So it’s been a long, long time since I, or anyone else for that matter, has stirred the pot in the stew that is our City Weekend online-blog forum/discussion group/rant-and-rave medium.  Long gone are the days of 4-Live, S.T.D. seems to have left the live-music community hanging in limbo, and even YuYinTang has downsized their offerings as of late.
 Sure, this could potentially be attributed to the Spring Festival holidays, but, in reality, the ice-caps froze the gravitational-flow of our local “scene” long before the incessant screams of firecrackers and pungent smell of sulfur invaded the streets of Shanghai. (Note that I’ve used quotation marks around the word “scene,” because, well, the jury is still out on the validity of that terminology as applied to Shanghai.)
 Now, as everyone returns from Hainan, Vietnam, Thailand, or wherever they may have gone on holiday (Shanghai in my case), I am declaring an instant call to arms to take back the stages, crank up the amps, and celebrate the rock and/or roll.
 As a realist, I know that Shanghai is not ‘rock city’ by any means, but, as an escapist/surrealist, I am confident in Shanghai’s ability to party for any and every reason possible.
 Enter ‘Get in the Van’: Shanghai’s newest and most daring rock show to date.  The brainchild of several local rock bands (yes, I am a co-conspirator in this operation), ‘Get in the Van’, which kicks off on February 22nd, is a user-friendly live-music experience that is designed for the most important people in the whole equation: the fans.  The multi-venue event (Live Bar / LOgO) will literally bring attendees to a rock show (Live Bar), introduce you to three of the best bands in Shanghai (Boys Climbing Ropes, The Rogue Transmission, and Banana Monkey), and afterward bus everyone off to an afterparty (LOgO) with yet another band (Hard Queen) and rock DJs (Boya, Danny Rogue, PH-DJ).
 Even if I weren’t the promoter of this event, it seems too good to be true.  Sure Live Bar is quite far away, but, for a mere 10 RMB you can ride the ultimate party bus (note: there will be free REEB provided and it’s a roundtrip ticket) to the Hongkou venue (another note: the buses will depart from C’s Bar on Dingxi Lu. [near Fahuazhen Lu] at 8:30 pm).
 For those that know me, it can be said that I occasionally bitch about entrance fees at shows.  I have a serious problem paying 30 RMB to see one single band, mainly because I come from a place where you can watch 3 or 4 bands a night for $7 (U.S.), and, in the name of economies of scale I believe that many Shanghai shows are over priced.  That said, the cover charge to the Live Bar portion of ‘Get in the Van’ will be 30 RMB, but that’s three bands (all of which will be playing new material), not to mention the seriously cheap booze (seriously cheap, like Windows cheap) available at the venue.
 Post Live Bar, the buses will load back up and head off for even more live music at LOgO (note: the after party is free) and finally finish with even more rock in the form of some DJ sets.
 Anyone who reads this could potentially think, well ‘this dude’s just promoting his show’ and ‘how can this be credible’, but for those who know me (which I honestly think is a large number of people who actually read/write on this forum) you know that I go to almost every rock show in Shanghai and I am guaranteeing that this will be the best show of 2008 (to date).
 I’m done complaining about how no one cares about rock music any more, or how there are too few venues and not enough bands.  Rather than expect to see great live music every week, I’m making a commitment to actually making the music and providing a platform for bands and fans, friends and lovers, bros, foes, perhaps even, heroes to come together and just party.
 ‘Get in the Van’, which takes place on Friday, February 22nd, is my part (note: I am not alone in this effort, many of my friends have also contributed serious efforts to making this show a reality.  I am merely the vessel who transmits the information to the masses), now I challenge everyone to do theirs, but if you simply join me on this mobile adventure I’ll consider it even.

Get in the Van: Friday, February 22nd, 2008

8:30 pm: Busses from C’s Bar (Dingxi Lu. near Fahuazhen Lu.)

9:30 pm: Live Bar (721 Kunming Lu. near TongbeiLu.) Boys Climbing Ropes TheRogueTransmission Banana Monkey

1 am: LOgO ( 13 Xingfu Lu. near Fahuazhen Lu.) Hard Queen DJs Boya, Danny Rogue, PH-DJ

For more information and bus reservations contact getinthevan@live.com

• the opinions expressed in this article are not the opinions of City Weekend or Ringier Asia.

*if anyone wants to re-open 4-Live and leave me in charge, I’d be happy to accept the challenge.

*if you reply to this post I may be compensated.