January 14th, 2010 |
Posted in Articles by mache
We are back! Safe! And CLEAN! We were attacked by a virus that came out last December. One wonders what is going on with these people creating viruses. They have nothing better to do with their lives for sure. I’ve got a little something for them, something I was thinking about all along, every minute of every day we were figuring out how to get rid of this evil creation from useless human beings (I’m totally angry with these people). So here it goes, specially for you, virus maker.
Molotov “Puto”
Done with that.
We are very happy to be back.
We were not the only ones having reparations in da house. The Shelter did a big work getting all pretty again, (as pretty as a shelter can become, of course). Last weekend they had pretty nice nights featuring the always cool Liman on Friday, and DJ Sick Trumpet along with Theo Croker and Jon Parker on trumpet and tenor sax, respectively. These were two nice nights at The Shelter. Changes are good when they are calling for a recharge of batteries, and we believe The Shelter is ready to grow even more and become a bigger deal on our Shanghainese scene.
The dearest YuYinTang also had a nice first weekend of the year. They began the year with a major concert featuring the Shanghai Band of the Year (for many wise men around), The Mushrooms. The house was full and the music that night is still on the memory of all those that were present.
But coming back to this last weekend: Saturday at YYT, Bigger Bang opened for Tookoo. And here I’ll get some people not agreeing with me possibly, but I believe that Tookoo showed that they are definitely much bigger than Bigger Bang. Why compare? Well, just because they share guitar and bass player and, that night, also the stage. No matter how cool they want to be in Bigger Bang, the music there needs more development. Looking cool is important, right, but you can’t have a successful concert, when during fifty minutes there is no change on the style of the sound, all along the same nnnnnnggnnnngggnnngggnnngg. Very rocky, yes, but some harmonies once in a while are nice, and grooves, grooves were missing a lot. They look really cool and irresistible, Pupi can handle the stage very well, although if one really observes her during three songs, you can realize that, yes, her moves are well prepared and very attractive, but they are no more than two or three that are repeating over and over again. I mean, if you want to be cool, go for it, but be solid cool, enough of shallow cool for me (for a while at least). Pupi has a very nice voice, but I’m looking forward to listening to a more artistic, musical Bigger Bang.
Tookoo on the other hand, has become a mature band. It was very interesting how they managed to start in a total pop tone of rock, and they ended up with a very hard rock. They did a great tour around different styles of rock, extracting the coolest of every style (they are too cool. It is their thing). They were mostly very tight, although some endings were rough and abrupt. It was interesting to listen to them again after almost a year. They have grown better and stronger.
Sunday was all about folk with Canadian indie folk rock outfit Great Lake Swimmers. Against all odds, YuYinTang was packed with a crowd of big and tall people, mostly. There was a lot of talk about this show, but it was just not my cup of tea, to speak in the same language of the crowd there. Folk is nice, I like it, the singer had a very, very beautiful voice, but the melodies were just only simple, not simple after a process to find out simplicity, but just simple. Well, it could be just me in winter. The crowd was pretty happy; there was even someone calling for people to dance. I wonder how could you dance this music if not waltzing.
Considering the below-zero temperatures, the viruses in the air and the software, and the post-holiday rapture, 2010 has began in a perfect shape for Layabozi, how so? Maybe the double zero in the year, the Tiger that’s is getting ready to assault full of orange vibes, who knows, but here, we have this hunch that HaiBao or no HaiBao, 2010 will be a great year for music in Shanghai. Music is out there everywhere; good, bad, nice, arrogant, creative, energetic, hungry, and thirsty for more, ready to conquer more ears and hearts. And so are we.
tags: Bigger Bang - Great Lake Swimmers - Jon Parker - the Mushrooms - The Shelter - Theo Croker - TOOKOO - YuYinTang
April 30th, 2009 |
Posted in Editor's Picks by mike
Thursday:
Army of Freshmen, Mike TV, Turdus Musicus, Attention To Piss, and TOOKOO
Whether you’re going elsewhere for your music fix over the May vacation or not, you can catch this international punk/pop-punk get-together at YuYinTang. California’s Army Of Freshman are the headliners, with this stop part of a larger China tour, but all of the bands will give you something to jump around/be cool to.
YuYinTang, 1731 Yan’an Xi Lu, enter from Kaixuan Lu
9:00 start
60 RMB ticket
Friday:
Samba Batucada+Ballets Africaine+Yi’s Playground
If you’re staying in Shanghai but must be festivaled, try the Shanghai World Music Festival. Ballets Africaine have been around since before the marketing concept of “world music” existed, and are Guinea’s cultural ambassadors. Their show includes dancing, storytelling, and music, and should be hip. Joining them are Samba Batucada representing Brazil and Shanghai, and Yi’s Playground, repping the Huayao Yi of Yunnan.
Century Park Pudong
1:30pm start
30 RMB ticket
Creature w/ The Mushrooms
Part of Split Work’s/Canadian government weekend fest-esque thing, Straight Oota Canada, these concepty-dancy rocksters will share the stage with the crazy/tamed Mushrooms.
YuYinTang, 1731 Yan’an Xi Lu, enter from Kaixuan Lu
9:00 start
40 RMB ticket
El Cumpio Asesino
These Spanish melodramatic pop song/electro dudes and havers of a nice MySpace will swing over to the big city from the Midi fest to do their thing. They get an extra special recommendation by dint of being intriguing.
MoCA, Northwest corner of People’s Park
9:00 start
50 RMB cover including one glass of wine
Saturday:
Ballets Africaine+Aba+Shrine Synchro System
You get another shot at Ballets Africaine in the park, joined this time by the other Aba, who are a group performing traditional music and dance of Tibetan and Qiang people in the mountains of Sichuan, and London-based Shrine Synchro System, who have been bringing the richness of African music to the dance floor.
Century Park Pudong
1:30pm start
30 RMB ticket
Subculture Radio Launch
Along with Hangzhou’s favorite jazz program, Soulfire, getting it’s Shanghai launch a couple weeks ago, now we’re going to get subculture on the radio. Sweet! Celebrating this event will be Drunk Monk, Deville, and MC ChaCha, and their many friends. You can probably pick up the latest Pause:Play sampler while you’re there.
The Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Lu
10:00 start
30 RMB cover
Sunday:
Final Flash+Hollerado
The last show of the Straight Oota Canada mini-fest; psychedelic folk-rock quintet Final Flash have been making waves recently, receiving rave reviews for their SXSW show, and having Jace Lasek of the Besnard Lakes produce their debut CD, scheduled for release in spring 2009. The next Arcade Fire? Go find out!
Anar, 129 Xingfu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu
40 RMB cover
Monday:
Liu Soula and Netsayi
The refreshingly expansive Liu Suola will be joined by Zimbabwean/British soul/jazz singer Netsayi for an exciting show.
Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, 425 Dingxiang Lu near Science and Technology Museum
7:30 start
Tickets from 30-100 RMB
Tuesday:
Zakir Hussain and AMRTA
Like with the DJ rankings, the fact that many consider Zakir Hussain the best tabla player in the world doesn’t necessarily mean he is, but it definitely means you should check him out. He’s joined by locals AMRTA.
Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, 425 Dingxiang Lu near Science and Technology Museum
7:30 start
Tickets from 30-100 RMB
tags: Anar - Brazil - Canada - ChaCha - China - Dance - Editor's Picks - Jazz - MoCA - Oriental Arts Center - Pop - Pop-punk - Punk - Rock - Samba - Shanghai - Sichuan - Soul - The Shelter - TOOKOO - Yunnan - YuYinTang - Zimbabwe
April 25th, 2009 |
Posted in Articles by mache
The the continuous changes of plan and misinformation about the Midi Music Festival have created a great deal of talk and gossip about it; possibly the marketing campaign couldn’t have gone as well as this if they’d planned it.
The great news is that finally we know the line up, and all the information you need to go and rock your head off.
The Midi Festival will run from May 1st to May 3d. The place is Youshan Meidi Square (优山美地广场) next to the Jiangsu University in Zhejiang near Nanjing. Zhejiang is on the train line connecting the major cities of Nanjing and Shanghai, and most trains along the line stop there; both regular trains and the faster bullet trains. The cost ranges from ¥13-30 (regular train) to ¥30-75 (bullet train); you can find more information about it on China Highlights site. And those willing to use the event as an excuse for a longer trip can choose the Yangtze ferry from Shanghai to Chongqing that stops at Zhejiang; the trip takes about 14 hours.
Every day the shows will begin at 2 pm and finish around midnight. Tickets are ¥120 for the three days and ¥50 for a single day.
On May 1st the bands begin at 2pm with Beijing dance rock band TOOKOO (more about them here), then Honey Gun Band, Sand Orgy, Turdus from Norway, Twisted Machine from Beijing, Again, Mike TV from the UK (who will be on April 30th at YuYinTang), Thin Man, Army of Freshmen from the U.S.A, and closing the night is the famous Cui Jian. The DJs playing on the Electronic side of the Festival will be DJ Sky Zhang from Chongqing, DJ Bob Chen from Ningbo, DJ Gary from Guangzhou, DJ Harry from Chengdu, DJ Xeum from France, and DJ @llen from Taiwan.
Performing on May 2nd are Yu Guo, Hollerado from Canada, Spring Autumn, CMCB from Beijing, Priestess from Canada, The Subs, Gammalux from Germany, El Columpio Asesino from Spain (who will also be playing on May 1st at MOcA’s Art Lab), AK 47 from Beijing, and The Stills from Canada. On the electronic stage will be DJ Ivy V from Shanghai, DJ Jerry K from Guangzhou, DJ Fish from Shanghai, DJ Tootekool from German, and DJ Mickey Zhang from Beijing.
On May 3rd LRight Band will open at 2pm, then Bonk from Norway, Reflector from Beijing, Jets Overhead from Canada, Cold Fairyland from Shanghai (you can read more about them here), So Called from Canada, Roshme Band, Yaksa, Muma & Third Party, Blind Sight from Holland, and Miserable Faith from Beijing. DJ Cody K from Hongkong, DJ Jerryson from Shanghai, DJ Eagle Ningbo, DJ Baru from Japan and DJ Ben Huang Shanghai will be scratching tables on the 3rd.
You can buy your tickets for the concert on line on Beijing’s ticket company Piao. And for all those organizing road trips to the concert let us know: take photos, film videos and send them to us- we want to see who wins the “best rock face” award.
tags: Beijing - Ben Huang - Canada - China - Cold Fairyland - Dance - Electronic - Emo - France - Japan - Midi Music Festival 2009 ZheJiang - Miyadudu - MoCA - News - Norway - Rain - Rock - Shanghai - Spain - TOOKOO - UK - Video - YuYinTang
September 14th, 2008 |
Posted in Live Music Reviews by mache
I should have been at the China Now concert today by Huahai rd. and Pu’An rd, I wasn’t. The rain was a good excuse to rest, a pause to continue tonight. The last days had been full of music and there’s more to come.
Last Thursday we saw the coming back of Theo Crocker to Alec Haavik Friction Five at JZ. They are just good, even when they play a song for the first time, with no previous rehearsal; they can make chaos sound good and full of colors and details keeping your attention constantly not letting you leave the place. They will be playing together again on Thursday, October 2nd at JZ of course.
Friday was a bliss at Yuyin Tang. The bands: Hard Queen, Echo Rush and TOOKOO sweat the stress out of everyone there. Hard Queen was good enough to open our curious ears to want to hear them the day after at CONTROL. And TOOKOO was crazy fun, the band has a sharp sound and they are doing the work very well. I was talking with them, I was saying they are not EMO, but … I was not over yet with my sentence, when we all say… no, Rock! Yes, they are pure Rock & Roll. Simple, energetic, much fun and full of food for the dancers.
Saturday by CONTROL was a big gust of fresh wind of Rock, not literally, because it was so hot that those guys by the stage jumping and yelling, were not only having fun but also a very clear message about how much people wants to rock. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to check Hard Queen, after Yuyin Tang I really wanted to hear them again.
The Rogue Transmission was fun and a good injection of energy, they had a lot fun playing and they knew how to spend their energy there to keep it on and well lighted for the next band even. Boys Climbing Ropes were my personal downer, the tracks I’ve heard of them sounded very good, it’s the first time I ever see them playing live and there are many things that can explain the bad sound and the mess; the bass player was good, the guitar was fine, although the dual singing didn’t really work very well and the drums were just too in front of all. Anyway, I want to see them again and understand better their music. And last P.K. 14, I really like these guys, they are good rockers, the ‘two sticks’, Jonathan Leijonhufvud really rocks, he just doesn’t rest at all and he has a strong control, strong enough to sustain and keep the band relax on him. Yang Haisong doesn’t have a melodic voice, but he creates great ups and downs with the intention behind the lyrics and he can totally get you in his own mood, then if you hear, even if you don’t understand Chinese, you will go with him to his place. Shi Xudong, ‘four strings’ are the spirit of the post punk souls dancing with them around the stage. And Xu Bu’s ’six strings’ are the warriors of rock, battling side by side with Yang Haisong in the experience of live rock shared with the audience. And the audience, wow the energy there, the people on this Republic wants to Rock. It was a lot for one night.
Today the China Now concert is still heavy in my mind, but I was just plain tired to move away from home and I’m going to JZ tonight, Coco is the perfect Sunday night for this weekend (not totally over yet). Also I found out Fluffy, my ‘moonatic’ cat was pregnant; she gave birth to a tiny very “rock” black kittie. I’ll need to find soon a home for him/her. The break today has been good, to continue tomorrow. Tomorrow if the rain allowed it The Dovetail Joints and more.
People… go out! There’s music all around, the full moon is lighting us with her strongest rays this weekend and we are celebrating her. Waters of creations are shaking excited for hearts, wines and arts, to turn them on for us to have every time more things to experience. 中秋节! (Zhōng qiū jié) Happy Moon Festival!
btw: Photos of the gigs coming tomorrow.
tags: Alec Haavik Friction Five - Boys Climbing Ropes - CONTROL - Hard Queen - Jazz - JZ - P.K. 14 - Punk - Rock - Shanghai - The Moon Rays - The Rogue Transmission - TOOKOO
