Rumours have been swirling for weeks, and now it’s official: Grammy-winning producer/rapper Kanye West will be passing through Shanghai for a gig at Hongkou Stadium next month. Although we don’t usually take anything seriously until we read about it on Kanye’s blog, we made an exception here after speaking to Steve Sybesma, CEO of China West (who are organizing the show along with Live Nation Asia). Steve confirmed for us that Mr. Yeezy is scheduled......

Finally, we are back. Unlike the unfortunates who fell victim to visa restrictions our reason for being absent had more to do with laziness from too much heat. Being a pastie white red-head, the sun is not our friend. So what is happening this weekend? Well, not much, but there are a few shows. Chaos Mind and 5-pointed Star, two of Shanghais few metal bands will be playing at Yuyintang, while Live bar is letting......

From the New York Times: Foreign entertainers who have taken part in activities that China deems a threat to its sovereignty will not be allowed to perform in the country, according to a new list of rules posted Thursday on the Web site of the Ministry of Culture. The rules say that the background credentials of performers from foreign countries, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan will be scrutinized carefully. “Those who used to take part......

If any of you have been in Shanghai for over 3 years you might remember a time when Ark Livehouse in Xintiandi was one of the few bastions of live music. Slowly disappearing from the scene and limping along for the past 3 years with the rare live show, Ark is finally calling it quits. Saturday they will hold one last show featuring some of Shanghai's oldest bands, including The Honeys, Blue Garden and Crystal......

Folk or Punk? Tonight that is the question you should be asking yourself. Demerit, a tight group of old school punkers, are playing out at Yuyintang tonight in celebration of their new cd. While out at Live Bar French folk bands, Kandid and Zedrus, will be showing Shanghai what French folk is all about. Tomorrow the STD party people will be at Windows Underground with Underground Baby, from Beijing, and King of Retards. Live Bar......

This weekend there is no lack of gigs worth checking out with some in familiar places and some in places that are new to the live music scene. Celebrating their 1st year anniversary, party promoters STD have pulled out all the stops, booking a massive space in the heart of Moganshan Road's art district. On Friday, Beijing heavy weights, New Pants, will be joined by Shanghai masters of chill, Cold Fairyland, and DJ R3. Saturday,......

It is not uncommon for many of the Chinese indie bands to have their actual popularity and accomplishments embellished and twisted in order to drum up hype for upcoming shows. One of the few indie bands that actually is and does have the huge local following to justify the hype is Xie Tian Xiao and Cold Blooded Animal. This grunge/acid rock band formed back in 1994 when grunge was still riding out the Nirvana......

Tonight (Tuesday, 3 June) "Hip-Hop" group the Black Eyed Peas are playing a hastily arranged benefit gig for around 700 people at the Shanghai Concert Hall. Although previously set up as a brown-nosing corporate show for Chivas and Pernod Ricard the invite-only show will now apparently help victims of the Sichuan earthquake in some way. "We will invite our VIP guests, main customers in China, along with media to the concert"says Chivas spokeswoman Vanessa Wright......

They're not coming to play together, but rather in two separate shows happening this week. Swiss trumpeter Erik Truffaz is performing Thursday (tomorrow) at JZ Club with his band, and Saturday is Mike Stern's show. Each of them are bringing a quartet, ostensibly touring to promote new albums. Mike Stern's quartet consists of Bob Franceschini, Lincoln Goines, Lionel Cordew. Erik Truffaz is bringing Marcello Giuliani, Marc Erbetta, and Patrick Muller in his band. Both of......

So we have been slacking off this week on getting out the list of gigs. But there is a valid excuse... laziness and heat doesn’t mix well and hit us like that proverbial ton of bricks. The good news is that not much was happening last night, while tonight is full of choices. We aren't sure what is happening out at Yuyintang but we have been getting reports that both No Name and Guai Li......

After 2 weeks of unrelenting natural disaster horror stories there are a couple of good shows this weekend to help you release that built up anxiety. Friday the sounds are a bit mellower with Chinese folk singer Hong Qi and jazz saxophonist Adam Diller holding court at Live Bar, where they will be joined by beat masters $.99 Dreams. Yuguo will be playing at Yuyintang. Saturday things get faster with SMZB, one of the best......

The one show that shouldn't be missed this weekend is by a local band that you have probably seen a dozen times, Boys Climbing Ropes. Friday night these stalwarts in the underground live scene are celebrating the release of their debut EP with a party at Windows Tembo. A great chance to show support for a band that (along with the many friends they bring) have helped keep some of the smaller venues alive through......

Bands left drifting helplessly after the cancellation of Midi have found a sort of oasis in Shanghai. The past week has seen a multitude of Midi bands play and this week things get even busier. Even as we write Karin Park should be wrapping up her first of two consecutive nights out at Live Bar. Should be a surreal experience watching a pop act prance around the stage of a proper dive bar. Tomorrow, the......

Since we didn't make it to Saturday's show at twocities, we made a special effort to go hear the Canadian piano-cello duo this afternoon at Glamour Bar, and enjoyed it. The two players are both quite virtuosic on their respective axes, not to mention well versed in both the classical and jazz realms. And though there were plenty of jazz and classical influences present in the music, most of it was generally unclassifiable, eclectic melanges......

We didn't make it to James Blunt's concert in Shanghai last Saturday at the Yun Feng Theatre, but from what we heard from a friend who went and these videos that we found on Youtube, it was a show worth watching. What did you guys think who went?......

We told you the other week about the CD shop down at Yu Yin Tang now being open and a quick scan of the shelves (well, shelf) tells us we're going to be in there a lot. The shop's size reflects the size of the independent music scene in China but it's quality not quantity that counts and you can find pretty much all the main releases that have come out from the bands at......

We told you a little while ago about Nas coming to Shanghai and how the whole thing confused us a little. Well, we just got a message from the promoters and we're pretty clear on the meaning this time:Due to visa issues amongst the entourage of guest star, NAS, the date of the Solid Hip Hop Party has been pushed back. The event promoter is working on a four to six week delay, and the......

It was yet another stellar performance by several up-and-coming local talents Yvette Ling, Monica Zhang, Javen Chen and Yunwu Xia from Live Mic Musical last Saturday at Kathleen's 5. Not to worry if you've missed it this time. We hear that this is going to be a monthly affair from now on! Photos by Hugo.......

UPDATE, Saturday 5th April: Sigh. We should have known not to get too excited too soon — just received this from the promoter: "Nas is confirmed. Officially, its not going to be a performance. it’s a private party featuring Nas."No, we don't really know what that means either. Over on CityWeekend, they're saying that there will be 800 tickets available but for what? Is he going to perform or just be there? We're currently trying......

It might have been one day earlier than planned but, after they rescued the Dandi Wind gig, Shanghaiist checked out the renewed Windows Tembo last night and we liked what we saw. Having made Live Bar the place that it is, we had every faith that Brad Ferguson would turn this slightly more central location into a great place for live music too and, if last night's show is anything to go by, it is......

We already told you about the latest Dandi Wind news. We are happy to hear that a venue has been found and look forward to an intense live performance. We also already told you this, but it is worth repeating: On Saturday, Windows Tembo is officially reopening with a free performance by the SUBS. Shanghaiist has been to many SUBS shows in the past and these are mosh friendly affairs that get packed quickly. We......

UPDATE, Friday 9:45 am: The show will go on ... at Windows Tembo. UPDATE, 5:27 pm: This just in via email from the promoter: PRESS RELEASE Dandi Wind will NOT play Shanghai’s Shelter this Friday, April 4. Due to the heightened sensitivities around live music in Shanghai at the moment, Dandi Wind will not play the Shelter this Friday. However, she remains committed to performing in Shanghai if at all possible. For further updates, people......

To be frank, we were kind of hoping that we wouldn't have to do a whole post about Celine Dion on Shanghaiist, but then this article from China Daily struck us as somewhat odd and we felt we should share our cynicisms with you. Here's what China Daily reported yesterday: The highly anticipated Celine Dion show on April 13 in Beijing might be canceled because the singer is suffering from a throat infection. What's so......

Here are two videos of Maroon 5's concert in Shanghai for all you fans out there that missed their show last Saturday. The videos are somewhat blurry but the sound is as good as it gets and gives you a good idea of the atmosphere. So that's it folks. A busy month of high-profile acts in our little town, like we told you earlier this year: one grabbed headlines everywhere, one was forced to......

High Voltage, Yu Yin Tang Shanghai 21/03/08 Phew. The morning after the night before and Shanghaiist's ears are still a-ringing — and our head still a-throbbing — from High Voltage's gig at Yu Yin Tang (as promised, we also hit Brown Nylon Suit at C's afterwards, which probably didn't help) so we're hoping you'll forgive us if this isn't the most in-depth or analytical gig review. As you've probably already read on these pages,......

So what are we doing this weekend? Probably spending way too much time with our asses firmly parked on our (somewhat hard) couch. But, we will manage to pry ourselves out of the clutches of laziness for a few shows this weekend. We haven't heard much from the Honey's, one of Shanghai's longest playing bands, for a few months and are excited to hear that this Friday they will be holding a CD release party......

Recent events in the Western provinces make Bjork's little indiscretion in Shanghai look like a storm in a teacup. However, she speaks, we report and in an interview for the New Statesman magazine, (previewed on TheLipster.com) Bjork had this to say about her pronouncement during "Declare Independence":"When I said "Tibet, Tibet", I whispered it three times. There was no fuss in the room. It happened afterwards on websites." The lesson here perhaps is that in......

By Jake Newby Let there be rock! Alright, it's not the real AC/DC obviously. Shooting to thrill instead will be a Belgian tribute band. Yep, that's a Belgian AC/DC tribute band. Magic. Rock 'n' roll ain't noise pollution and these lads from Belgium are supposed to deliver a pretty high voltage performance that will shake your foundations. They've headlined festivals all over Europe and have even opened for the mighty Status Quo, leaving their audiences......

Or where we’re going after we’ve seen Hedgehog live that is. As Shanghaiist told you yesterday, one of Beijing’s best bands will be hitting Yu Yin Tang tonight as part of their China tour and they are well worth checking out (not least for a chance to see possibly the world’s smallest drummer, Atom, who also used to be in Hang on the Box). Not only that, but Hedgehog will be supported by one of......

Touring season has official started for Chinese bands and this weekend Shanghai is bursting with shows worth checking out. Tonight the action starts early with three Xian bands playing at Yuyintang. Both Hush and 24hour Party People have played in Shanghai before and put on solid shows. This time they are joined by punk band Sucker. If you miss tonight's earlier show, you don't have to feel like a total bum, all 3 bands will......