So it’s just about Christmas time, the vast majority of CW Beat readers have already booked it for more exotic locales, and there’s not so much going on this weekend. The biggest thing on this week is the final Trash A Go-Go of the year at Yuyintang, featuring ... Read More
Big news in the Shanghai rock scene this week is the arrival of Duck Fight Goose’s long-awaited debut LP Sports, not to be confused with Huey Lewis and the News’ 1983 classic of the same name, slated for release this Friday, December 16th, at Yuyintang.
While DFG (interesting how ... Read More
“It’s sh*t…It’s rough… it gave me a hernia.” These are the first thoughts that occur to Xiao Zhong of Pairs when I asked him about touring China as an independent band.
But then again, Pairs are absolutely insane when it comes to touring. They tour constantly ... Read More
With this week’s BooshKaBaash, multi-venue festival set to kick off tonight with French Horn Rebellion at Mao Livehouse, The Beat takes a quick look at some of the greatest comedy rock groups of all time.
Kind of a stretch from Booshkabaash, to the Mighty Boosh, to comedy rock? Yea ... Read More
There is a split in the world of musicians, one that you may not have even known existed. But mislabel the wrong person be prepared to face the wrath. This oft-confused rift is that between DJ and Producer. WTF, I hear you wonder? Is there really a difference?
Calling a ... Read More
Monday, November 28th, finally saw the arrival of Scottish post-rock legends Mogwai at Shanghai’s Mao Livehouse, after the Glasgow quintet already rocked Beijing’s Modern Sky Festival in October 2011.
Playing to a packed crowd of over 1,000, Mogwai jammed out a tight 80-plus minute set, busting out ... Read More
Underground music lovers unite in a squeal of glee. Shanghai has a promising new live house on the radar.
What makes it promising you might ask? Well, there are countless venues in the city, most of which I don’t count. Why? They don’t put on shows that rock ... Read More
This Thursday, November 24th, local charity group BEAN is teaming up with a handful of local bands for their annual Rocksgiving charity show, which helps feed migrant school children.
Featuring Boys Climbing Ropes, Rainbow Danger Club, Next Year’s Love and more, Rocksgiving aims to use music to help address ... Read More
Fresh off a six week US tour, that included a handful of dates on the Vans Warped Tour and exposure in Billboard Magazine, Beijing street punks Demerit are one of the few remaining bands from the heyday of Beijing’s early/mid-naughties punk scene.
While the capital’s penchant for ... Read More
Gold star and a cookie if you can name five Chinese Rock Bands. If you can, it’s likely 2 or 3 are on the Maybe Mars label.
Run out of Beijing, Maybe Mars started in 2007 out of a desire to see bands that were outside of mainstream pop ... Read More
In honor of local trio Friend or Foe’s upcoming release show at Yuyintang, The Beat is taking a look at bands throughout rock and metal history who have hidden their identities in the name of schtick and awe, and, in the case of KISS’ Gene Simmons, spared us all ... Read More
As has been the case over the last several years, Shanghai’s rock scene tends to heat up right around the same time that the temperature begins to drop.
With just under two months to go before everyone skips town for Christmas, New Year and semester break, a quartet of ... Read More
Last month, Shanghai experienced an unusually-high level of celebrity-band sightings with both Taylor Momsen of Gossip Girl fame touching down at Mao Livehouse with her The Pretty Reckless, and My So-Called Life heartthrob Jared Leto bumming the Black Rabbit Festival crowd out with his off-pitch vocals and faux-hawk, fronting platinum ... Read More
This weekend is a busy one for music. Here are two choice options.
On Friday, Toninho Horta, a Brazilian legend of the Samba guitar will descend into Brown Sugar This guy is considered one of the greatest guitar players in the world. Music made by Brazilians just receives a general ... Read More
In advance of Chongqing indie quintet Deep Green Sea’s upcoming show at Shanhai Livehouse on Sunday, October, 23rd, The Beat takes a look back at their 2008 debut Deep & 深.
A collection of eight soft and eerie tunes, Deep Green Sea’s Deep & 深 has more in common with ... Read More
Local musos and instrument geeks are well aware that during this past week, China’s population of guitar and bass nerds, piano aficionados and wannabe Neil Pert drummers all converged at Shanghai’s Music China 2011 instrument expo, but what they may have missed was a free night of virtuoso ... Read More
Ever been to Mauritius? I’d be surprised if you said yes. This tiny island off the coast of Madagascar boasts a population of slightly over one million. Yet, surprisingly, Mauritians are well represented among Shanghai’s musicians and this is due largely to Gilbert Kuppusami.
Co-front man for Lions ... Read More
Note to readers: While the name of this semi-regular column denotes next day concert reviews, this installment is a bit late.
On Tuesday, October 4th, after a full day of performances by, The Whip (UK), Fuzzy Mood, The Ocean (DE), Wanderlust, and some 19 other bands, artists and DJs at ... Read More
Heard of Weibo but not quite sure what it is? Join the club. Despite having some 140 million users, most in China, Weibo has yet to penetrate the protective layers of self-absorption wrapped around most Laowai circles. But it has begun to gently probe my layers, and I decided to ... Read More
Hailing from Singapore, indie quartet Cheating Sons play a unique brand of Americana-infused indie rock, rife with lush instrumentation and well-arranged vocal harmonies.
Already a mainstay in Singapore’s nascent indie scene, Cheating Sons released their debut LP Masters, Wives, Daughter in January 2011, earning rave reviews locally, and are ... Read More
Jason Meilink of The Butchery Introdu...
By NARSFWEASELS
Ooh, this is a bit shameless. But I do have a question for Jason: Many... >>