Jan 23, 8pm, Grappa's Cellar
Not many groups wear their hearts on their sleeves as much as Californian emo band Saosin.
First there's the band's earnest approach to their lyrics, which deal with heavy topics such as the search for truth and meaning, and the fragility of relationships.
And secondly, there's the name - taken from the Putonghua saying xiao xin, it translates as 'small heart'. Or, as we would say in Hong Kong, siu sum, which is also the common admonition to be careful.
The quintet - comprising (right, from left) bassist Chris Sorenson, guitarist Justin Shekoski, singer Cove Reber, drummer Alex Rodriguez and guitarist Beau Burchell - play emotionally charged post-hardcore music with the energy and intensity of hardcore tempered by the more subtle and introspective approach of the emo movement.
They're not just another bunch of noisemaking Americans trying to expand their fan base on a tour of Asia - Saosin are true major-label material. Their self-titled debut album from 2006 - recorded after a bunch of independent EPs created a huge buzz online - was released on Capitol Records, and their latest album, In Search of Solid Ground, was released on Virgin.