This week in Shanghaiist
Shanghaiist just got back from the Hedgehog gig at Yuyintang and what a great show it was. Yuyintang was packed out, with latecomers unable to get into the main room once hedgehog took the stage. The audience seemed tentative at first but into the second number they broke into action and the band ate it up.
The show was clearly the place to be as various journalists and hipsters started showing up as support act Hard Queen were into their set. There were at least three Shanghaiist types lurking around and City Weekend blogger/columnist Aric Queen was outside doing interviews for their video-blog The Beat. We are not going to type vlog, sorry.
Brad Ferguson was also at the gig and he revealed to Shanghaiist that they are lining up a free gig featuring The Subs as the opener for Windows Tembo's new live music makeover. Watch this space for more info on that. Followers of Shanghai's undeground live music scene will know not to get carried away though. It's been a great weekend but the scene is unpredictable. Just when it seemed to peak last year with the 1234 festival, the festival was shut down for political reasons. In the light of more serious news and the run up to the Olympics, perhaps it will be pushed back further underground for a while?
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Great show indeed - am still not digging the 8- start time on a Sat night, though.
Seemed to be lot of repeaters from the STD show the previous night at The Lighthouse.
Ironic that the only one who had a bad thing to say about it was the most ridiculed woman 'insider' in this town. (She looks exactly like she comes across, for those who have not had the pleasure).
One another note, Abe pointed out last night that there were no CDs for sale at the start of the gig around the bar area, but that the tour was to promote the CD release.
Sophia at YYT told me that the room right in front of the doors when you come in is going to be a CD shop.
That's good news as I hate going to Wujiaochang (2046) on the off-chance of scoring a local band
s CD I haven't got at a gig. Even if Yangpu is the birthplace of the 'scene' when Gua'er first set up there.
2046 had a branch '36mm' in Xujiahui at one point but it's gone now. Any tips on that, a possible new location?
By the way, the Subs kicking off Tembo isn't news as such, but that fact it will be free entry is.
Hedgehog rocked - sadly i can't say the same about Meng Qi. Sure, his promo pics bring out my maternal instinct and his press agent seems to be doing a too-good job, but he took hours to get even luke-warm. i'd occasionally quit trying to dance and look around to see the whole room doing the same tired shuffle as myself. sad considering that Antidode parties usually deliver the goods [bring back sulumi!]. and can I recommend that the shelter people to make it LOUDER in future? we shouldn't be able to hold a conversation on the dancefloor!
sorry, i don't mean to spear the big fish in China's little d&b pond. maybe his albums reflect on him better than this particular show did.