Yes, we know the big piece of music news this week is that Linkin Park is coming to town. The super popular Nu-metal alt-rock-rap band is playing Shanghai Stadium on Saturday, and though (according to mypiao) all the cheapie tickets have sold out, you can probably still get a nose bleed seat for 1000RMB or 1600RMB. Since that's an embarrassing portion of our salary, we'll probably be skipping out on the actual concert and hoping Chester Bennington and friends bring the after party to one of our regular late night haunts.
Results tagged “hardqueen”
Another week, another great spat of live music here in Shanghai - and this time around, there's a good mix of electro indiepop, hip hop, synthy stuff and some punk on the side. YYT, like usual, dominates the weekend with Yuguo on Friday and a rock-filled Sexy Animal Party on Saturday.
The Channel One complex on Changshou Lu is teaming up with Soma for a summer concert series. Despite our natural misgivings about rock bands playing in shopping malls, the line-up is a good one. Things start this weekend with Pinkberry and The Mushrooms on Saturday and Da Fresh and Momo on the Sunday. Spread out over four weekends, the concerts will see eight of the city's finest young bands in various combinations.
Did you miss the Up from the Underground screening? That's too bad! But no matter: Daedalum Films has put it online just for us.
Daedalum Films hosted a screening of Up From the Underground, a documentary short about the Shanghainese band Hard Queen.
Decisions, decisions. Time was, choosing your live music for the night in Shanghai was easy: you headed to Yuyintang, occasionally the Dream Factory if there was something big on. Maybe, if you were into something a bit different, you'd head out to Live Bar. Generally speaking though, there was one stand out gig on a weekend and it was a pretty straightforward choice. Well, no more, if this weekend is anything to go by. We're not saying this is a brave new world yet, just that we hope it's a sign of things to come. If it is, picking your weekend gigs is going to get a lot tougher. But don't you dare go complaining that there's too many options.
If you haven't gotten enough of Hard Queen, after our interview, their new EP and the awesome release party at YYT, then make sure you catch the May 9 screening of Daedalum Films' Hard Queen documentary, Up from the Underground.
Hard Queen ruled the night Saturday at their release party at Yu Yin Tang. We'd been expecting something great ever since our interview with the group the previous week and they didn't disappoint. Following a fabulous set by Boys Climbing Ropes, Hard Queen played to a crowd so crazy and packed that it could only be considered a fire hazard... We can't wait for their next concert.
Yeah, we know we put them twice in the headline, but that's how excited we are about the Hard Queen EP release. We don't normally go in for bias - we try to give you an overview of all the live music taking place in the city. But this weekend, there's really only one gig to head to. If you can't get into Hard Queen's music then we have to seriously question your ability to hear.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Nope, that's not the sound of Midi hopes being quashed, it's the sound of three straight weekends of great gigs coming your way. Forget all that tiresome festival nonsense and look forward to Battles this weekend, the brilliant Hard Queen next Saturday and then Hedgehog promoting their new album the weekend after.
Things are showing no sign of slowing down live music-wise at the moment. The next few weeks are going to see the long awaited Hard Queen EP release party, Battles with PK14 and their new proteges and a welcome return for Re-TROS. Then there's the 5th anniversary of Shanghai's premier noise outfit Torturing Nurse to look forward to, which is bound to be crazy. Meanwhile a new album will see the always brilliant Hedgehog heading to Shanghai on April 11th. Not only that, next weekend will see Fucked Up in town. They're out in Nanjing this weekend at the Castle Bar if you fancy hopping on the high speed train to go see them but if you decide to wait until they hit Shanghai, there's plenty to keep you occupied here while you wait.
Maybe Shanghai's local music scene people were all at last Sunday's Oscars and are thus still sleeping off the hangovers, but things are pretty quiet in terms of live music this weekend. Still, thankfully, there is a little something for all you band lovers to attach yourselves to.
While the big news this week was the postponement of the Kayne West concert, Shanghaiist was busy contemplating what gigs to check out on Friday. Tonight there is a new(ish) bar getting in on the live music action. Bee Dees bar on Dagu road is playing host to Hard Queen with a free show and we are curious to find out what this bar is all about. There has been some confusion over where the Shy Tall Mighty, an old school punk band, is playing this weekend. Originally we saw postings for them out at Live Bar but more recently fliers have been appearing having the concert placed at Yuyintang, which is where we will be.
Yesterday, we learned that our friend (and ex-Shanghaiist contributor) Brad Ferguson had been fired from his role as manager of Windows Underground. We asked him some questions about the recent developments and he agreed to let us publish them "as long as it doesn't make me look like an asshole. I still don't think I did anything wrong, but maybe it looks different to other people."
Following the explosive opening weekend at Windows Tembo and another great Subs performance the scene is still buzzing with activity and expectation. One side effect appears to be hype and punditry getting in earlier than usual so Shanghaiist does not want to be left out.
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 going to quickly establish itself as one of Shanghai's premier gig venues.
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.
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 Shanghai's finest bands, Hardqueen.
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 be playing the STD party later that night at Atanus (if the weather holds out this should be a wicked party), and at Live Bar on Saturday, giving you two shots at redemption. Also on Saturday, Hedgehog, those infectious pop rockers from Beijing are back in town taking the stage at Yuyintang. Having recently taken off on their first China tour, Hedgehog is preparing for an upcoming tour of the USA in April.
This weekend venues are still suffering from the New Year hangover and not many events are happening. You might check out blues band, Studio 188, who will be performing at the Blues Room on Saturday. Or maybe join the firecracker loving crowds throughout the city for a bit of noise.
From Danwei:
Yet another weekend has arrived, and seems a lot of people have been talking about the opening of the Shelter. They are holding a 'soft opening' tonight and hosting Dex, from the Underground Resistance, tomorrow. For those of you who are in the mood for more of a visual than some dude spinning on the decks (or laptop), there are plenty of live shows to choose from. Just down the street from the Shelter are...
The weekend is finally here, and despite the buzz surrounding Linkin Park on Sunday, there are plenty of other shows that are also worth checking out. Friday, Yuyintang warms things up for Linkin Park fans with four local nu-metal bands strutting their stuff and letting out their best screams. While over at 4Live, Pixel Toy, from Hong Kong, provide an eccentric mix of Cantonese pop electronica. Opening for them is Banana Monkey. Phreaktion in celebration...
Live Bar has always been open to different genres of music, and of late, seems to be the venue of choice for Chinese folk, metal and student bands. Friday night they will host one of China's most popular nu-metal bands, Twisted Machine. Any fan of metal should not miss this show, a great chance to see what Chinese metal has to offer. On the other side of town, up'n'coming indie rockers, Yuguo will play an...
(Roots & Shoots video about Jane Goodall...and gnomes)
For anyone still looking for something to do tonight (Thursday) a couple of options have poked their heads up in the nic' of time. Banana Monkey and Hard Queen, two good local bands are putting on a free concert at 4Live tonight, with things getting started at 8:30pm. After that head to the Antidote party out a C's where the music is always good and the drink freakin' cheap. If funk and jazz fusion is more your thing then Finnish Pekka Pylkkanen and his Tube Factory will headline tonight’s Jazz it Up held at the Shanghai Music Conservatory.
Now, that felt like a 4th of July party (and some Canadians in attendance said it wasn't a bad effort for Canada Day, either). Hot, sweaty weather. No rain! Hamburgers. Beer. Live music. Water balloons. Hamburgers. Beer. Drinking contests. Fireworks (albeit during daylight). Hamburgers. Beer. Ketchup battles. Some guy from Beijing getting pantsed. Hamburgers. Beer.
As much as you want of the above for 150 kuai.
(Wan Xiao Li at the Beer & Rock Festival)
