Results tagged “music”

So much has been written about the contemporary Beijing music scene, but don't misunderstand us: we're talking purely about volume, not about quality content. Unless you've spent time in Beijing delving into the depths of an increasingly robust community of young kids in bands or following bands, your concept of the music scene is pretty much restricted to the Carsick Cars (they played with Sonic Youth, you know!).

Anke Stockburger and Han Fei, who were the first people who emailed us about free tickets. Thanks! Your names will be on the guest list - just show up and enjoy the show! As for the rest of you who emailed in, we highly recommend you come anyway. The Toxic Avenger (myspace here) is an awesome act to catch. He'll be playing at Not Me (21 Dongping Lu) on Friday night, starting at 10pm. Check out this and other shows you can see around Shanghai this weekend in our midweek music preview.

But first! An announcement to make. One of the acts we're most excited about to catch this weekend - The Toxic Avenger - has generously offered us two free tickets to give to Shanghaiist readers. That means YOU GUYS.

Helping to kickstart the Halloween weekend is Portland, Oregon-based electronic dance/performance art duo YACHT. Originally the solo project of Jona Bechtolt (who also contributed his electronic wizardry to indie-pop group The Blow), YACHT grew by one in 2008, inducting Claire L. Evans as a full member, just in time to add her no nonsense vocals to their newest album See Mystery Lights.

Shanghaiist lists all the live music performances you might want to check out from Wednesday to Sunday this week. For fun things that aren't live music, take a peek at our Pencil This In (out every Monday!)

WEDNESDAY

Oh happy day! After the Handsome Furs came and left, we didn't think we'd be hit by another act we'd look forward to so gleefully so soon. But now our sources at Split! have told us that - barring any weird visa issues/sudden changes in show regulations - ANDREW BIRD will be heading here in late January 2010. YES!

Dee Dee Bridgewater, the illustrious Jazz singer, has been one of the premier artists in Jazz for the past forty years. From her early days performing with major Jazz legends and winning Tony Awards on Broadway to her more recent work on Billy Holiday, NPR and beyond, Dee Dee has been shaping and defining the way people all over the world understand and appreciate Jazz. To kick off this weekend's JZ Jazz festival, Dee Dee will be gracing Shanghai with a performance this Friday at the Yunfeng theater, sharing the stage with a big band of both local and international musicians. We had the chance to chat about her accomplishments both on and off the stage, her views on Jazz from the past to the present, and her unbeknown love of Chinese art.

We love expos, especially when they're in Shanghai, and exceptionally when they involve music. Lucky for us, it's time for the Shanghai Music China 2009 Expo. Since 2002, Music China has been the trade show of choice for musicians, producers, sound/lighting technicians, and just about anyone involved in the production of music, making the expo the biggest annual fair for music products in Asia.

So yesterday we interviewed FREE the WAX, the Shanghai-based music group that brings groundbreaking pioneers from around the globe to our city. And now, in return, they've helped us interview the DJ they're bringing over: Francisco.

In case you don't know, FREE the WAX is a Shanghai-based bastard child production dedicated to presenting only the frontline of groundbreaking musical pioneers from across the globe. In preparation for their big anniversary party on Friday at Shelter, we chatted with Leo Messias, one of the founders of the musical expedition, about their exciting year, the effect of world-class DJ's on the Shanghai scene, and their love of old Chinese ladies who exercise in the park.

           

A massive, frantic crowd attended Yuyintang on Saturday night, catapulting Handsome Furs to Shanghai rock folklore. The Handsome Furs, composed of Dan Boeckner and his wife Alexei, make a neat Canadian Sid and Nancy. Their onstage charisma helped steam the room and fans, both old and new, went genuinely nuts. The music was fast, danceable, and loud, 70's punk ethos mixed with electronic loops and beats.

Woah, we're not sure how it even plans to do this, but China's Ministry of Culture is apparently setting new rules to vet music sold online. Music sites, including Google and Baidu's mp3 divisions, will now be forced to seek approval from censors for all foreign songs they distribute. Besides having to provide written lyrics for each song, translated into Chinese, they'll also need to show documents proving they aren't infringing on copyrights. Google's free mp3 download service at least has the blessings of record companies so perhaps it won't be too hard for it to sail these waters, but we wonder if this will become the storm that sinks Baidu. Source: Wall Street Journal

OOOOH NOOO. Can we say worst idea ever?! Some Shanghai karaoke bars are considering putting commercials between songs as a way to get some extra moolah to pay for music royalties. The idea, as with most bad ideas relating to music, came from the very company entrusted by music copyright owners to collect royalties. At least the Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau has been skeptical, saying consumers can complain if they feel their interests are being violated by annoying ads during time they already paid for. Please, Partyworld and Haoledi: DON'T DO IT. Source: Shanghai Daily

A new Changning district bar will be rounding out a trifecta of cool places to go on Xinfu lu (the other two being, of course, established indie outposts LOgO and Anar): it's called DADA and it's the pet project of Antidote dude Michael Ohlsson.

Yes, we realize Jay Chou's music all sounds the same but we love him anyway. Heck, even this mashup of fifteen (FIFTEEN!) of his songs sounds pretty good to us. Where can we get the mp3?

We've been really looking forward to the Jeff Lang concert coming up tomorrow. Jeff Lang, an Australian folk, country and blues artist is a busy guy - besides playing innumerable instruments, he's somehow managed to release nearly one record each year since 1994.

Ugh. Summertime in Shanghai and livin' ain't all that easy. It's too darn hot one minute, sun showers the next. Luckily, Yuyintang have just installed a new air-con unit in the main room making it just that little bit less hot 'n' sticky. Live Bar? Well, they've got dirt cheap beers. And Soma Live? They seem to have melted away altogether for now. So here's where to get sweaty this weekend:

Matthew Curry, also known as Safety Scissors, told us his roots in minimal techno music began early - he was allegedly listening to his mother’s heartbeat before leaving the womb.

Or at least Shanghai. The story of live hip hop in our city (MC Hotdog aside) is generally one of rumour and disappointment. Remember when Nas tore ish up at Racks? Or when Jay Z wowed a packed crowd at Hongkou Stadium? No, us neither. That's largely because it didn't happen. Sure, we had Kanye go through the motions in a half empty stadium last year, but that's been pretty much it. This weekend though, might just make up for all the hurt.

Anyone who was sceptical about the Ghostface Killah show scheduled for this Sunday 14th June will be glad to hear this news from promoters Split Works:

   

Philadelphia's Brian Seymour (MySpace) will once again be performing an acoustic set of his original music on Tuesday, June 23 at Cotton's on Xinhua Lu during the Shanghaiist Happy Hour, which runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Seymour is in town doing a series of shows at the House of Blues & Jazz — it's called "The Piano Has Been Drinking" and he's playing, naturally, the piano and singing the music of Tom Waits. For us, he'll be playing guitar and performing songs from his albums.

Hope to see you all tonight at Cotton's on Xinhua Lu for the Shanghaiist Happy Hour featuring a live performance from Philadelphia based musician Brian Seymour (MySpace), who is town doing a series of shows at the House of Blues & Jazz (he's playing piano and singing the music of Tom Waits). For us, he'll be playing guitar and performing an exclusive acoustic set of his originals. Based on what's happening outside our window right now, it looks like Brian will be playing indoors at Cotton's, which is fine by us (the speakers are better inside).

It's been close to three years since Philadelphia based musician Brian Seymour (MySpace) last visited us, but he's back. And he's playing an exclusive acoustic set of his originals Tuesday night at the Shanghaiist Happy Hour at Cotton's on Xinhua Lu. As usual, the Happy Hour runs from 6 to 10 p.m. and features free entry and 2-for-1 specials on selected drinks. Brian's set will kick off at around 7:30 p.m.

Remember the Pepsi band contest and how it ended up being sort of a sham? Here's a quick refresher courtesy of local music aficionado Andy Best:

Some of us, due to extenuating circumstances, were unable to make it to the Ratatat show - which is just as well, we heard it was completely and totally sold out (and gosh, wouldn't it have sucked to be turned away at the door?). But the internet has brought us some condolence in the form of this really sweet video by Shanghai-based American designer Abram Hodgens - the entire Ratatat performance, with supporting acts, compressed into less than 3 minutes. Fascinating!

Afterquake, the project by Abigail Washburn and Dave Liang of the Shanghai Restoration Project, has released a new video as part of their ongoing efforts to raise money for those still struggling with the Sichuan earthquake's aftermath.

Zhang Liangying (张靓颖), called the dolphin princess for her wide range, appears on Oprah to discuss the phenomenon: Super Voice Girl (which incidentally is being revived as Happy Girls this season). Oprah seems taken aback by the amount of people who watched the show (400 million! 400 MILLION!) and hilariously translates Mengniu into "Mongolian Cow." Oh yeah, and Zhang Liangying performs and then talks about how much she loves Mariah Carey.

Last week was so packed with great live music that this weekend looks pretty tame by comparison. Not that the city's music venues are resting on their laurels for long. Once punk legends Sham 69 have finished up their set, you'll be just a few short days away from visits by AV Okubo in support of the excellent Ratatat, Gay Fish favourites Carsick Cars (who'll be bringing The Gar back to town too), and Casino Demon as they release their new album. Not bad. But first thing's first - this weekend: