Dummy Toys: China’s Hardcore Punk Band on Playing Obscene Extreme

Dummy Toys made history this year by becoming the first mainland Chinese band to perform at Obscene Extreme Festival (OEF) in more than a decade. The Qingdao hardcore punk band brought its furious live show to the Czech festival as part of its The Point of No Return 2026 European tour, connecting China’s underground punk scene with one of the world’s most established festivals for extreme music.

Following their appearance, Dummy Toys reflect on the significance of the performance, the response from European audiences, the bands that left the biggest impression, and where they hope to go next.

Obscene Extreme has become one of the world’s most respected festivals for punk and extreme music. What did it mean to Dummy Toys to finally perform there?

Xiaoniao (guitar): It was a dream come true for me. I’ve known about OEF for many years and have always longed to attend it. Getting to perform on its stage this time and watch so many incredible bands live makes me feel incredibly lucky.

Huanzi (bass): We attach great importance to Obscene Extreme and this performance. As an Asian band, we are honored to appear on the stage of Obscene Extreme!

Qingqing (drums): For me, this was a real-life festival! It is such a privilege to share the stage with so many amazing bands, no matter where we all come from. Lots of Chinese bands and fans behind Dummy Toys are cheering us on and feeling proud of us, and we gave this performance everything we had.

Quin (vocals): Yes, being able to take part in this festival was a huge encouragement to me.

More than a decade passed between Cave Have Rod becoming the first mainland Chinese band to play Obscene Extreme and Dummy Toys taking the stage. Why do you think it took so long for another mainland Chinese band to appear there?

Xiaoniao: In my opinion, the core issue lies in the scarce interactions between Chinese bands and the global underground music community. It is inconvenient for us to access overseas websites, the vast majority of bands only release their records on domestic Chinese streaming platforms, and only a tiny number of underground bands manage to tour internationally. Consequently, overseas festival organizers and fans barely have steady and effective channels to discover underground bands from China.

How did European audiences respond compared to audiences you’ve played for in China? Were there any surprises?

Xiaoniao: I think the love and passion we get from fans is equally sincere no matter where we perform, haha. However, we received far more support in Europe. The European punk scene pays significantly more attention to female hardcore bands. What amazed me most was that so many people in the crowd sang along to our tracks live.

For many international fans, Obscene Extreme may have been their first exposure to Dummy Toys or even a Chinese punk band. Did you feel any pressure? Who did you personally look forward to seeing? Who impressed you most?

Xiaoniao: I didn’t feel pressured for the reason you mentioned, but since this is a festival I’ve long admired, I naturally wanted to put on a flawless performance.

Fredag den 13:e was the band I anticipated the most. I was absolutely over the moon when I learned we were on the same festival lineup. They also left the deepest impression on me. I had only watched their videos online in the past, so getting to watch their live set up close was incredibly rewarding and fulfilling.

Warcollapse also struck a deep chord within me. Their live performance touched me deeply, and I truly regard them as a legendary band in this scene.

Qingqing: I felt no pressure at all, only motivation! I hope Obscene Extreme will notice us and build connections with Chinese bands. As a drummer, I really admire the drummers from Keitzer, Bonden, Rotten Sound, Morta Skuld and Fleshcrawl. They played absolutely brilliantly (There may be other great drummers I haven’t gotten to see yet)!

Huanzi: Because of the previous European tour experience, there was not much pressure, but Obscene Extreme is the first stop of our European tour this year, and we flew from China and performed on the same day. In fact, it was more or less a test of mentality.

We are looking forward to Swedish bands. What left the deepest impression on me was Avskum. The lead singer was free on the stage, and the tone of hardcore punk deeply attracted me. I think they are so cool. They are what crust-punk should be like in my heart.

Quin: There was some pressure, but it was more about wanting to deliver a better and more professional performance, and not letting down the audience who had high expectations for us. I feel that kind of pressure before every show, but what I can do is turn it into motivation and put all my heart into the performance. Yes, I was also deeply impressed by the bands the girls mentioned. Besides that, I’d like to say that I watched every band with an attitude of appreciation and a willingness to learn. Every single band gave it their all, and they were truly amazing!

Has touring abroad changed your ambitions for the band? Are there other festivals or countries you hope to play next?

Xiaoniao: This overseas tour hasn’t really changed our original intentions and direction as a band. Our core idea has always been quite modest: writing music, playing live and speaking our minds sincerely, so there isn’t much for us to modify.

I hope we can play at OEF once more, particularly the Asian edition of OEF. I’ve seen its poster before, which features many legendary Japanese bands on the lineup. I’m also really eager to perform in Sweden, as so many of my favorite bands hail from there.

Dummy Toys’ latest album, The Point of No Return, was released in summer 2026 through a DIY co-operation between Katabomb Records, Laibixi Records, Kt DIY, Bomb-All Records, Genjing Records, and United Punk Solidarity.

Photos of the band will also appear in “Grrrl Germs: Punk Feminism Goes Viral, 1991–2026,” an exhibition exploring 35 years of riot grrrl and punk feminism worldwide, running from August 29 to November 29 at the Great Park Gallery in Irvine, California.