We're sure glad we left Southern Barbarian* when we did. We were told that the Maxïmo Park gig would start at 9 pm and that there would be an opening band. So someone brought up on Western rock concert tradition would assume the very earliest Maxïmo Park would take the stage would be 10 pm. But we figured it would be more like 11 pm or midnight — that way the bar sells more drinks. But when we arrived at 4 Live (or Fabrique ... or whatever we are supposed to call it) at around 9:45 pm we were shocked to find the headliners already on the stage and even more shocked when a friend told us they had already been playing for 20 minutes and that the opening act started at 8:15 pm. What kind of a punk (or post-punk) show was this? Oh — that's right — one in Shanghai. more ›

Win Maxïmo Park tickets! more ›

So, why do heavy bands employ the devilish double dot? To quote Spinal Tap guitarist David St. Hubbins (not to be confused with Shanghai-based English-language magazine freelancer, David Hubbins): "It’s like a pair of eyes. You're looking at the umlaut, and it's looking at you." Spinal Tap, incidentally, also rocks the umlaut, but it’s over the “n” -- and since that combination doesn’t exist in any language, it can’t be replicated on this page -- at least not using our version of Word. (Tap fans will also be aware that there is no dot over the “i” in the group’s name). more ›