Review: James Blake @ The Moody Theater
Many years ago (2013) I was living in a strange and distant place (Shanghai) and heard the news that James Blake, singer of a song that still gives me chills to this day (“Retrograde“) [...]
shanghai
Review: Frank Turner is everything I ever want to be
I am not ashamed to admit I adore everything about Frank Turner. He’s one of the rare (perhaps only) artists I ever saw multiple times in Shanghai (twice!), so already I appreciate the wits of [...]
Lady Gaga is banned in China. Join the club!
Lady Gaga has been banned in China after meeting with the Dalai Lama before he presented the keynote address at the annual United States Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis on Sunday. She has now [...]
China says “nah” to Maroon 5; can’t say I blame ’em
Sometimes I ask myself, “Why, exactly, have I seen The Backstreet Boys three times in my adult life?” It’s because the tickets were comped, I lived in Shanghai, and viable musical [...]
Record Store Day (Austin 2015)
Dudes, I was SO THRILLED when a record shop opened up in Shanghai (What up, Uptown Records! Hope you’re still around). And I was also really psyched when they started recognizing Record Store Day, [...]
Download NOW — We Are Shanghai Vol. III
Are you a Lazy Person, like me? Don’t worry, our very valid medical condition (just like Restless Legs Syndrome!) will one day be accepted and we will no longer have to be ashamed and hide from [...]
Cough vough, my lungs are full
I have tons of shows to review. Tons. Temples. Delorean. Sebadoh. Okkervil River. And of course: Neutral Milk Hotel. But in the meantime, I’m back in Shanghai and am trying to breathe this [...]
Every band in Shanghai, ever
Hey, have you never seen a Shanghai band? First of all, shame. Second of all, you can easily make up for it this weekend by seeing every band in Shanghai. Yes. Every band in Shanghai. First up is the [...]
New band or delicious snack? You be the judge.
So I was out and about last night, minding my own business, and happened to catch a street performance by either a possible new band in Shanghai or a delicious new imported snack: the Lil Meat Pie [...]
Sometimes it’s pretty cool to write about music
I both love and hate music festivals. Like everyone. This should sum it up. And when you’re working at a music festival, it’s a mixed bag. On one hand, you totally get in free and with a [...]
Review: Rock ‘n’ roll at Yuyintang with lots of white guys
Sometimes it’s nice just to go somewhere and hear some music. You know, nothing fancy. Just some good ol’ slightly messy, very loud, strangely enthusiastic music. For a cheap-ass price. [...]
Yesterday, I bought some records and the whole world celebrated!
Yesterday was all miserable and cold and shit but also Record Store Day. So, you know, records. I like records and I have a lot of records, despite the fact that I am neither a hipster nor an old [...]
Beach Boys + bird flu (related??)
Hahaaa, nooo, The Beach Boys didn’t bring the bird flu to China. OR DID THEY??! No, they didn’t. Really. Though it is quite the coincidence that the Beach Boys played in Shanghai on March [...]
Review: Made in Shanghai, except for all the balls on stage
I’ll get to the balls in just a moment. Last night was a “Made in Shanghai” night at Yuyintang, meaning they had four Shanghai bands on, three of which I’d never heard live [...]
Review: Wooozy Session #10 (updated)
The Wooozy Sessions is a concert series from Wooozy.cn with the cooperation of Shanghai’s independent livehouses. They promote local bands and give them a platform to perform, and they also [...]
Is Frank Ocean moving to Shanghai?
The New York Times currently has a great interview/profile of Frank Ocean. Ocean, I think, is a really interesting artist right now–not because of all the hoopla surrounding his [...]
Laters, Inferno (updated)
Inferno, Shanghai’s best (but maybe also only) metal bar is shutting down. I think it’s only been open, oh, more than a year or so. I was reading about it over on Shanghai 24/7 and [...]
Blood Pours Out
The Horde wasn’t the only band working this weekend. Death to Giants also released their first full-length album at Yuyintang on Saturday. It’s called Blood Pours Out. Cause they’re [...]
Review: Consider Yourselves Conquered
It was a busy weekend for Shanghai music. On Friday I went out to see The Horde at 390 Live for the release of their EP Consider Yourselves Conquered. I love these guys and what they’re doing. [...]
“Anyone Can Learn to Count in Chinese” Death to Giants
Death to Giants is a Shanghai-based experimental noise/death pop duo. Nichols on bass and Ivan on drums. I think that they sort of started just playing around here and there, probably more as a fun [...]
Duck Fight Goose, Boys Climbing Ropes, This is Not the End
The title to the post actually sounds like a really awesome day out at the park somewhere, like, “I saw a duck fight a goose! Then some boys climbing ropes! And a kid got eaten by a dog! This [...]
Rainbow Danger Club – Into The Cellar
Rainbow Danger Club is a band here in Shanghai. They’ve been around a couple of years now and have just released a new EP called Into the Cellar. I’ve written about the Club pretty [...]
Upcoming Events: La Jiang You, Tiga at Arkham, YYs, Shelter’s anniversary!
Holy shit, there’s a lot going on on Saturday. There’s a new Shanghai La Jiang You party on over at Dada and I love these parties–the music is usually like deep techno (is that a [...]
Upcoming Events: BooshKaBaash 2012
One of the reasons Shanghai music is growing and (maybe someday?) thriving is because of some home-grown music festivals like BooshkaBaash. This is multi-event, multi-venue, multi-genre mini-fest [...]
Interview – Dan Shapiro of The Fever Machine
Smart Shanghai has a fantastic interview up this week with Dan Shapiro. Shapiro plays in the Shanghai band The Fever Machine, though he’s been around the city a while and has a few other bands [...]
Rocksgiving 2012
Last Friday was the annual Rocksgiving concert held again at Yuyintang, which has turned into a pretty cool charity event with BEAN Shanghai. This is the third time they’ve done it and also the [...]
Friend or Foe and What Have You Done With My Claw
390 Panyu Lu is a newish live house/gay bar in Shanghai. The performance area is quite small, but the sound is good and you can get up close and personal with everyone. I reckon some people [...]
Review: The Airplane Boys, Kikuyu
Figured Lune would be a good place last night, because I kinda wanted to see the Airplane Boys from Toronto. Because when I think hip hop, I think Toronto. Ah, that’s kind of mean to Canada. [...]
Smack Madness 