Protest in Guangzhou: Why would you burn garbage?
Barbie Spa: For the cosmopolitan plastic beauty in you
Obama in China: Long gone, and still headlinin'
Lot o' Hotpot: Three Travellers
Cinematheque: Mulan is finally Chinese again! (and other film news)
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:
Friday
Life Journey's Chinese name, 旅行团, is enough to strike fear into the heart of anyone who reads it (a literal translation would be Tour Group). Luckily, these guys are more Guangxi gypsy indie and less matching baseball caps and megaphones. Check out the interview we had here a couple of days back for more on the group.
¥40, 9pm, 1731 Yan'an Xi Lu (entrance on Kaixuan Lu), 延安西路1731号 (入口在凯旋路)
Meanwhile, Live Bar is having a post '80s night with young bands Off Road, Forget and Forgive, and Paranoid Android. Expect angsty rock.
¥30, 9pm, 721 Kunming Lu, near Tongbei Lu, 昆明路721号近通北路
Saturday
0093's 03 Space folk gigs continue with a Saturday evening show this weekend in addition to their regular Sunday afternoon slot. Tonight will see April & Box (who you might know from Neocha's Tomorrow's Afternoon Tea compilation), Dong Jiajia, and Chan Chan. Well worth heading underground for.
¥40, 7:30pm, 93 Lingling Lu, near Damuqiao Lu, 零陵路93号, 近大木桥路
Bigger Bang!, who insist on that exclamation mark, will be bringing their dancey CSS-style sounds to the Dream Factory. Or as they prefer to label their music: Dance Dense Denso. Indie/post-punk outfit Sonnet will be in support.
¥60, 9pm. 4/F, Building B, No. 28 Yuyao Lu, near Xikang Lu. 余姚路28号B4楼, 近西康路
Voodoo Kung Fu blend gothic metal with traditional Chinese/Mongolian instruments for a fairly unique sound. You can see what we mean by head-banging your way over to YYT tonight where you'll find Chaos Mind in support as well.
¥50, 9pm, 1731 Yan'an Xi Lu (entrance on Kaixuan Lu), 延安西路1731号 (入口在凯旋路)
The quota of folk acts playing headlining gigs on a weekend is slowly increasing and if that's something you're pleased about, you'll be glad to see that one of the leading Chinese artists in the genre Suyang will be up at Live Bar quietly plucking strings.
¥30, 9pm, 721 Kunming Lu, near Tongbei Lu, 昆明路721号近通北路
Sunday
0093's regular Sunday afternoon show welcomes the Eastern Forces - a collective of artists, poets and singers from the East of Shanghai that spans "west from Hongkou, east to Zhongyuan, no further south than Huangxing Park and no further north than Jiangwan".
¥30, 2:30pm, 93 Lingling Lu, near Damuqiao Lu, 零陵路93号, 近大木桥路
We were kind of shocked when we heard that Sham 69 were coming to Shanghai. For one thing, legendary punk bands of their ilk don't usually make it out here (and we mean legendary - these guys pretty much helped define the genre together with the Sex Pistols). But for another, we sort of assumed they'd kicked the can a while ago with a lot of the other prominent musicians from the '70s. Apparently, however, not only are these guys still going, but they can still make you pogo with the best of them. Beijing punks Noname are also on the bill. If you have even a passing interest in punk, Sham 69 are not to be missed.
¥80, 9pm, 1731 Yan'an Xi Lu (entrance on Kaixuan Lu), 延安西路1731号 (入口在凯旋路)
Video: Sham 69 in their prime
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It's actually just one member from the line-up, I think he's not even an original member. So this is more like if Doug Yule toured China as the Velvet Underground.