These are supposed to be quickies, and it’s not easy to do a quickie about THE band from Latin Rock. Soda Stereo, from Argentina, made rock Latin when they toured all the Americas in the middle of the 80s. They split in 1997, doing a last tour all over Latin America again. All those big football stadiums were full of people to celebrate their music with them. Ten years later, in 2007, they met to do a revival tour because we love them and they know it, and they rocked again all over the Latin lands.
Soda Stereo made a foray into the English spoken world once, but it was clear that their music was not the same in English, and so they never made it out of the Latin World. In Latin America people feel sorry for the world that exists without this music. They talk about that. For real, we do.
Their first album was in 1984, and the last studio album came in 1996. From their third album, Signos, “Persiana Americana” is a beautiful 80s moment. Great sounds.
Soda Stereo “Persiana Americana”
And because I just can’t play only one of them, here, from their last studio album, Sueño Stereo, is “Angel Electrico”. This is an a-ma-zing song.
Soda Stereo “Angel Electrico”
I could infinitely lecture people about some bands, and one of those is Soda Stereo. So I might later bring more of their songs back. But for now, I hope you enjoy these two.
Are you learning Chinese? Yeah, me neither. At least, not formally. I do think I am getting better at reading body language and using contextual, facial, and intuitive clues to understand how to act in varied situations, though. Learning how to act in foreign and non-verbal settings is essential to survival. We learn this as young children out of necessity and repetition, but it also applies here. Knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do could help you this weekend.
See, there is an obscene amount of live gigs this weekend, due to the peaking of the JUE Festival and other events coming to town to make war on our ears. This is definitely going to lead to scheduling conflicts in our little black weekend books.
What? You don’t keep one of those? Um, me neither.
Let’s just get to the picks.
Thursday, March 18th
The Thermals, 8 PM
I have heard very little from this band, just a couple of tracks from samplers and off their Myspace page. They have a really stupid one up right now that’s just called “Canada”. The lyrics are not much more than that, really. Questionable. The real highlight of the evening is going to be Hedgehog and how well they will perform with their new lineup or, if you’re me; “Can they find a bassist who’s shorter than their drummer?” These are the questions that keep me up at night.
1731 Yan’an Xi Lu,
Changning
Entrance at Kaixuan Lu
延安西路1731号
入口在凯旋路
Friday, March 19th
Trippple Nippples, 9 PM
Now this is what I’m talking about! If you read me at all from time to time, you know I enjoy a little quirkiness and showmanship in my music, especially at a live show. Pet Conspiracy would be an excellent example. I have even come to enjoy more and more of this electronic music animal. I’m also reading Shogun right now and I’m totally down with Japan and girls in post-apocalyptic sexy-girl/lamb/rabbit costumes with popcorn ears. I have a special weakness for popcorn ears. So this is a show I’m really excited about, in case you couldn’t tell already. Not even the inevitable Yuyintang space constrictions can dampen my spirits.
But then there’s this! A good party for sure, with lots of great old-timey soul tunes, performances by The Fever Machine and The Beat Bandits, and maybe even an appearance by DJ Sacco’s trippple nippples! However, I must abide by three caveats: There’s probably time to catch some soul tastiness after the YYT show; there’s bound to be another Mod Dance Party sometime; and you can even catch the Beat Bandits and The Fever Machine on the same bill at Yuyintang on April 4th. So I say go to this later, but only if you’re into popcorn ears and “IDM” (I love that term; it makes me feel so smart.) Where else are you going to go? Bear Babes? Please.
13 Xingfu Lu,
Changning
near Fahuazhen Lu
幸福路13号
近法华镇路
Saturday, March 20th
Secret Machines, 9:30 PM
Apparently this is one of those bands you have to see live to appreciate. I sure hope so, because I listened to their albums and am still waiting for the punchline. It all seems a bit self-important to me, but whatever. New band The Fever Machine, featuring members of Rogue Transmission play their second set in as many nights in support. The former Rogue members are Dan, now playing lead guitar, and Fabien, now playing bass. Miguel the drummer rounds out the trio. We saw them a couple months ago at a “secret” show and they sounded pretty good. Now they’re ready to let the rest of the world in on the secret, playing at LOgO on Friday and this big gig on Saturday.
It will probably be a captivating, if expensive, show, especially if it draws people away from this…
Dead Elvis & His One Man Grave, 9 PM
Winner of the coveted Editor’s Pick of the Week Award, overcoming its unfavorable setting at the shoebox-sized LOgO! I don’t care this time. I am getting there to watch this maniacal bastard crawl out of the grave and shoot his television. This is the kind of stuff we need more of here in town; KOOKINESS! Hurray for deranged Dutch dudes!
Bad night to be Baby 13 at Beedee’s, but I will vouch for this band. I have heard them at our practice space and they are cool. They feature a cello and French people rocking, which are always exciting. Here’s a scoop for you: They will also be playing the Stegosaurus? CD Release Pizza Party with entirely too many other cool bands on April 17th. If you don’t like Machines or Zombies, go to this show. Otherwise, check them out on April 17th.
Beedee’s, free
433 Dagu Lu ,
Jing An
near Chengdu Bei Lu
大沽路433号
近成都北路
Sunday, March 21st
Dude, there’s not so much going on listening-wise, but there are opportunities for you poor schlubs to get out of the audience and onto the stage. And they’re on the same street! Jam with the incomparable John Nguidjol at Anar or the incomparable Lucius Clark at LOgO (Can they both be incomparable? I say yes.) It’s also possible to complete the rare LOgO trifecta on Sunday if you attend the Mod Dance Party, Dead Elvis show, and the Sundae Jam Session. It’s a hipster hat trick, if you will. Good luck with that.
See LOgo Info above
Anar
129 Xingfu Lu,
Changning
near Fahuazhen Lu
Both events are completely free.
If you enjoy the links I usually put at the end of Editor’s Picks, then follow me on Google Buzz. You are sure to find the most uproarious links about breast milk cheese and Croc-wearing cats. Just click this link and follow the easy instructions:
Actually, I think it’s not fair to call Finland a classic invader country. Though they share excellent death metal and extreme alcoholism with their Scandinavian neighbors, I think they’re more invaded than invader. On to the picks:
Thursday:
Niklas Winter & Teemu Viinikainen
Coinciding nicely with my own trip to Finland tomorrow these two Finnish guitar badasses are coming to JZ for a gig. If I know anything about how JZ financing works, we have both the inestimable Ren Yuqing and the generous Finnish government to thank for this. Check out Teemu’s space for some sounds. For even more hot guitar action, these viking bros are joined by our own Lawrence Ku, bassist EJ Parker, and drummer Chris Trzcinski. Opening is the illustrious Illusion Trio, with me, Oleg Roschin on piano, and I think Chris on drums again.
JZ Club, 46 Fuxing Xi Lu near Yongfu Lu
9:00-1:30, assuming they do three sets.
No cover, gotta love that government money
Friday:
DJ Vadim
As re/previewed by our own Zack, the illustrious Vadiim returns to these Shanghaiian shores, with his wife and cohort MC Yarah Bravo. Though I wasn’t too taken with her rapping when they came last year, perhaps it will be better with the updated soundsystem, maybe I was just in a bad mood, etc. In any event, Vadim is creative and eccentric, and certainly beyond reproach on the wheels of steel. Support from V-Nutz, Fortune, hBd.
The Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Xi Lu
10:00 start
50 RMB cover
Hanggai
The #1 Mongolian party band returns! Everybody who has seen them loves this band, and for good reason. They just come right in and get to it with conviction, energy, and booze. Do Not Miss! Also, when I saw them in November at Dream Factory we assumed there would be opening bands and general amateur late-ness. There wasn’t, and we showed up half-way through, and we only got to hear as many songs as we did because they were generous with their encores. Definitely get there on time! The first show in Shanghai of Split-works’ Jue Festival.
YuYinTang, 1731 Yan’an Xi Lu, enter from Kaixuan Lu
9:00 start
50 RMB cover
Node Lounge Soft Opening
A new club is opening in Red Town, possible a cousin to the infamous Dragon, in any event with direction from Baru of Dragon fame. Music comes from Dave K, Wassili, King, and Baru himself. If you can steal some time to check it out, there are going to be free drinks from 9-midnight. That’s pretty awesome. Stay tuned for the grand opening on the 10th of April.
Node Music Lounge, 570 Huaihai Xi Lu, nearish to Hongqiao Lu
9:00 start
No cover
Saturday:
St. Vincent
Again, as CD-reviewed by the never-sleeping Zack, St. Vincent comes to Shanghai as part II of the Jue Festival. As with part I, get there early because it’s YYT and it’s sure to be PACKED. Expect melodious innocence with unsettling lyrics. Myspace? Boys Climbing Ropes open.
YuYinTang, 1731 Yan’an Xi Lu, enter from Kaixuan Lu
9:00 start
120 RMB cover
LTJ Bukem
On the DJ front, at least, it seems like Shanghai gets it’s share of heavy hitters. The same weekend as Vadim comes one of the original immortals of jungle/d ‘n b, that is LTJ Bukem, joined by MC Conrad. I picked the wrong weekend to go to Finland, though the temperature is apparently above freezing now.
So the big news in my life this weekend is that after being extremely busy for the past two months, I the weekend off, except today when I’m playing the heavily, heavily hyped Thursday pick, so you might very well see me at ALL the pick events this weekend. If you do, you definitely win an awesome prize. Just take pictures of me at all the events and email them to me at mike(at)layabozi.com, and I’ll give you some of the special witch-salt that Mache did special magic on and which has made me insanely wealthy, or some fancy beers, YOUR CHOICE! Anyway, go to YYT on Thursday or else we will never affectionately refer to you as a duckling ever again.
Thursday:
Break for Borneo
Layabozi’s house band brings the rock-tinged reggae and reggae-tinged rock to YYT in their (our) first headlining spot as Zack moves from the percussion…area to the drum stool. Expect strong melodies, tasty harmonies, and rock alongs a-plenty. IT WILL BE AWESOME!!! COME OR ELSE!! THERE ARE NO OTHER GIGS! Opening are Whale and special late-addition Stegosaurus, and Gooda keep things rocking after.
YuYinTang, 1731 Yan’an Xi Lu, enter from Kaixuan Lu
9:30 start
No cover
Friday:
Dance for Haiti
Three Chord Truth puts on a benefit concert to help the victims of the (second most) recent Earthquake. The line-up is sick (Wayne’s Basement, Duck Fight Goose, Studio 188, Monroe Stahr, Lions of Puxi, Weghur) and all the money goes to charity, so if you don’t go to that show you are a bad person. Seriously, though, these guys are doing something great. Gilbert of the Lions was also a driving force behind the JZ Sichuan earthquake benefit (aka Together Day) two years ago, so especial mad props to him. I think it’s going to be only this pick today because it’s so awesome, though you wouldn’t be wrong if afterwards you went to hear Andy Smith (DJ for Portishead and others and apparently really sweet on his own) at The Shelter, or the JZ Latin Band (now that they have a capable bass player again).
Zhijiang Dream Factory, 28 Yuyao Lu Building B 4th Floor, near Xikang Lu
9:00
100 RMB (for charity as mentioned)
Saturday:
Mark Ernestus and Tikiman
Sub-Culture brings the influential German producer/DJ and his long time collaborator from Dominica (not the D.R.). In the 90’s Mr. Ernestus had an influential label for which he made influential tracks with hip and secretive label designs. Mr. Tikiman, a vocalist has been working with him for awhile, doing their cross-pollination between dub and techno. Supporting them on this fine Saturday evening will be B6, Deville, Drunk Monk, dji, ChaCha, Didje, Esia, and Arminda.
The Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Xi Lu
10:00 start
60 RMB cover
Sunday:
Theo Croker Sextet: The Path of Transcendence
Theo, who has been, I think fairly, called ubiquitous, is nevertheless rarely heard in a concert setting here in Shanghai. Here’s your chance to check out his new suite played by a killing ensemble in just such a setting, with Andres Boiarsky (tenor sax), Jon Parker (alto sax), Nicholas Bouloukos (piano), Curtis Ostle (bass), and Dr. Charles Foldesh (drums). Note, this is an afternoon concert.
Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Performance Hall, 425 Dingxiang Lu, near Science and Technology Museum
There’s so much music going on! Knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do could help you this weekend.
Live Dates
Layabozi on the net
We Are...
Layabozi is a web magazine about music in Shanghai today, with a sprinkle of the extra-mural and a tart sassiness—without ever being cloying. We take our inspiration from the snack which is both exotic (to us) and down home, and from which we take our name: Spicy Duck Necks.
The songs posted in this website are for analysis purposes only. We, the contributors, love - deeply - music and we work to support the artists we love by promoting and purchasing their work; it is our policy only to post what we own or what the artists/owners have authorized us to publish. Through this site, we're simply sharing music with others hoping they will also support these artists and appreciate the quality of their work. We encourage everyone to purchase music and concert tickets for the artists you feel deserve your money and energy. If you own the copyright to one of the songs posted on this website and would like it removed, please let us know we'll respond fast as a the wind. We do not keep an archive of our songs. And we do take obsessive care of our records, cassettes, cd's, dvd's, videos, books, autographs, photos and old tickets to concerts we loved.
Feel free to contact us if you are a band, label or distributor and think we'd be interested in your music. Same goes if you're playing a gig in either Shanghai, China, Asia, Gaia, or outer space and want us to come.
