Opening for Taiwanese folk metal band, Nini Music, in Portland was an artist that traveled just as far. Sporting bright blue hair, a dragon-headed phin (Thai lute), and a dashing smile, BOTCASH shared his emotionally-laden EDM alongside vocalists TJ Minor and Shawn O’Donnell. The combination of melodic bass, dubstep, traditional Thai instruments, and charismatic vocalists yields a unique and energetic sound. He oozes unbridled joy at getting to perform. Before ending his set, he’s joined by a very special guest artist, Nini herself, for his song “Karma”. She’s dressed in a silly green muppet-like monster onesie, and it was hilarious to see her headbang in that onesie.
Then, the lights go dark, and a deep voice comes through the speakers, reading what sounds like AI-generated passages to set a dramatic mood. “There were legends of gods, goddesses, spirits, and kings. This is more than a set. This is a journey through legends. Come closer, and let the story begin. We are Nini.” The band emerges dressed in a mix of black and silver, with Jak Rinaldo on drums, Jesse Venom on vocals and bass, Taylor Bellemar on guitar, and Nini on electric zhong ruan and sanxian.
Taylor is clad in a black robe from head to toe, and covering their face is a mask that resembles the Oni mask in Japanese culture, a spooky visage with horns designed to ward off evil. This costume brings an element of the supernatural to the performance and connects to the various legends and myths alluded to in the set, several of which come from the album Legends. “Longma” is based off of a benevolent, dragon-horse creature from ancient Chinese mythology, and the song pays homage to its equine roots by incorporating neighs, a “tremolo” picking technique, and guttural chants that evoke long desert journeys on horseback. Another legendary creature, the immortal monkey king, is referenced in the song “Wukong.” In the album, this track is more subdued, more reverent, but on stage, the denser drum fill leads to a more spirited rendition. “Mazu” takes you on a tumultuous ship ride through the realm of the sea goddess of the same name, who has long been worshipped as a protector. The contrast between Jesse’s harsh vocals and Nini’s ethereal and clear singing creates a mesmerizing and satisfying spectrum of emotional range. Nini’s eyes peer out into the room, as if casting Mazu’s protective spirit through the venue. This vocal juxtaposition returns in “Turn the Tide,” which tells the story of the opportunistic Pirate Queen Zheng Yi Sao who fought and defeated the Chinese navy multiple times. Nini dons a black and white pirate hat for the song, embodying the charisma and fierceness of the Pirate Queen, and the cymbal-heavy drum part evokes waves crashing in the high seas.
From the bloodcurdling screams in “Feel the Fright” to the smooth vocal slide in “Homeland” or the piercing singing in “HUNG UP,” Nini proves that she’s not just an angelic singer; she’s bold and unapologetic. Don’t let her cutesy personality and petite stature fool you. She’s an instrumental and vocal powerhouse. She’s not here to show off, and her authentic passion shines through in a quiet yet magnetic way. Her band members also do a great job at making everyone feel welcome–at one point Jesse is crouched down, playing for a couple of young kids sitting on the floor, and Taylor is engaging with the seated folks on stage right. And the audience returns this same energy, headbanging energetically, singing along, and clapping enthusiastically. There’s even one audience member doing live paintings of the show.
Aside from calling to ancient legends from mythology, the performance also features covers of songs by legendary artists. There’s “Zombie,” originally an alt-rock anti-war song by The Cranberries, which continues to be apt in an era of multiple senseless wars. The sanxian’s poignant tone is the perfect replacement for the vocal melody, and the crowd provides the vocals for the song. They also cover “The Trooper,” a heavy metal classic originally by Iron Maiden, and Nini’s ruan (traditional Chinese instrument similar to a mandolin) lends a refreshing timbre to the song without sacrificing any of the virtuosity. Their last cover is a more recent classic–Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time”–which is so high energy that it draws TJ Minor, one of the opening artists, back onstage to riff off Jesse.
The band comes back onstage to perform their encore, “Gan Bei,” which means “cheers” in Chinese, and it’s an upbeat and celebratory song to close the night off with.
