A.Robb

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:45:41 +0800

* 4Live: Despite the presumptuous promoters of GigLive jabbing it a “hack job”, we attended Zooma’s Friday night offering and were impressed at the number of white people in attendance. A strong turnout considering they had to shell out 60 RMB, including NO drinks, to have been there. We hope to avoid Crystal Butterfly, whose mediocre cover songs do a disservice to the burgeoning original music scene in Shanghai. Please don't put them on the bill if there is going to be more things like this happening. Our favorite was I-Go, so we're sorry we got there too late to see their set. * Live Bar: We paid the 22 RMB (from Lujiazui, Pudong) taxi fare to the newly, and minimally designed venue, just north of the Bund. We went Saturday night and saw Flying Fruit who look and sound good but need to get beyond the ballads to really capture our attention and affection. We were nervous watching (owner) Brad climb steep steps to the lofted sound & light controls. But we were pleased by the 10 RMB Tsingdao beers (kept on real ice to keep them properly chilled) and happy to see 20 kuai for all drinks (including Jack Daniel’s, hurrah). * Junkie XL: We, singing “A Little Less Consternation” the whole way there, attended and saw a pal, DJ Kingpin, who we hadn't seen in a while. We had a drinks and wondered if it was the 180 RMB ticket or the glut of newly-opened competition that attributed to the so-so turnout for the remixing wizard. We heard some too-cool-for-ESL-School people there talking about how it was almost as exciting as seeing Collin Farrell at Eddy's that previous night. * Lacrimosa: We spent 580 on our tickets because that was all they had left when we called a few days before the show. And we, of all people, should know that whether you want the most or least expensive tickets, you ought to buy them as soon as they go on sale. Regardless, the show was packed with Chinese dudes wearing rock t-shirts and girls decked out out in fishnet stockings and black leather boots. We almost wished we had put on black eye shadow and did our damndest to look goth-y. It was cool to see a 99% local audience turnout for this international show. It was a good performance and a fine way to spend a Sunday night, despite there being far too many people busy photographing and videotaping rather then just enjoying the show.

Shanghaiist: (No) Notes From the Underground: Need your help!

A.Robb