‘Music, please save me’
November 11, 2011 Filed under Livehouse
By He Jianwei
Fans of Taiwanese musician Sandee Chan call her “princess” because of her commanding and majestic stage presence, but for most of her career, she was famous for operating outside the limelight.
Sandee Chan (right) and a doll designed for her latest album, I Love You, John
Chan first made a name for herself as a producer and songwriter, crafting songs for pop stars from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore over 15 years. She composed the theme song for Wong Kar Wai’s film In the Mood for Love in 2000, and last year she wrote the soundtrack for the Taiwanese movie Monga.
As a singer, however, her fame has been delayed. She won her first singing award, for Best Female Singer, at the 20th Golden Melody Award in 2009.
This weekend, she begins her mainland tour with her latest album, I Love You, John.
Chan’s music is unconstrained by genre, sampling the styles of alternative folk, pop and electronic. Her latest album is not as heavy as her previous works. She describes it as modern, retro, simple, youthful and laid-back.
Chan studied piano during childhood and played the keyboard in high school. She founded her first rock band when she was a freshman at Cheng Chi University and started to write songs.
The independent record label Friendly Dogs discovered her in 1991, when she was performing on stage at Young Star, an annual competition of college bands in Taiwan.
Revels in a courtyard
September 2, 2011 Filed under Livehouse
By He Jianwei
Tonight, a white spotlight will shine on a patch of grass, lengthening the shadows of performers on the wall. Six bands will perform at a courtyard in Fangjia Hutong to open the third 789 Festival Young, a presentation of artists born after 1970.
Lure/Photos provided by 789 Festival Young
The curator You Yang selected musicians of different styles, from folk to punk, pop to techno, but these performers share common characteristics: a critical spirit and willingness for self-examination.
Influenced by American bands Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lure is a five-person punk band founded in 1998.
With his typical punk haircut, lead singer and guitarist Lei Lin is a bad boy. Most of his lyrics are about sex and violence – the darkness of humanity – and are critical of social issues.
Exit A
Born in the late 1970s, Lei was a rebellious teenager who started to learn guitar with his older brother when he was 15. At first, he wanted to make melodious music, but his rebelliousness expressed itself in his hard, angry playing.
In the band’s last album, Sweet Times, released last year, Lei writes, “When we could not speak out love, virginity went into the toilet; I gazed at the crazy world with wondering eyes; I felt depressed, then I smiled … I dreamed Buddha’s light, but it did not give me guide.”
Lure has incorporated gothic and grunge influences into its music as well.
Like Lure, Exit A’s songs are also blunt. Influenced by synthpop and industrial, it combines the piano and synthesizer in its music.
Many young Chinese rock bands prefer to write English lyrics, but Cao Yang, the lead of Exit A, insists on Chinese lyrics. He understands that some bands want to attract an international audience, but he believes it’s only reasonable to use Chinese to tell stories of China.
As its name suggests, Exit A’s music seeks an escape from reality.
In the album The Opposite Direction, Cao criticizes the loss of belief and ideals. “They run in opposite directions further and further and have forgotten what they believe as they forgot themselves in those years; they run faster and faster on the road of vanity and have forgotten their ideals as revenge for being forgotten by their ideals.”
Heatwave
May 24, 2011 Filed under Community, Yu Shanshan
Event information
Event name:heatwave
Host:CLUB* EZ
Event typeMusic – Other
Time & Place
Date:May 27, 2011
Time:22:00 – 4:00
Neighbourhood:海淀区(Haidian) District
Phone:18901147010
Event Description
the one who fighting is electro about 10years
DJ Oshi and DJ Tnem. they carry to us their special and full of enough BASS-DRIVEN ELECTRO and GHETTO HOUSE come to China, and get on BJ.
they will use their talent to bring u a super electro.
Mongolian Horse – Dolan Band
May 23, 2011 Filed under Community, Yu Shanshan
Event information
Event name:Mongolian Horse – Dolan Band (都兰)
Host:Jianghu Bar
Event typeMusic – Concert
Location7 Dongmianhua Hutong, Jiaodaokou Nandajie
Time & Place
Date:May 26, 2011
Time:21:00 – 23:30
Neighbourhood:东城区(Dongcheng) District
Phone:18610087613
E-mail:jincanzh@gmail.com
Event Description
Mongolian Horse – Dolan Band (都兰)
Time: 2011-5-26 21:00
Ticket: 30RMB
Venue: Jianghu Bar, 7 Dongmianhua Hutong, Jiaodaokou Nandajie， Dongcheng District
douban site: http://site.douban.com/jianghujiubar/
Tel: 18610087613
Dolan(都兰)： http://site.douban.com/dolanmusic/
Koomei, Horse-head-fiddle, Long Song, all the art fortune of Mongolian.
Dolan Band inherited the traditional Mongolian spirit. They are traditional for that Mongolian culture and spirit have been already engraved on them. Mongolian prairies and culture are experiencing the most tragic moment since the Mongolian culture is being forgotten in the process of unavoidable modern industrialization. Dolan Band insist on composing music in an ecosystem. They have extraordinary dedication of the inheritance of Mongolian history, culture and music. The members of Dolan Band express a distinct frank, uninhibited and bold temperament which is typical for Mongolian people. Their passion is like galloping horses. At the meanwhile, they are also quiet, meaningful and thought-provoking to show the rhythm of life from the deep recesses of their Mongolian soul, in silence, in croon. All the most beautiful Mongolian songs are about horses, about all the wonderful fortunes occur when Mongolian people are running on the horses. The significant instrument of Mongolian music is Horse-head-fiddle, which is a bowed stringed instrument with a scroll carved like a horse’s head. It is believed by Mongolians that as long as Mongolian can exist, the sound of Horse-head-fiddle will never disappear. HuMei, a unique way of Mongolian music, its bass is deep, grand, mysterious and of majesty, and its treble has a great penetrating power. It expresses bold and generous heart, together with softness and sentiment of Mongolian people through changeable voice part shift. Long Song is a way of singing widespread on the Mongolian prairies. Its tune is long-drawn-out and soft. Only these tunes which are full of love and missing of their hometown can make people feel warm. Dolan Band inherited Mongolian spirits from the nature to inspire fresh musical creation, to feel happy. They are like Mongolian horses in the ancient war. They will always sing of horses, love, life and growth in nature on their way of music
Modern Sky VI Album Release Party And FAT ART LIVE
May 19, 2011 Filed under Community, Yu Shanshan
Event information
Event name:MODERN SKY VI Album Release Party And FAT ART LIVE
Host:Yugong Yishan
Event typeMusic – Concert
LocationWest Courtyard Former Site of Duan Qirui Government, Zhang Zizhong Road 3-2, Dongcheng District
Time & Place
Date:May 20, 2011
Time:21:00 – 2:00
Neighbourhood:东城区(Dongcheng) District
Phone:64042711
E-mail:info@yugongyishan.com
Event Description
BIGGER BANG
ME灌ME
LAZY CAMELS
街道杀死奇怪的动物
梁旭
晚9:30 // 80元 / 60元（预售）
BIGGER BANG
ME GUAN ME
LAZY CAMELS
STREETS KILL STRANGE ANIMALS
LIANG XU
Pm 9:30 // Rmb 80 / 60 (presale）
Bob Marley Day
May 11, 2011 Filed under Community, Yu Shanshan
Event information
Event name:鲍勃•马利日 BOB MARLEY DAY
Host:Adam Dorothea
Event typeMusic – Concert
Location
West Courtyard Former Site of Duan Qirui Government, Zhang Zizhong Road 3-2, Dongcheng District
Time & Place
Date:May 11, 2011
Time:21:00 – 2:00
Neighbourhood:东城区(Dongcheng) District
Phone:64042711
E-mail:info@yugongyishan.com
Event Description
live performance by
LONGSHENDAO
MITABE
Soundsystems by
MEIWENTI SOUND
[DJs Oscar / Mat]
ULTIMATE PRODUCTIONS
[DJs S-press / O.P. / Zee + MC NorrisMan]
晚9点 // 80元 / 50元 (预售/presale)
ONE STEP FORWARD
May 6, 2011 Filed under Community, Yu Shanshan
Event information
Event name:ONE STEP FORWARD
Host:Pk Buyika
Event typeParty – Club Party
Time & Place
Date:May 7, 2011
Time:21:00 – 4:00
Neighbourhood:Chaoyang District
Phone:13693605284
E-mail:26smoothop@gmail.com
Event Description
ONE STEP FORWARD
Roots, Rock, Reggae May Session
indoor,
LIVE MUSIC(Bands):
The Heavenly Stems(ROCK)
The Rudeness (SKA)
Bimkabi (Reggae)
Outdoor,
SOUND SYSTEMS BY:
ULTIMATE PRO. (Reggae, Dance hall)
MEIWENTI SOUND (Roots, Dub stepper)
+ MC’s
*CARIBBEAN FOOD CORNER* by Rose(Private Kitchen)
NEON Electronic Music Night
May 4, 2011 Filed under Community, Yu Shanshan
Event information
Event name:NEON Electronic Music Night
Host:Tekeste Sebhat
Event typeParty – Club Party
Time & Place
Date:May 6, 2011
Time:22:00 – 6:00
Neighbourhood:海淀区(Haidian) District
Phone:3552579130 or 15011571057 (in English) or
E-mail:tekeste.s@gmail.com
Event Description
Experience throbbing house and techno beats at the new electronic music event – NEON. The sounds are provided by The M resident and rising star A.M.U with his futuristic electro-techno hybrid and supported by Travis Dodd and Pavel Ploy with no-nonsense techno and house. Get your glowsticks out and the groove on!
For more information please call 13552579130 or 15011571057 (in English) or 62551616 (in Chinese).
Door fee 40 RMB
China Music Valley International music festival
April 27, 2011 Filed under Community, Yu Shanshan
Event information
Event name:China Music Valley International music festival
Host:Cathy
Event typeMusic – Concert
LocationNo.688 Dawangwu village,Donggaocun,pinggu,Beijing
Time & Place
Date:April 30, 2011
Time:14:00 – 0:00
Neighbourhood:平谷区(Pinggu) District
E-mail:cathy.zhang@gehua-livenation.com.cn
Event Description
Without even happening, the 2011 China Music Valley International music festival is already described to be the most expected musical festival in modern China.
The international orientated line up consists of multiple worldclass ROCK stars and the hottest bands from all over the world. Which includes multi platinum Selling Canadian Artist Avril Lavigne , Grammy Nominated British artist Kt Tunstall , MTV Europe Music Award nominated British artist Little Boots , Brit Awards and Mercury prize nominated British band Editors , The Hottest British Electro Group Ladytron 2 Times Juno awards nominated Canadian band Hot Hot Heat , Oscar , Golden Globe and Emmy awards nominated actress Juliette Lewis , Negative (European Music Awards Named ‘Best Finnish Act’ ) and the most famous American retro-rock band Rooney . A music event like this never set place within China’s boundaries before.
In addition to the sensational international lineup, The Hongkong , Taiwan and Mainland artists also will join the festival , which include Tiger Wong , Huang Shu June , Paul Wong , F.I.R ,Free the bird and many more .
Besides having the best line up , the festival provides in excellent transportation towards the Ping Gu area. Up till 100 shuttle buses will be arranging the transfer of the attendees for both days . With all preparations, the security will put up to the maximum and the food and beverage supply will also be above standards.
The festival will be held at the Ping Gu District in Beijing on April 30th and May 1st. Beijing’s Ping Gu district is located 60 Kilometers from downtown Beijing . Ping Gu is also known as the hometown of violin production .
The top level festival organized by Gehua Live Nation will be highly supported by the Ping Gu government. In previous concerts Gehua Live Nation has presented super stars like Kylie Minogue, Kanye West,The Eagles,Bob Dylan tour etc.
For more information about the music festival ,
Please visit the website www.cmvfestival.com and tickets can be booked at www.mypiao.com or call 400-620-6006,010-65855755.
Legendary Sunday Brunch live groove
April 15, 2011 Filed under Yu Shanshan
Event information
Event name:Legendary Sunday Brunch live groove – Lorenzo & Casablanca
Host:Lorenzo
Event typeOther – Festival
Location8 Wangfujing East street, Dongcheng – opposite the old Taiwan Fandie.
Time & Place
Date:April 17, 2011
Time:11:30 – 15:30
Neighbourhood:朝阳区(Chaoyang) District
Phone:13522260721
E-mail:entertainment@legacyartistes.com
Event Description
Lorenzo & Casablanca live groove perform at the Legendary Sunday brunch Fizztastic – Hilton Wangfujing hotel. For the 3rd year running – Beijing’s best Sunday brunch groove.
Ask anyone who has been….they will tell you why they keep coming back for more and more…
