands Hong Kong leg winner but that seems to have faded somewhat. Their bio left on every table is a link to mp3.com.hk where you can download their songs. I already did. So, one wonders, does that mean there is nothing more you need to know?
A strange phenomenon I have observed is that bands with bass player on vocals tend to have really good vocal. Egg is one. Henry of Ignite The Hope comes to mind, She-K of Synthetic (In)Semination another one. I’m not going to offer any reasoning. Just in case you haven’t heard The Train, one thing to be prepared about.
Well, The Train with their new keyboardist (beautiful Sonia) should fill the dancefloor (they didn’t, which is … oh so typical of Hong Kong, and I don’t mean jumping up and down, I really mean dancing). And worse, they don’t have a spike -laden, leather-clad black lipstick lead guitarist. Their guitarist Kelvin is so normal you wonder he might have a secret identity more matching with the music they play. You might like to say Egg looks cool and tall, Jim the drummer looks crude and not-so-tall, and Sonia is attractive. So the conclusion would be: that really makes an average looking band, no wonder in the history of The Train there was no stage-diving (I’m guessing).
But The Train know how to write brilliant pop songs, whether fast or slower numbers, down to the woo-hoos. And these are songs that groove you to a happy mood, which makes Disco Suicide not a “suicide” song but a “disco” song. I can hum that to you (if you’re sitting next to me) and these are songs so catchy the second time you heard it you would have gone: brilliant, I’ve heard that before.
I don’t have a favourite guitarist, bass player, singer, keyboardist or drummer, but these are songs you should put on your music player.
Bun Ng

Live Review from Underground 43:
I’ve seen The Train before when they were a three piece winning the HK World Battle of the Bands. With an additional guitarist, their sound is richer and fuller, almost trance-like, it’s nice to see The Train metamorphising into an even better band. The older versions of their songs are quite different from their performance tonight, almost like they’re doing covers of their previous recordings. Egg (vocalist/bassist) puts on a good show and the future can only be bright for this well-known band.
Mark Emerson

Live Review from Underground 30:
With vocal styles strongly reminiscent of j-pop, The Train has developed more focus in their style since their last underground performance. They’ve traded in some of their raw energy for creativity, going through rarely heard gardens of sound. The influences seem too many to list, even if they could be clearly identified. It is all fairly authoritative in style, almost domineering but in a way you don’t mind. They’re still not spectacular, but make a very interesting detour in the musical mind of an aspiring perfectionist.
Wally Amos

Awesome start to Underground 30! The Train have fattened out their sound with a second guitarist (Dunson) and the results make for a less of a punk band and more of a Brit-pop band with punk elements! I like it! Egg is as charasamatic as ever and Dunson is CUTE! A HK band worth watching.
Rosie Chan

Live Review from Underground 18:
Favourites of the Underground scene, The Train return and yes they ARE “Better than the Sex Pistols”. Egg on vocals is tight and crisp and so so edgy - love it! The Train write catchy punky upbeat little tunes with plenty of ‘oooohs ooohs’ that you find yourself singing along to. My feet just couldnt stop moving throughout their set, and even when they throw in a couple of covers due to repeated shouts of encore - they give it “The Train” groove of punk and fun. One of Hong Kong’s best bands to watch live.
C.B.

Live Review from Underground 12:
The Train are a good 80’s powerpop with punk hints. I kept hearing bits of “The Chords” and “Fingerprints” along with the drive of “The Only Ones”. Keyboards reminiscent of “OMD” or “Inspiral Carpets”. Quirky slight falsetto vox by Egg is similar to Marc Almond (Soft Cell), some of the guitar seems inspired by Will Sergeant (Echo & the Bunnymen). One demented and inspired gruff vox by the drummer (a la Sid Vicious) and one world class sneer by Egg cemented it for me. I’ll be back for more.
Nick Lovatt

Quote from The Train: “We think Underground is well-organized to prepare the gig. All of you have many valuable experience and give all the bands the other channel to share their music with each other………Also, staff is so kind, warm and helpful…..and effective and efficiency. Good communication that all the band can know the update news anytime!”

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