Editor’s Picks, December 10-13

I’m sick of these old geezers telling me what music is, that today’s music sucks, and that the mid-70s to mid-80s were when music was real. Especially when they probably haven’t seen a live show in 20 years. Especially when they haven’t listened fully to a recent song in the last 5, probably. Especially when what they are referencing as the Golden Age in Music consists of gems such as AC/DC, Ratt, and Motley Crue. Listen, I am not discounting the relative merits of those bands or any others you want to throw out there (as limited as they may be), but you are disregarding and completely and willfully ignoring everything that has come afterward simply because you don’t like a few songs you might have heard your seven year-old playing at home. And, by the way, I listen to a lot of music. I probably know more about your era than you do, plus stuff before that, not to mention everything since. So don’t lecture me about music anymore, please, or I will impale you with Neil Peart’s drumstick. Thanks.

Now let’s get to the picks. Of MODERN music.

Thursday, December 10th

Friction Guzheng, 10:30-11:30 PM

Alec Haavik’s Friction 7 meet Guzheng player Kuriko on the JZ stage tonight. The nastiest jazz/funk group in town meets the refined sounds of the Chinese Guzheng? This lovechild is going to be the purtiest multiracial baby in town. And that’s saying something.

JZ Club
46 Fuxing Xi Lu,
Huaihai Zhong Lu
near Yongfu Lu, Metro Line 1 Changshu Lu Station
复兴西路46号
近永福路，地铁1号线常熟路站

No cover (I think)

Friday, December 11th

S.T.D. presents Sulumi and Liman, 10 PM until comatose in alley

Alicia already graced us with a preview of this show and a review of the Sulumi album “Chaotic Dances the Function.” All that, plus a shot of her butt cheek with a Sulumi tattoo in full view! Now that’s how you get on the Layabozi staff. And if you visit LOgO on Friday night you will get to experience the glory of 8-bit and maybe even a second viewing of Alicia’s tattoo. You never know what’s going to happen at LOgO. They even upgraded their sound. Who would have thought that would happen?

LOgO
13 Xingfu Lu,
Changning
near Fahuazhen Lu
幸福路13号
近法华镇路

30 kuai

Saturday, December 12th

Louder.cn presents Lady Killer, 9 PM until the Kedi graveyard shift change

This one garners the coveted Editor’s Pick of the Week Award from your humble prognosticator. Talk about Ladies’ Night! I remember seeing Yen at that weird Samiyam gig at Kathleen’s 5. She was absolutely ripping the place up. Ceiling tiles were cascading down and people were speaking in devilish, electronic tongues. Then she stopped, some other dude got up, and it was not the same. Bummer. Siesta? You may have heard about her once or twice on Layabozi. I have only seen ChaCha with Uprooted, but I was flabbergasted by the whole experience. The others, MIA (no, not THAT one), Kelly Rehab, and VJ Hean, although unknown to me, should totally also not suck. Finally, the flyer is killer so it’s the total package, so to speak.

Dada
115 Xingfu Lu
Changning
near Fahuazhen Lu
幸福路115号
近法华镇路

No cover!

Immaculate Machine, 8-11:30 PM

Welcome to the Canada of the East. Hollerado, these guys, Great Lake Swimmers; it’s like an infestation. This band seems very sensitive to me. I feel like you could put this on, light some candles, and have a very stimulating conversation about Venezuelan land reform with your crush. You know the one from the coffee shop with the sweater and scarf, maybe a canvas bag over her shoulder for carting organic produce? Yeah, her. Do yourself a favor, Sensitive Guy: Invite her to this show. Maybe you two can have mind sex afterward.

YuYinTang
1731 Yan’an Xi Lu,
Changning
Entrance at Kaixuan Lu
延安西路1731号
入口在凯旋路

50 kuai

Ashram, 8 PM-12 AM or so

Hello, MAO Livehouse? Hi, it’s Layabozi. Remember last week when we told you to follow YuYinTang’s example? Well, let’s see how you’re doing: The MONO show rocked and was packed. Nice job there, but it was hard to screw that one up. However, The 0093 Showcase might as well have been held in a phone booth. Then you drew 300 people to a show by the ReTROS who brought 600 to YuYinTang a few months earlier. Furthermore, I could find no mention of this hip Ashram show on any English language websites besides Layabozi. Meanwhile, your own site sucks and, at the time of this writing, I couldn’t even access it. Plus, you are charging the highest ticket prices in town. To top it all off, you are alienating local promoters.

Anyways, what we’re saying is: Please don’t fuck this up. Shanghai needs this larger venue with cool acts coming on a regular basis, but it must be done right. Let’s stick to the script: A good mix of awesome Chinese and foreign bands, good promotion through multiple channels, and affordable prices. Simple, right?

Right? Let’s get it together a little bit, OK?

Anyways, you can check out a very cool review with Ashram right here at Layabozi, the international authority on Italian Neo-Classical Dark-Wave Pop. And you should check out this show if you can.

MAO Livehouse
570 Huaihai Xi Lu
near Hongqiao Lu
淮海西路570号
近红桥路

150 kuai advance, 200 at the door

Sunday, December 13th

Bangourake African Music Night, 8-11 PM

YES! This is a rare opportunity to catch some traditional West African music in Shanghai played by actual West Africans. So don’t miss out on that. It might even make me take the unprecedented step of putting on some pants on a Sunday night. The Canadians last week did not accomplish that.

YuYinTang
1731 Yan’an Xi Lu,
Changning
Entrance at Kaixuan Lu
延安西路1731号
入口在凯旋路

60 kuai

This pick leads us to our first time-waster. Also out of the African Diaspora, using wisdom passed down through the ages, comes this man.

Next: Kind of in the same vein as that one, but not really.

Finally, I was able to track down the photographer who irked me so badly at the YuYinTang Anniversary show.

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