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Originally published on the Spittoon WeChat channel in October 2019. Produced by Madness Shanghai in collaboration with Spittoon, this mini-documentary follows Chinese performers Julian and Stan as they prepare for and perform at a Spittunes event — Spittoon’s flagship poetry and music collaboration format, founded by Matthew Byrne. The third and final episode of Madness Shanghai’s Spittoon literature series.

The Format

Spittunes pairs poets with musicians to create performances where music and poetry genuinely intertwine rather than simply coexist. It was one of Spittoon’s most distinctive creations — a format that spread from Beijing to Chengdu, Gothenburg, and beyond.

For this edition, Matthew Byrne invited Julian and Stan after seeing them perform at a bar event in Beijing. “Their performance was very powerful, and it fits well with the theme of Spittunes,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the different experiences they can bring on the day of the event.”

The Musician: Julian

Julian positions his music between experimental and indie. Before making music, he researches — asking people what they think about certain topics, gathering responses, then adding his own ideas to complete the work. His themes are distinctive: pieces like Dear, What’s Your Budget? and The Task of Fu Manchu combine life experience with broader social observation.

Julian had been a regular office worker and part-time DJ before music took over. He would go to bars and listen to avant-garde music until other people’s music no longer satisfied him. He quit his job and went to New York to study music production.

The Poet: Stan

Stan’s appearance was striking — bold makeup, an exaggerated aesthetic. Her personality was the opposite: easy-going, courteous, careful. She had worked behind the scenes in theatre before, and brought that seriousness to every aspect of a performance. She attends acting classes, writes constantly, and describes her pre-show state as an itchy stomach — released the moment she steps on stage. Her poetry is heavy: life and death, darkness, depth.

An Unexpected Pairing

Julian and Stan didn’t meet with a purpose. Their collaboration came together naturally — what they described as the sinful child of experimental music and experimental drama, with improvisation woven through. They hadn’t known there were other people in Beijing doing the same kind of poetry and vocal performance. Matthew’s invitation gave them, in their words, a sense of belonging to a community.

The Performance

The show was held in a hutong bar in Beijing. Four performer pairings took the stage. Julian and Stan were the only all-Chinese group and the most avant-garde. Julian designed sound effects to match the emotional content of Stan’s verses. Stan structured her performance around those sounds. During the show they moved with each other — Julian following Stan’s emotion, Stan adjusting to Julian’s rhythm.

The performance was bold and emotionally charged. Whether or not every audience member could accept it didn’t concern them. What mattered was that some people genuinely understood — and were moved.

Documentary produced by Madness Shanghai in collaboration with Spittoon, October 2019. Republished here with thanks.