Results tagged “indierock”

We know, we know. We live in a digital era so it makes sense for us to just download everything. But sometimes, there's something nice about looking through cover art and popping in a CD. No, not a vinyl. We're not THAT music snobbish. In any case, there's now a place in Shanghai to get all your Chinese indie rock music in shiny jewel cases: Shanghai Tattoo, located at the Cool Docks in Huangpu. They're selling CDs from rock labels Maybe Mars, Pilot Music & Modern Sky (which means you can get bands like Convenience Store, PK14, Carsick Cas and Hedgehog) for from 20RMB to 70RMB. If you're ever in the neighborhood, pop over and give this oldfangled media a listen.

Oh happy day! After the Handsome Furs came and left, we didn't think we'd be hit by another act we'd look forward to so gleefully so soon. But now our sources at Split! have told us that - barring any weird visa issues/sudden changes in show regulations - ANDREW BIRD will be heading here in late January 2010. YES!

           

A massive, frantic crowd attended Yuyintang on Saturday night, catapulting Handsome Furs to Shanghai rock folklore. The Handsome Furs, composed of Dan Boeckner and his wife Alexei, make a neat Canadian Sid and Nancy. Their onstage charisma helped steam the room and fans, both old and new, went genuinely nuts. The music was fast, danceable, and loud, 70's punk ethos mixed with electronic loops and beats.

Lucky for us, Montreal based indie rock duo Handsome Furs is coming to Shanghai! Currently touring Asia, the band will be making a stop at everyone's favorite live music venue, Yuyintang, on Saturday, September 5.

These Are Powers, an American collaboration between ex-Liars bassist Pat Noecker, singer Anna Barie and drummer/producer Bill Salas will be hitting Zhijiang Dream Factory as part of a Maybe Mars lineup with P.K.14 and Carsick Cars on Saturday.

So we always get pretty excited about the bands Split Works brings over, but this has got us literally jumping up and down in our rooms in glee. The Handsome Furs, the indie rock duo project of Wolf Parade's Dan Boeckner and his wife Alexei Perry, are going to hit up Yu Yin Tang on September 5th. Tickets will be 80RMB at the door, and 70RMB if you book it early through Taobao or by email. Opening acts are yet to be decided, but heck - we don't care who's up on stage with them... the Handsome Furs are coming. THE HANDSOME FURS ARE COMING!

   

Philadelphia's Brian Seymour (MySpace) will once again be performing an acoustic set of his original music on Tuesday, June 23 at Cotton's on Xinhua Lu during the Shanghaiist Happy Hour, which runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Seymour is in town doing a series of shows at the House of Blues & Jazz — it's called "The Piano Has Been Drinking" and he's playing, naturally, the piano and singing the music of Tom Waits. For us, he'll be playing guitar and performing songs from his albums.

Hope to see you all tonight at Cotton's on Xinhua Lu for the Shanghaiist Happy Hour featuring a live performance from Philadelphia based musician Brian Seymour (MySpace), who is town doing a series of shows at the House of Blues & Jazz (he's playing piano and singing the music of Tom Waits). For us, he'll be playing guitar and performing an exclusive acoustic set of his originals. Based on what's happening outside our window right now, it looks like Brian will be playing indoors at Cotton's, which is fine by us (the speakers are better inside).

It's been close to three years since Philadelphia based musician Brian Seymour (MySpace) last visited us, but he's back. And he's playing an exclusive acoustic set of his originals Tuesday night at the Shanghaiist Happy Hour at Cotton's on Xinhua Lu. As usual, the Happy Hour runs from 6 to 10 p.m. and features free entry and 2-for-1 specials on selected drinks. Brian's set will kick off at around 7:30 p.m.

Ever heard of Ghost rock? We hadn't either until Berlin-based outfit Mio Myo stepped into town. The four person group, consisting of Uwe Eger, Thomas Authenried, Benni Pollach, and Michael Angerer, first formed in mid-2005, and have been making their mix of electro, guitar-based indie and pop sounds ever since.

So,the Mountain Goats have a new album out and on it is a song called "Tianchi Lake." It's about the the crater lake at Changbai Shan, in Jilin Province, on the North Korean border. (More photos from our 2004 trip to Tianchi here.)

By W.E.B Lowery

Yeahhhhh, boyyyyyyy!

When it comes to live music, Shanghai's long had an inferiority complex when comparing ourselves to Beijing, and often drowned out that lack of music with plenty of beer. But after taking a glimpse of what is happening in June, we're starting to feel a real glimmer of hope. This week kicks it all off with a number of talented bands taking the stage.

Recently, Shanghai has had its fill of hip hop, indie rock, and classic rock artists come to perform for the expats locals. We'll now get a bit of the pop and R&B vocal genres with the recent announcement of Christina Aguilera's Asian tour dates, which includes a stop in Shanghai. It will be her only concert in China ... sorry, Beijing. The tour is part of Christina's Back to Basics tour, featuring songs from her...

There are a lot of tempting events coming up this weekend. But please don't invite us, we're saving up for Kenny G.

Seattle indie rock band Pretty Girls Make Graves are touring China before returning to the US for a few shows in May—their last, together, as a band. They are doing Beijing and Hong Kong before wrapping up their China tour in Shanghai, at 4Live on April 28, though the venue's event calendar doesn't extend beyond mid-March as of now.

Shanghaiist read about The Den in the English mags and websites, and from the description it seemed decent -- a chill place which is a bar, lounge and massage parlor combined. What's more, Brad Prichard plays indie rock on Tuesday nights -- so we headed out there to see what it was all about. It's hard to be picky about the location, which although is by no means far away, but seems a bit out of the way in that there is nothing else around there, save a Bi Feng Tang and the like.

What was this about relaxing on the last weekend of a holiday? Nonsense, that’s what it was. We’ve been busy -- actually Brad’s been busy and we tried to help him (more on that in a few), but we still managed to get the show out … albeit, a few days late. Sorry.

Phillyist keeps it fresh by getting a new motto, learning to prioritize, and taking in an experimental indie rock show.

There is a catch of course, 40 RMB to get in to La Fabrique and drinks only stay cheap till 11 pm, but, that's a better deal than just about anywhere else for those not in the city on expense accounts, and, once you've sunk a few cheap ones, you can get on down and enjoy one of the few nights in Shanghai where the music being played is not the usual cover band guff, commercial hip-hop or other cheesy shite pervading the scene here.

Shanghaiist asked its contributors (and a few "music people" in town) to list their five favorite albums released (or yet-to-be released) somewhere in the world in 2006. Got a list of your own? Submit your favorite 2006 music as a comment to this post. Enjoy!

Further proof that indie rock is this decade's grunge and thanks to its burgeoning popularity and "hipness" is doomed to die a slow, watered down, homogenized death (and will probably lead to another reactionary slew of Britneys and boy bands in about eight years or so): Vogue China has a story about "indie music" in its June 2006 issue.

The week starts out right when a sucker punch on the field lands Chicagoist in the middle of a Sox/Cubs throwdown and the fists continue to fly in the comments. Despite suburban resident Ms. Pinney's best little try no books will be banned anytime soon and the El is really really gross.

Where do you stand in the 021 Bar/Shrock.cn controversy? Shanghaiist has been light on the scene for a while and wasn't there for the height of the drama, but by reviewing the thread linked above you can get the general idea: a run-down bar in the Yangpu district run by some "rock immigrants" from Xiamen, has the support of local favorites San Huang Ji, over-enthusiastically and haphazardly organizes concerts, sometimes announcing bands who later deny that they had been contracted to play.

Some of Shanghai's best live rock and an all-you-can drink open bar for 100 kuai ... all inside one of the city's coolest new venues for live music? Yeah, that'll work. Set aside April 21 -- should be a fun night:

Michael Ohlsson, underground DJ

We hate to sound like we're shilling for Live Bar, but with ten shows in the five weeks since they officially opened, the Yangpu dive is fast becoming the number one venue for live rock music in Shanghai. Three consecutive concerts this past weekend meant six long cab rides, 13 bands, and innumerable (20-kuai!) pitchers of beer.

This weekend Club One is holding its grand opening, DJ Zohra will be pumping uplifting house at Rojam, DJ Boro brings the electro to Fabrique ... (thanks SmartShanghai!) "But wait!" you cry. "Where are the guitars? Where are the jam sessions at smoky bars that the police come to shut down at 1 am?" Well, Shanghaiist hears you. Read on for this week's concert preview:

The Halloween weekend is coming up, and the indie rock scene is here to answer Shanghailander cravings for unsigned talent with several shows lined up: