The
La Belle
et
la Bête
Since 2014, The Belle et la Bête has established itself as one of the leading acts of the Vietnamese and Southeast Asian alternative music scene, driven by a rare eclecticism and an explosive stage presence.The band has built its reputation on high energy performances that blend art rock, cabaret and theatre, in a tradition that stretches from Bertolt Brecht to Tom Waits, with detours through Mr. Bungle and Captain Beefheart. At the crossroads of concert and theatrical performance, their shows move seamlessly between raw intensity, absurd humour, improvisation, lyricism and carnival exuberance.Built on constant harmonic twists and sudden shifts in time signature, their compositions are true musical labyrinths, keeping audiences perpetually off balance and delightfully alert. Drawing equally from Balkan brass bands, Celtic traditions, Middle Eastern melodies, metal, IDM and a host of other unlikely influences, The Belle et la Bête takes listeners on a journey far beyond the conventional boundaries of rock music.Nor do they limit themselves to original material. The band delights in hijacking and reinventing existing songs, transforming everything from beloved swing standards and Balkan turbo folk anthems to sea shanties, pirate songs and assorted musical oddities into wildly unpredictable celebrations.
