Bang! Just like that, my National Day holiday was ruined. RUINED, I TELL YOU!
Without warning, China took time out from its busy flag-waving schedule to cancel every foreign band due to play at the Modern Sky Festival ’09 in Chaoyang Park (Oct 4-7).
Why, you may ask? Well, as I have been told by people in the know, simply because they were “unsuitable” for the nation’s 60th anniversary year.
Look, the standard of bands in Beijing is good, I have nothing to grumble about usually, but when you are given a flier advertising a bill topped by Buzzcocks, it’s the mental equivalent of jizzing your pants.
It’s like a homeless guy surviving for six months on porridge before he finds a deliciously unsoiled slice of pepperoni pizza.
For me, bank holidays (it’s what us Brits call it when a country shuts shop for the day) mean music festivals. Frankly, watching some fuck-off tanks tootle down a big road just does not suffice. I need music, beer and fresh air – in that order.
What is truly galling, however, is the way this whole thing has been done.
Again, like when the Oasis gigs in Beijing and Shanghai were cancelled in April (this time allegedly due to Noel Gallagher’s performance once at a Free Sensitive Word concert), it was done at the 11th hour. Tickets had been sold, T-shirts had been printed and schedules had been cleared.
Is there not a point during the early stages of these things when an official can tilt his head, feign sympathy and say “no” in a condescending voice? Does it really have to come just FOUR DAYS before the fucking event?
According to the forums, the initial post on the Modern Sky website to inform fans of the cancellations apparently said the Chinese government had been the one to pull the plug on the laowai lot. However, it was then hastily changed to a simple apology, making no mention of the authorities. I presume it was preceded by a short phone call.
It is estimated organizers took a hit of around $700,000 due to the late decision, mainly because they had paid most half of their fees up front.
I think it was the lovely Japanese ladies in Shonen Knife who summed it up best. “Our Beijing show at Modern Sky Festival was cancelled,” wrote singer Naoko on the band’s Myspace blog “It’s Chinese government matter [sic] and no one can help. I just want to say sorry for [sic] our fans.”
Swedish rockers The (International) Noise Conspiracy also posted an apology on their website, under the obvious title ‘Big trouble in little China’ (I hope their live performances are a bit more original than their humor), and said the shows had been cancelled by “the Chinese authorities”.
They did, however, add: “The local bands will still play the clubs and the festival, so please go out and support them.”
Damn right, lads. I could not agree more. Consider yourselves excused for the ‘big trouble in little China’ cliché.
The same thing that happened this month in Beijing, also happened in Shanghai last year, I was told by several seasoned Midi Festival (not Modern Sky) and Strawberry Festival-goers, so Shen Lihui, the founder of Modern Sky, must be nuts to keep trying.
But it only makes me love the lunatic even more.
Following the bad news, I texted every poor soul in my address book and tried to get them out to the festival. This man is making a difference and embodies the true spirit of rock and roll.
If we don’t all support these festivals, I’m never going to get to see Buzzcocks again. Think on!
VBS.tv streamed last year this short documentary about Birthday Boys touring illegally around China during 2007. The series, titled “Rock under the Red Flag” , consisted of 6 short videos documenting the band’s trip from Beijing to Wuhan, passing by Shanghai, Nanjing and Changsha.
During their trip, Birthday Boys met Hedgehog, Yang Haisong from P.K. 14, and other interesting people in the underground music scene of China.
If you like this series, then you may also find “Shanghai Super Girl” very educational, also on VBS.tv, about the huge Chinese talent showcase “Super Girl” from a few years ago.
Do you love it? Do you absolutely love every second of it?
I do. Anything to save me from the commercially crisp bullshit that serves as music nowadays is a rare and wonderful thing. Beijing-based band Arrows Made Of Desire is doing its part to join the ranks of musicians that are setting a strong foundation for original music here in China. Since the release a few years ago of their first album Songs That Sell Fish— recorded by music savant Joewi Verhoeven and released on Tag Team Records—this band has received some piqued interest including a spread in Time Out magazine and a handsome City Weekend cover photo for Verhoeven. He has been playing a score of shows in Beijing and with the release of date for his new album Songs That Sell Out set for May 29th, the forward momentum of this band doesn’t seem to be slowing.
“It’s been a natural development,” says Verhoeven. “I got an electric guitar when I was 15 or 16-years-old and started playing with a band. Almost immediately we were in a studio, but I felt really dissatisfied with the result. I had ideas for songs that I wanted to work on so I bought a recorder and started recording myself. I started recording the music that I liked and that’s how it rolled out.”
After graduating from high school and coming to China to study film in Beijing, Verhoeven joined up with the well-known Beijing-based band Casino Demon. Again, he encountered problems. “I was playing with them, but I wanted to do work on my own. With them, I was just a guitarist. I couldn’t fully use my abilities. I had my recorder with me and I was recording my own songs for pure enjoyment. After three months I had recorded a bunch of songs—original demos.”
Verhoeven’s dissatisfaction with his experience in a band led him to record Arrows Made Of Desire’s first album completely by himself on an 8-track. Originally, Verhoeven had 15 songs for an album, but Tag Team Records picked it up and made a “selection” of 10 tracks for the album. “They mastered the songs, but it didn’t help. I prefer lo-fi,” commented Joewi.
The reception of Arrows Made Of Desire’s debut was remarkable especially considering that Verhoeven was only 19-years-old at the time of its release. This first album verges on rare genius not only because of the quality of the music itself, but also for the fact the Verhoeven did the whole thing on his own.
For Arrows Made Of Desire’s next album, Verhoeven finds himself working with a band again. “The first album was all electric drums, but the new album is different. I still wanted to keep that lo-fi sound so we recorded in a studio on analog equipment. It has a mid-fi kind of feel. For the first album, I was more of a singer and songwriter, but this one sounds more like a band playing together. I did all of the songs at home and then we recorded them in the studio.” After two failed attempts working with bands, what made Verhoeven go back to the fold once again? “There were new things that I couldn’t do,” he responds, somewhat despondently.
Verhoeven still seems to vacillate about playing with a band however. On the new album drummer Huang He Da joined in for one track with drummer Xiao Dou filling in on the rest. Keyboardist Yuli Chen and singer/guitarist Verhoeven himself took on the keyboards together. Finally, bassist Gao Feng, who plays with Arrows Made Of Desire on the stage, didn’t play on the album at all.
For Verhoeven the thought seems to linger that sometimes if you want something done right, you do it yourself. Now, with a second album set for release, Arrows Made Of Desire’s audience can decide for themselves whether Verhoeven should stick to what he knows best or if those “new things” are really worth it.
From the new album Songs that Sell Out, listen in advance…
Shanghai’s favorite Small-Venue-Arena-Rock-Band continues the thrashing and pounding, and continues the recent push of Anar towards contenduh status. But in addition to the regular balls-out rock you’ve come to expect from the Rogues, they are presenting new material and turning some old songs into “country, swing, acoustic and psychedelic jams,” before tearing the walls off as usual in the second set. Ben Bottiler of the Dropkicks and Snot-rockets will open with a solo acoustic set, and Mau Mau and Heatwolves of Baijiu Robots will keep the house boppin’ after the Rogue-load has been blown.
Anar, 129 Xingfu Lu near Fahuazhen Lu, but actually closer to that park on the mysteriously unnamed street (some claim it is also Xingfu Lu) that runs from Huashan Lu
8:30 doors, 9:30 start
30 RMB cover
Friday:
Andy C
To celebrate Phreaktion’s 10 year birthday, they are bringing the #1 D’nB DJ according to a bunch of magazine lists. Phreaktion’s website has more info as well as a BBC1 Essential Mix that Mr. C did a few years back. He is joined by MC Lowqui, right hand of D’nB legend Goldie. There will be further support from local badasses Siesta, Viceroy, and Drunk Monk on the 1’s AND 2’s, and Cha Cha, Arminda, and Esia on the M-I-C. As an added bonus, it’s at the dream factory, and is the first big DJ thing that has gone down there, so it will be interesting to see how the venue works for that.
Zhijiang Dream Factory, New Factories Building B, 4F, 28 Yuyao Lu near Xikang Lu
10:00 start
150 RMB cover at the door, or you can get them for 120 in advance from SmartTicket (who I believe have a commission or delivery charge), and then at phreaktion’s website they have this intriguing offer: ” ♬❤♪ Group discount advance tickets @ ¥120, call for more info 138 162 99297″ sixteenth notes, love, and eighth notes. Isn’t that what music is all about?
Bang Gang Deejays
Scenesters who have not yet visited The Warehouse will want to take this opportunity to check it out, which is also the China launch of Australian label Modular. Bang Gang Deejays are described as similar to Simian Mobile Disco, which is cool. The event is being presented by S.T.D. and Free the Wax. With that collection of names, off-color jokes would be so easy, and I’m not going there. Anyway, it sounds cool, and the drinks are advertised as cheap, and I’ve never been that far down in Xuhui. If you party all night you could then head over to the Shanghai Botanical Garden the next day.
The Warehouse, 237 Xitai Lu building 10 near Longshui Nan Lu
10:00-4:00
60 RMB cover
Saturday:
JZ All-Star Big Band
After a long and much bemoaned absence, the Big Band returns to its hallowed Saturday spot at JZ. With Rolf Becker in Germany, layabozi collaborator Nicholas Bouloukos has taken over the music director duties, so expect some new arrangements. Word on the street is that this will be a smaller big band with no trombone section. Stay tuned to this space for more details. Afterwards, as always, is the JZ Old School Jazz Jam.
JZ Club, 46 Fuxing Xi Lu near Yongfu Lu
10:00-3:00
30 RMB cover
Surgeon A/V
Presented by Void, Anthony Child aka Surgeon will bring his brand of dark Birmingham dark Techno to the Shelter decks. As a special treat, his wife is coming with an actual prepared VJ accompaniment that highlights the industrial darkness of his sound, and which should be a welcome change from most of the decidedly bootleg VJing that goes on in this town.
Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Xi Lu
10:00 start
60 RMB cover
Sunday:
Sham 69
Likely the oldest punk band that has ever or will ever come to Shanghai, these guys were doing their thing in the mid-70’s and were right there with the Sex Pistols. Beijing punkers No Name will support and carry the punk torch forward into the future. Maybe you can get a chance to chat with them and gain some knowledge about the intricacies of being punk.
YuYinTang, 1731 Yan’an Xi Lu, enter from Kaixuan Lu
9:00 start
80 RMB cover at the door, 60 RMB in advance (call 137 6485 6670 to get ‘em in English, 6438 5946 in Chinese)
Special Conflict of Interest Pick:
Thursday
Break for Borneo and Eddy Goltz Trio
This is my steady gig with Becca from Dovetail Joints and Adam Crossley on songwriting, singing, guitaring, and in Becca’s case, ukeleling. Zack Smith joins on “Ndike” aka bongos, and I play double bass. It’s mostly originals in an acoustic rock/reggae style, and we are the greatest band ever to walk the earth. Following is the Eddy Goltz Trio playing jazz with Eddy on guitar and vocals, Jay or someone else on guitar, and my arch-nemesis Big Mike on double bass. Because this clown is tall and also plays bass and is American, I have become “Little Mike,” to many of my Chinese colleagues. I think “Rochester Mike” and “Boston Mike” would be fine, but it doesn’t really roll off the tongue, and I’m not sure many Chinese people know where Rochester is. There is only one solution: Big Mike must be destroyed. Keep coming every Thursday, because one time, when he least expects it, I will jump out from somewhere and do some unspeakable thing that will be seared into your brain forever. Then my nickname could be “Killer Mike” or something cool like that.
Kaiba, 528 Kangding Lu in the back of the alley, near Xikang Lu
There’s so much music going on! Knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do could help you this weekend.
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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.
Bang! Just like that, my National Day holiday was ruined. RUINED, I TELL YOU!
