
Last weekend was a balckhole of Capoeira.. i basically went in and didn’t come out until late monday night. Missed out on quite a few good shows apparently but oh well… Time however for music to take its due now and there is a nice set of gigs coming up to just do that! Let’s get started without delay Thursday April 18 Mademoiselle @ Jianghu The Canadian Mynx is back from an extended overseas trip that saw her play throughout north and south america. For a moment there, i thought Beijing might have lost her for good. No worries though, she’s back and we’re getting ready to get a dose of her addictive suave Jazz starting tonight at Jianghu. I could think of worse ways to start preparing a weekend. Friday April 19 Death to Giants @ Old What Bar Shanghai freak rockers, Death to Giants, along with DJ B.O are putting together a show featuring a collaboration between Death to Giants and DJ B.O known as Death to Cinema. DJ B.O will be screening hand-picked film clips while DtG improvises a soundtrack on the spot. Sounds pretty fun and freaky to me. Also a pretty good option is you can’t catch them at Temple Saturday night. Worm is Green @ Yugong Yishan Trip Hop from Iceland…. do i even need to say more? it sounds so bizarre that it might be worth checking out! I honestly have no idea what to expect but it’s one of those things where [...]
There’s a lingering feeling that most of us are suffering from post-festival apathy.. too much music, too little time and tons of other obligations. Still, no rest for the wicked and things are moving on for the weekend. Let’s see what’s kicking, shortslants style Thursday May 10: The Stanleys, another Your Town Touring band, hits Mao live with help from 16mn, Perpetual motion Machine and Summer Sunshine. It’s an interesting little combo of power pop punk that might work out as a good transition for the weekend. Flau Night at 2 Kolegas: This Japanese experimental label has been earning rave praise day in day out with their artists. It could be an interesting evening. Flau’s owner, aus (Yasuhiko Fukuzono) will perform, together with two other Flau artists, Cokiyu and Cuushe. It shhould be good but then again, remember, I have no understanding of electronic experimental stuff. Friday May 11 Jungle Mico celebrates their one year anniversary at 2 Kolegas. They’ve steadily built up one hell of a reputation in Beijing combining instruments and beats for some interesting sounds. They have impressed a lot of people and i want to be next! Juratt & Mamer come to Zajia Labs for a little up-close acoustic session. They used to hold these as a background to folks sipping on a single malt at Amilal. Zajia is intimate enough for them to pull off something interesting and magical. Expect more melodies and folk than industrial rock. Hot Cat is putting on a Bob Marley [...]
You’re in it for a treat Beijingers… this is a good weekend with some substantial goodies in store for you all. I’m just pissed off I’m gonna miss a lot of it due to out-of-town Capoeira commitments. Let’s get started: Thursday April 19th: Swan Punch @ Tango Metalheads from Denmark hit Beijing tonight as part of their China tour. I just heard a few samples of the two bands scheduled to play tonight and these kids are not bad! Cool little show to get for a heavy hitting start to the weekend. The Kandidate are relatively new whereas Scarred by Beauty are hardened veterans of the scene and fuse a few different types of metal together. Me thinks it could be worth it. Borbetomagus @ 2 Kolegas Art Noise from New York City… really ‘daze? art noise? well, I’ve only ever been exposed to the local variety of noise so it might be enlightening/refreshing to see what other people do with this kind of music elsewhere. I have absolutely no clue as to what they do and therein lies my interest. just got word that this was canceled folks.. sorry. Friday April 20th Abaji @ Temple Last year, Abaji brought Jianghu to its knees! This guy is so freaking talented that just thinking about the prospects of watching him play sends shivers down my spine. It’s bedoin blues, world music, incredible musicianship and much more! I’m not sure how Temple is gonna handle this but i might just get to [...]
It’s a transient city, a transient lifestyle and it’s bound to happen sooner or later to most expat musos.. they leave! It was Mathieu Wahiche‘s turn… On a rainy November friday night at 2 Kolegas, friends and musicians gathered for one of the last 2 gigs he would be playing with his bandmates in Mademoiselle et son Orchestre. As they say, he came, he saw, he played and he conquered… We had fun dancing the night away to old French jazz ditties, having a few drinks and here’s hoping the paths cross again soon. What happens to Mademoiselle now? Well, the band goes on without Mathieu for the moment but they should be fine! Marie Claude has managed plenty of transitions with musicians over the years. It was a bit of strange night sound wise at 2K though with most of the band members having issues with sound monitors and especially the drums but alas, on that night, it didn’t matter much. We had plenty of people clapping then singing along and that’s what it’s about. Thanks for the music, the memories, the conversations and the good times!
man this week just flew by. I’ve been mostly hibernating catching up with recordings from here and there but it’s time to look forward to the what the week end will bring musically: Thursday November 17th: Starfruit @ Jianghu: This one just sounds intriguing… progressive folk accompanied with Italian poetry reading. 40rmb entrance fee also gets you 2 CDs according to the douban event but don’t quote me on this. Friday November 18th: Mademoiselle @ 2Kolegas: Marie Claude and her gang make it to 2 Kolegas for one last time with this lineup before Mathieux departs from the big silly. The band has survived many lineup changes already but this one is gonna be tougher to swallow than the others me thinks. So grab some dinner and then hit the drive-in for some good Gypsy Jazz action and little glamour Quebequois. It’s gonna be a fun time! Thick Makeup night @Mako: This is a weird one out of left field but if you’re into the makeup Goth metal stuff, this might be the place for you! Japanese bands, local bands and more all gather around shuangjing… lineup includes Residual Poem, Dengel, Toreador, 暗绽乐队Bloom In the Dark, 夜莺乐队Nightingale. Lidong @ Jiangjinjiu: The ningxia folksters are on the last stretch perfecting their craft before they’re ready to release an album. They’re no longer referred to in English as “Migratory Bird” but simply “EAST”…. sing alongs, harmonies, a few good people in a warm place. Not bad! Da Bang @ Yugong Yishan: Not [...]
It’s that time of the week where we look ahead at the next few days and all the musical goodness they bring to us. There’s plenty of action in and out of town to keep everyone happy so without further delay, let’s kick it: Thursday July 28 Cranberries @ Wukesong Dolores and her gang visit Beijing and bring back memories of the mid nineties when they were one of the hippest most dedicated bands around. I’m not exactly sure what they’ve been up to over the past few years but I’m nevertheless looking forward to seeing them rock old smoggy with good crowd pleasers like Ode to my Family, Zombie, Animal Instinct and more. Randy Abel Stable @ Jianghu The self proclaimed (and rightfully so) Hardest Working Bluegrass Band in China takes over Jianghu for what promises to be an inspiring performance filled with blues, country, folk and Appalachian sonic goodness. The band has progressed tremendously since their debut a few months back and I’m sure hoping they capitalize on their chance to get a record started. Friday July 29: Mademoiselle @ Jianghu Yes, we’re still big fans of the Montreal Mynx over at ‘daze central. Marie-Claude and her gang deliver each and every time they play their brand of Gypsy folk-infused Jazz. She’s won over just about everyone that has gone to see her play and the CD was good. Still, maybe it’s time for some new tunes… as long as she keeps on singing “le grand mur”, I [...]
I’m not sure where to start reviewing this baby because it’s so close to my heart and it’s very very very freaking biased but here comes folks! It’s gonna be a long one so buckle up and get a cup of coffee! I’ll start off by thanking 2 Kolegas for being the perfect venue and the Beijing Meteorological Bureau for their outmost cooperation. I need to thank the amazing Ruby for being at my side throughout the whole thing and helping keep the show rolling smooth. Trust me folks, dealing with 15 bands and their schedules was not an easy feat and she was a freaking Champ. Couldn’t have pulled it through without you babe! Thank you to Iris, Grace, Fiona and Mo Mo for manning the merch table I also need to thank Jaime Welton of Black Cat Bone/Bad Mamasan for cutting his vacation short to come and play ‘dazeFEAST no matter how hard that was. Huge thanks go out to Yang from Painkiller Mag and Rock in China for sorting out the Orange Amps Another big ups for Chery Bomb of the Flying Mantas for helping get flyers sorted out Thanks to Lauren Johnson, nightlife editor at City Weekend for the huge support she provided over the past few weeks. Thanks to Timeout, The Beijinger, Beijing Boyce, Beijing Gig Guide and Music Dish China and all others for also listing the event. A huge round of applause to all the bands and musicians because without the bands, there [...]