Sushi, Inc.

Posted on July 2, 2008

Some PR folks from Sushi, Inc. contacted SmartShanghai to get this new venture from Haiku by Hatsune on our radar. Raised on sushi myself (childhood consisted of nary a home-cooked roast for yours truly) I felt it my duty and purpose to visit the other side of the pond and mix it up in the Lujiazui business district with some raw fish.

Ambiance: Citigroup Tower, Floor 2. Personally, I prefer not to dine in any structure dubbed "Tower" unless it was thus dubbed by Ludwig the Mad King of Bavaria. Tower eateries generate an airport ambiance, and I find myself continually checking for my passport. In the case of Sushi Inc., the outdoor patio where I hunkered down was actually an indoor balcony overlooking the building's sleek lobby. I sat with my back facing the lobby for a view of a trickling wall of water: rather soothing. In fact, the entire dining experience resonated with an aura unusual this side of the Huangpu: quiet.

I started off with the Hiyayakku Tofu. Presentation made a good impression; a delicate slab of creamy white tofu doused in dark green seaweed and light green scallions was as pleasing to the eye as to the palate. Next to arrive was the Wasabi Challenge, eight cut rolls of tuna and cucumber slathered in the Rising Sun's version of Tabasco. The rolls appeared on a two-foot slab of a plate, garnished with fish eggs as well as some unidentifiables, generating a murmur or two from fellow diners. I found the dish unexpectedly exigent ¨C certainly I've tasted hotter and more refined wasabi. Nevertheless, the Challenge left me with tears in my eyes.

For my main course I ordered the Chirashi Sushi. Traditionally, Chirashi is an assortment of sashimi (raw fish), arranged with color in mind and carefully laid on a bed of rice. I specifically chose this dish because I had been disappointed by Haiku's rendition and was wondering if Sushi, Inc. had developed any innovations. Alas, the Chirashi was identical to Haiku's, replete with scrambled egg studded rice. Seeing as I'd consumed this very meal before, the dish smarted with the ironic double whammy of being both bizarre and predictable.

I selected green tea ice cream for dessert, a staple of any Japanese joint. Meiyou. Moving on to vanilla bean. It tasted suspiciously like Haagen Dazs.

For my beverage, I enjoyed a Perrier, neat.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Sushi Inc, per se. Service was swift and kind and the sushi is fine. Despite the PR efforts to market Sushi, Inc. as an entity distinguishable from Haiku, the menu is essentially identical. I can recommend a lunch here should you work in the area. Given the location, expect to be surrounded by suits discussing stocks, the least expensive business class ticket to Shanghai (US$ 5,000), and a bear market...or was it bull...definitely bull.

Dinner for one with a drink: 200rmb

Main photo: Tony Cenicola, New York Times

CD Giveaway: The Bug

Posted on July 1, 2008

In anticipation of Ninja Tunes recording artist The Bug's performance this Saturday at The Shelter, we've got three free 12-track promo copies of his latest CD called "London Zoo" to give away.

The Bug is the moniker of the current project of London-based producer Kevin Martin. Coming from a rock and noise background (in particular an industrial-ish band called GOD), Martin incorporates hardcore elements into the music of dancehall, grime and hip hop, although his more recent work has invited the classifications of dubtronica, broken techno, and dub-step.

Formed as a duo back in 1997 with DJ supasta DJ Vadim, The Bug hatched the first album in that year, "Taping the Conversation," conceived as an alternative soundtrack to the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola film, The Conversation. The Bug's second album, "Pressure" showcased the ambient side of the project, which has included collaborations with a number of MCs including Cutty Ranks, Flow Dan, Warrior Queen, and Ras B.

This 12-track promo of his latest release "London Zoo" features Ricky Ranking, Warrior Queen, Flow Dan, Killa P, and Roger Robinson. A great little intro into the dub-step sound that has been receiving wide-spread attention these days, "London Zoo" also showcases the noise and grime "onslaughts" The Bug is known for.

Presented by Sub-Culture, The Bug plays this Saturday at The Shelter as part of the London Zoo album tour. Support by Viceroy, Drunk Monk, Deville, dji, MC Didje, and MC ChaCha. Cover: 50rmb.

Want a copy of The Bug's new CD? Send us an email here with "London Zoo, Shanghai Zoo" as the title, along with your name, mobile number and address (in Chinese if you can, and please include cross street).

USA A-OK

Posted on July 1, 2008

As a tribute to the upcoming American Independence Day this Friday, I give you in it's entirety Bill Pullman's speech from the 1996 Will Smith/ Jeff Goldblum blockbuster epic Independence Day:

***

"Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind.

"Mankind."

That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist.

And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!"

***

America: inventor of the hot dog, improver of the English language, originator of the suplex, birthplace of "America's Next Top Model".

Here are some places that will be celebrating USA Independence Day 2008.

Don't forget to bring your infectious, cocksure, shoot-from-the-hip swagger, your self-righteous ignorance of the rest of the world, and your utter disdain for the metric system:

Amcham's All-Day Independence Day Celebration

A family event organized by the American Chamber of Commerce, this one's happening all day Saturday starting from 2pm at the Sheshan Golf Estate Country Club: live music, games (potato sack race anyone?), a charity bazaar, and food. All the proceeds to earthquake relief. Probably several thousand miniature American flags as well. Tickets are 300rmb for members, 400rmb for non-members, and kids, 150rmb. Call 6279-7119 for tickets.

British Bulldog's Independence Day party

The new Bulldog pays tribute to the colonies: live music, food and drink specials, free t-shirts, live sports, and music from house band "Dogstyle." From 9pm until 10pm they're giving away free American Craft beer, and its buy one get one free on American Craft after that. That this Friday and there's no cover.

White Trash July 4 Bash at I Love Shanghai

Epicenter of cultural expression, I Love Shanghai salutes America in style. You know you're a redneck when... 150rmb gets you all-you-can eat BBQ & fixins and two free drink tickets. Keg games, obstacle course, fireworks, beer pong, all for USA Independence Day. Food by "Party On" catering.

The chanting of USA! USA! is all the more powerful when interspersed with the chanting of CHUG! CHUG!

Otto's Independence Day BBQ

The new Otto caf¨¦ on Nanjing rings in July 4 with a 150rmb BBQ feast after work on Friday. Free flow drinks and meat. To get that 150rmb price tag, send a message with the words "BBQ" and your name to 132 4808 2640.

Or just show up and pay 188rmb, but paying full price for stuff is not what our forefathers fought for.

They've got a nice, spacious patio at that new Otto as well.

Bubba's Golf Tourney

Bubba's is holding its second Annual July 4th Golf Charity event. This ones happening on Friday at the Lake Hill Country Club near Haining New Business District. Bubba's is providing a bus to the golf course and they'll have cold beer on board. To register, send an email to bubba@bubbas.com.cn and they'll get back to you with the full details. The event will benefit a Jane Goodall effort to improve school facilities in Shanghai for migrant worker children.

Attica's Independence Day

Attica is expanding their Independence Day party to include themes non-American: "we have taken the traditional American Independence Day and expanded it to make tonight a celebration of all themes independent and global." But they¡¯re hearts in the right place with a free Bud draft deal and the ¡°Budweiser Angels¡± in attendance.

Happy Independence Day! USA! USA!

[SmartShop] Ladies Swimsuits

Posted on June 30, 2008

Ladies, swimsuit season is around the corner! And you know what that means -- countless hours spent squeezing into impossibly awkward spandex bits, hoping for the best, only to become hopelessly disillusioned. Setting out for the suit quest in Shanghai can be even more vicious, with the notoriously clingy sales people and unreal sizing (medium?! LIES!). Luckily for you, this brave little reporter spent Monday navigating the mean streets and dreaded terrain of swimwear markets to narrow it down to a few select places where (fingers crossed) the trials will be slightly less tortuous.

Quiksilver / Roxy store (921 Huaihai Zhong Lu)
This one stop shop caters to those seeking to communicate the surfer lifestyle, and it carries a sporty assortment of beachwear including bikinis, one-pieces, board shorts, and accessories -- flip flops and carryalls. Items run true-to-size with suits coming in S, M, L, while shorts are stocked in sizes from 1 to 12. Prices are a little high: 150-400rmb for sandals and 500-700 for swimsuits. The unintrusive staff is helpful, making searching as easy as possible. Roxy has many other locations in Shanghai, listed at page bottom.

H&M (651 Huaihai Zhong Lu)
Yayyy! Although I avoid H&M like the plague in the States, I'll admit it has been quite a lifesaver here. Cute swimsuits! Lighter on sporty but terrifically loaded with style, their sets and separates are priced super low, from around 100rmb/piece to 300rmb/set. For curvier ladies, H&M stocks larger sizes, up to US 14/ Euro 44. The clearance section is rife with separates, perfect for switching things up this summer. Keep in mind swimsuits aren't allowed in fitting rooms here, so make sure you know what size you need or bring along a current swimsuit to compare.

Gujin
Of the four stores featured, Gujin has the largest selection of one piece suits for more modest ladies. Don't be put off by displayed suits -- they carry many more, you just have to ask for a catalog ("Neng gei wo kan mu lu ma?") Their items run small compared to other places listed. I'm 5'6 and wear a 26 in jeans, and the medium cut into my hips/shoulders whereas the larger size fit fine. A potentially disastrous uni-size bikini also turned out surprisingly well. The Chinese may not have mastered a perfect low rise bottom, but they didn't fare too poorly on this one. Prices range from 300-900rmb/ suit.

Zara(1201 Nanjing Xi Lu)
Zara has a small yet delicious selection of bikinis on the floor and the sales staff tells me they'll be receiving more within two weeks. Prices range from 200-400rmb/set and come in small and medium sizes.

As for me, I ended up choosing a sparkly pink bikini from H&M. Now excuse me while I finish my rounds on the Stair Master and slather on self-tanner. Just kidding. I'm going to fish for compliments from my boyfriend and drown my swimsuit search induced sorrows in ice cream (Kidding again- yesterday, if anything taught me I better stick to whole grain Cheerios.) Good luck!

Also check out:
Decathalon
Isetan

For more store locations:
Roxy
H&M
Zara

[Wellbeing] Best Beds

Posted on June 29, 2008

This blog almost got hurled in the bin yesterday when Mr. Golden Sun reared his ugly head. Fortunately, Zeus is back at it today: rains have reemerged and the universe is (once again) in order, thus rendering this article relevant. Phew.

The benefits of tanning in a bed are manifold: healthy-looking skin, influx of Vitamins D and E and a mild, yet distinct euphoria. Salon tanning is also faster and a lot less messy than a day at the beach. No more picking sand from unseemly places, boys and girls. In an effort to bring a fair and balanced report SmSh shall reference the World Health Organization: WHO states: "there is no evidence to suggest that UV exposure from any type of sunbed is less harmful than UV exposure from the sun." Apparently, there is also no evidence to suggest that UV exposure from a bed is more harmful than UV exposure from the sun.

If you're freaked out about getting naked and acquiring diseases, don't worry. You can leave your undies on. A thin layer of cotton will surely protect against the flesh-eating bacteria.

Now that I've dispelled your fears: tanning in Shanghai is a relatively new phenomenon. As such, salons are few and far between, equipped with a mere handful of beds, and less effective than those in the West. But these are desperate times. SmSh found four salons ranging in quality from just passable to pretty good.

Eurosun Tanning Salon: Tres Chic
One word: Pasties. Located in the basement of Ferguson Lane's complex. First impressions of Eurosun are formidable: floors gleam of Spic 'n Span and walls burst with beach paraphernalia (of what use is a big floppy hat indoors?) in this opulent, spacious foyer. Italian run, Eurosun has a new-age machine with sensors that gage how many minutes of UV radiation your skin can take before it implodes. Reliable? Who knows, but it's a soothing notion. Prices are out of sight. 120rmb for a single session; package deals exist and they get you 50% off waxing.

Bronze Bodies Tanning: Most 21st Century
This basement branch in Hong Kong Plaza boasts the strongest beds. This is also the only salon to pipe in music whilst you bathe, thus ensuring you shall not be left alone with your thoughts. Aforementioned attributes combined with a central location means that BB is the only tanning spot where a wait is even fathomable. A new bed should arrive any day now, according to the staff. For the record, I visited BB's Tongren Lu branch last year. Frightful.

Sunpoint Tanning Studio: Most Miami
By my calculations Sunpoint Tanning is the oldest venue in town but it offered the best "overall experience." Draped in Bermuda shorts and a surfing tank, the Australian reception dude won't try to sell you packages or lotions you don't want. Three beds are enclosed in fake walls, covered in posters of 1980s beach bimbos and sunset scenes. You can tan for up to 20 minutes (!) here, although beds are on the weak side. Should you arrive during off-peak hours, you will only pay 60rmb.

The Tanning Island: Moderately Priced, Moderately Dingy
Unless you find yourself suddenly trapped in a torrential downpour on the intersection of Xietu Lu and Tianyaoqiao Lu, you really have no reason to tan here. The Island is less expensive than Bronze Bodies and Eurosun, but the hygiene is questionable and a weak bed fails to override the dank atmosphere. On the sunny side, the employees have absolutely no clue about their line of work - should you request to bake for three hours they might let you. 80rmb for 11 minutes.

M.H. Tanning Salon: Longest Hours
SmSh did not actually visit this venue, but we did visit their website. (For a giggle, click here.) Now you actually have a reason to check out the art on Moganshan Lu: you can hit up this little number on your way there. And on the way back ¨C it's open 'til midnight.

DVD Sunday: The King of Kong

Posted on June 28, 2008

Rarely do you see a more powerful sight than a 40-year-old man openly weeping in an arcade in rural New Hampshire. With tears of frustration streaming down his face, Steve Wiebe, one of the greatest Donkey Kong players in the world, pours his heart out into the camera after learning that his arch nemesis Billy Mitchell had just posted a new Donkey Kong world record.

Directed by Seth Gordan, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007) is a documentary of the surprisingly treacherous and insidious world of classic video gaming. The film focuses on the epic rivalry of two "superstar gamers," Mitchell and Wiebe as champion and challenger, with their battlefield being the pixelated ramps, ladders, elevators of the classic Nintendo arcade game Donkey Kong. With a supporting cast of colorful nerds, social outcasts, and assorted wierdos and basement dwellers, The King of Kong ends up being nothing less than a universal tale of good versus evil, triumph of the will, and what it takes to be a champion.

Originating as a look into the super geeky world of classic video gaming, The King of Kong begins by setting the scene and introducing the community of classic gamers, all competing for the all-time high scores on classic '70s arcade games like Centipede, Missile Command, Q-bert, Galaga, Pac Man, and, of course, the widow maker Donkey Kong. A classic portrait of Americana, the documentary depicts a sub-culture that time forgot, ineffably living on today in rural American arcades, parents' basements, and garages throughout the fly-over states.

But from amongst this community, the directors happened upon the story of Steve Wiebe. An outcast even among the cabal of pro gaming nerds, Wiebe is the quintessential portrait of the underdog -- a man who has "come up short on a lot of things in his life," in the words of his wife. After being laid off from his job, Wiebe happens upon the Donkey Kong record of Billy Mitchell, set way back in 1982, and believed to be unbeatable. Taking it upon himself to defeat the "Gamer of the Century," Wiebe sets out in pursuit of the all-time Donkey Kong record.

Basically, The King of Kong is a real life Ben Stiller movie, replete with a lovable loser protagonist in the every-man Steve Wiebe, and a comically despotic, mulleted villain, Billy Mitchell. The King of Kong is so engrossing -- the nerdiness so profoundly perfect, the dorkiness so powerfully arresting -- one can't believe it hasn't been scripted. Beyond the actual video gaming, the essential characters of the players are laid bare, and it's impossible not to become wholly invested in their chosen obsession.

On finding the movie: Although The King Of Kong is new on DVD, it probably won't be filed in the "New Releases" section because it's a documentary. Check the documentary/Euro film rack at your local if they have one.

Grade: A-

Complementary Sherpas Order: This has pizza written all over it. Cheap pizza. And lots of it.

Deliberate Deviations

Posted on June 26, 2008

Broken techno? Sounds like tautology to some, but that's one of the many descriptive terms used in connection with an innovative act coming to The Shelter on Saturday night. Yes, one of West London's finest alternative music exponents, Tony Nwachukwu will be throwing it down at the intriguingly-named "Off-beat Showcase" party. He's a man looked upon as occupying the very edge of what is known as "dance music" today, and his work strives to avoid categorization with genres being thrown out of the window in a quest for innovation and freshness of sound.

Shanghai resident DJ Alan Shanyinde is the man behind the Off-beat Showcase night, and is on something of a mission to smash musical boundaries and present new music. With this aim in mind, he says Nwachukwu is the ideal man to headline the first night.

"As DJs, we have to listen to hundreds of songs every month and Tony's music isn't just original and fresh, it seems to intentionally collapse the structures which define genres within dance music. It's very much music that plays with interstices of the conventions of dance music."

Nwachukwu, visiting China for the first time, is one of the key figures in Attica Blues; known for their albums "Blueprint" and "Test Don't Test" and remix work for artists such as Macy Gray, U.N.K.L.E, Robert Owens, DJ Cam, DJ Krush, Jazzanova, Spacek, Courtney Pine, and Ben Folds.

He went solo a few years back but has also been working for a number of community projects with the British council to promote music production among young people.

Alan hopes Nwachukwu's challenging sound will demonstrate that the endless possibilities within music are often lost through well-defined labels like Trance, Drum and Bass, Hip-Hop, Techno, etc.

The man from Kirriemuir, Scotland, said, the main idea behind the off beat showcase in general was "to present music that deliberately deviates from marketable music genres."

"Once genres become formulaic and ossified they usually take two routes -- a slow and undignified death or they become canonical and immediately referential. Or sometimes they evolve and oscillate between the two. Late nineties trance and early-eighties disco would be two examples," said Alan.

He's been perhaps influenced in his genre-challenging aim by Nwachukwu himself who runs an interesting night in London. It serves as a platform for experimental producers to play their 'works in progress' to a full crowd on one of the city's best sound systems. So punters get to hear the sounds in the club before they get anywhere near the radio, CD or MP3.

Alan said, "Experimentation helps keep creativity fresh in music, and in my mind it stops dance music becoming too commercial -- as though it just serves a functional role of making people dance or getting girls and boys together."

"I've always been more a listener than a maker of music, and what's always interested me is music that can't quite be pinned down -- that isn't one or the other, or that otherwise offers something different."

"You can expect something very different to the normal Shanghai dance floor fare this Saturday night."

Tony Nwachuwku will be supported by Nat Alexander, Mr Tsang, and Alan Shanyinde at The Shelter. Tickets: 40rmb. Click here to visit Tony Nwachukwu's MySpace page.

[My Weekender] with Evan Golbach

Posted on June 26, 2008

Evan Golbach is a director for Tulip Mega Media, China's largest outdoor LED company. He is also known for throwing crazy parties at his penthouse...

A weekend in Shanghai??? I really believe there is no such thing, well for me anyway. In an ideal world a weekend would consist of some, if not all of the following: partying/eating/drinking with friends, lounging around the house watching DVDs (most of the time hung-over), shopping, sporting activities or gym, and sometimes even a bit of cultural stimulation. The thing is though, everything I have mentioned above is what I do on a daily basis, so by the time those awesome two days come around I really have to think to myself "so what else am I going to do this week?" The answer ladies and gentleman is just about to be revealed...

Friday afternoon has snuck up on me faster than a Tongren Lu hooker and I cast my eyes down to my iPhone (yes I'm plugging Apple here) to see the messages from the usual suspects -- dinner invitations, tempting offers of a quiet Friday night drink (yeah right), and a message from my personal trainer Murat reminding me to get my ass to One Wellness Gym by 6pm so as I can succumb to a torturous hour of pain. Fast forward a few hours and there I am standing in the gym locker looking in the mirror flexing like "The Governator" and deciding what's next for the evening.

Now usually as I play soccer the next day, Friday nights are pretty tame -- dinner, a few drinks and that's it. Ok, ok, I'm lying. There have been quite a few instances where I had every intention of having a quiet night but have instead partied till the wee hours, slept for an hour, then gone and played like a mindless zombie sweating more than a pedophile on a school bus. Now before you all judge me, don't tell me none of you ever done that! The amount of times my friends (Jeremy T., David G. especially) have said they are "having a quiet one" but have "gone large" is astounding. It's like Shanghai is a monster and once that monster gets hold of you all voices of reason disappears until finally, a spell casting Dragon spits you out onto the sunny streets at 7am.

Now where was I? Oh yes, now I remember: Friday night. It's time for me to quickly go home, change into some killer threads and head out for dinner. Being in Shanghai dinner could be anywhere: New Heights, Kabb, Franck, Cantine, Jade on 36, and Coconut Paradise spring to mind as some of my favorites but really there are so many. From there these days I usually like to head over with my friends to Lounge 18 or Sugar -- good crowds and funky music at both places make them a good place to start. From there it usually home or what I like to call "the circuit": Attica, Velvet, MAO... and a certain monster.

Saturdays usually begin with waking up late, ordering some delivery breakfast and planting my butt down in front of the TV to play some XBOX. My roommates Mark and Theo usually join me on the couch making it an inspiring scene of grown men hung-over devouring breakfast burritos and playing video games like 10 year old kids. With the temperature reaching 30+ degrees there is only one logical thing to do that afternoon and that is head over to the infamous Riviera Pool Party. These parties are always one of the highlights of the summer calendar and this year I can't wait to see what new surprises my good friends Benoit and Stephane and the team at Riviera have in store for us. Familiar faces, coconut oil, awesome tunes, and copious amounts of alcohol accompany that afternoon and so finally after the sun says goodbye it's time for me to retire home and get some sleep.

With Sunday supposedly being the day of rest it's time to tone it down a notch. Sunday brunch is always a good option. Deciding between the quiet relaxed environment of Kommune and the experience of the Westin Brunch is tough but both always work for me. Being an avid golfer Sunday is usually golf day so I love to head out with my mate Mark to one of the various courses situated just outside Shanghai. Golf really relaxes me and it's great just to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city. Getting home late in the afternoon I like to head over to Racks and play a few games of pool and have a quiet drink. By the time I get back to my apartment the sun has set so I head up to my rooftop terrace to sit back and admire the view of this crazy city of ours. It's then I think to myself "outdoor terrace, big bar, hot tub, great view, I wonder if I should have a party here soon"? Hmmmmmmm...

Peace,
Evan

Rock Optics 07/08

Posted on June 25, 2008

In Shanghai, you can count on about ten people to turn up for every single live music show, no matter where it is or what band is playing. A few of them know everyone else, a few don't know anyone else, but everyone recognizes everyone: 'There's that guy. I've seen that guy before.'

Two of these guys are Tim Franco and Gianpaolo Lupori, the two guys behind "Shanghai Soundbites 0708," a self-published 70-page photo book documenting the past year (or so) of live music in Shanghai. With an emphasis on capturing and depicting the singular atmospheres of the shows themselves, Shanghai Soundbites features photographs of local and touring bands, local and touring DJs, local rock promoters, people, and venues. Along with the photography, is an essay by Gianpaolo (English with Chinese trans.) addressing the social, urban, and cultural atmosphere of Shanghai, examining the music as it is created and received in the city, and contextualizing the photography in a specific and ephemeral moment in the ongoing evolution of Shanghai.

Published in limited addition, 150 copies of Shanghai Soundbites 07/08 are available at the launch party this Saturday at YY's or through their website here.

SmartShangai caught up with Tim and Gianpaolo to talk about the book and live music in Shanghai:

SmSh: First, who are you guys? Where are you from? What do you do? How long have you been in Shanghai?

Gianpaolo: I thought I just got my new visa. I didn't do anything wrong... I'm supposed to be a filmmaker, but these days you have to be able to do a bit of everything in the world of media. I'm Italian. I've been living in Shanghai for almost four years. I'm married with two kids, and while living here, I've been trying to understand the developments in contemporary Chinese culture...

Tim: Well for me I'm mostly French from Paris, but also with a good half from Poland. I've been in the city since January, 2005... I have been doing quite a few things in Shanghai, studying, working for different industries... I am now in between a "salary" job for a French company and my freelance photo work, which is more related to documentary projects rather than commercial ones... I'm also very interested in the development of China, the local subcultures -- particularly in the time between the Olympics and the Expo.



SmSh: How did the idea for a photo book of live music in Shanghai come about?

Gianpaolo: Well, it was the result of a number of things, but I believe in particular it was the recent difficulties that have placed themselves in the way of the music scene here. This [past year] seemed to be a peak in the creativity of the scene, and it seems to be heading for a rough time... and before it started fading we thought it would be nice to try to capture the feeling of it.

Tim: I think our goal was to capture a moment... "07/08" -- just to get a print of what happened in the music scene at a certain moment in Shanghai. We are not pretending to make a global portrait of the Shanghai music scene, far from that, but are more trying to show the feeling of what we've observed during this time frame. We also wanted to put our own limit to this project, otherwise the documentation could have gone endlessly and we've decided that this month of June, both incredibly active in the music scene and located one month before the Olympics was a perfect timing.

Gianpaolo: It wasn't actually as organic a process as it may appear it was more of a retrospective project than a planned one.

SmSh: So the tone of the text of the book, and from what you guys are saying right now, it seems you are skeptical of the future of live music in Shanghai. A line from the book is, "the flow will slow to a trickle and die out..."

Gianpaolo: Well the initial and natural comparison is with Beijing. There is a stable and permanent scene there, but in Shanghai things don't seem to be able to last that long. Most of the local bands that have come together over the past few years have broken up after only a short while, and the only reason there is a scene here is thanks to the few people who work hard to keep it alive. I don't think there is as much "pessimism" as a conception of the city as it is today, as a place where things don't last. I think this is one of the charms of the city but at the same time also one of its handicaps. More than a forecast for the future, it's an attempt to make everyone count their blessings while they have them. It actually all started at the Bjork concert and the aftermath of that. Which we both saw together. We then realized how fragile the scene was and how easily it could be disbanded. Then when the visa restrictions were implemented, we realized that this could have further implications. However, the original thought was that though things may seem to die, things will always change. And something or someone will always be there to start over.

SmSh: Yeah... Shanghai resets itself every year.

Gianpaolo: Nice way of putting it.



SmSh: Maybe I can ask Tim a little more about the photos and then get back to this later... So, Tim, did you go to the majority of the shows for the year?

Tim: [Laughs] Yeah, it was very hard not to miss anything. Actually, I already have a list of shows that I've missed. Mostly because I was away from town...

SmSh: Punks for Monks!

Tim: ...Hedgehog, PK14, and lot of others. So I would not say I want to most of the shows, because some of them are the same evenings, or some of them I am not aware of...

Gianpaolo: I'll have to confess that I didn't see nearly as many as Tim. Often, though, I don't know how, Tim was able to take photos of two gigs on the same night.

Tim: I would have loved to have put even more diversity in the bands and venues... but like I said before we also had to put some limitation, otherwise there is no end. So that is why we don't want to have the pretension of having a global portrayal. It is not easy to know what is happening in Shanghai. With all the venues changing, it is hard to have a comprehensive picture. So this book is more for sharing our work with the people who enjoyed and participating in this music scene... our goal is to receive a first feedback on a small scale range.

Gianpaolo: We didn't seek to create a comprehensive anthology of the music scene in the city by any means.

SmSh: Tim, which concerts stuck out for you as good ones? And which bands did you like photographing?

Tim: I really enjoyed shooting when the atmosphere was really good, when people are enjoying themselves, when the band is really into it. As far as my personal taste goes, RE-tros and Subs are probably some of my favorite bands in China.

SmSh: Maybe one more question about the photography and then we can talk about the text a little more. Tim, how do you approach the photography... do you try to capture the moment... or if you were to describe your own style. Aesthetics question, I guess. Poorly worded.

Tim: Well, my goal is to capture a feeling. I don't know if I have a style but I'm not trying to get one. I just want to transmit a feeling. Each concert has a different feeling, a different dynamic, and also each venue is different -- the light is different, the room is different, the way the artists behave on stage is different. So I am trying to get a "print" of that moment... my ultimate goal would be that people that were at those concerts, or even people that weren't there, could feel this atmosphere through the photos. So I hope the style would be as diverse as the music and the venues are, but could also reflect the scene as a whole.

SmSh: I like the Snapline ones. That was one of my favorite shows.

Tim: About that show, I was a bit panicked because one of my first rules is to never use a flash. The flash deletes all the atmosphere of the photos... but the light at that show was too low. Nothing I could do without flash, but still there was a craziness there that had to be captured. So I had to find a solution and I played with the different little sources of light and mixed them with long exposure using a small flash. And I think that the photos give a pretty good idea of that kind of craziness that Snapline offered us that night.



SmSh: So maybe a few about the text, Gianpaolo, I really liked the text... one of the best things I've read written about Shanghai's live music. So much bad shit gets written about it (I've written my fair share). But it was very interesting.

Gianpaolo: It's very difficult to portray what is happening here. And I must confess I feel uneasy knowing that it's being read by the locals in their own language, while it's obviously written by a foreigner.

SmSh: Why does that make you nervous?

Gianpaolo: On one side as a foreigner, I don't know if as much as I've tried to learn about local culture, I understand what is going on. Then I believe the Chinese can be very sensitive about foreign portrayal of what is going on here. I think this concern has also limited my film work. At least made me more careful. On one side, I didn't want to diss shanghai, it is an exceptional place to be in and the effect of what happens here shouldn't be underestimated. But I believe ironically that it will have more of an effect on the rest of the country than on itself. Since everything is so transient here... we also wanted to avoid using the bold clear cut language commonly used in rock documents.

SmSh: "A complex bipolar paranoia of both change and stability seems to encourage amnesia..." [From text]

Gianpaolo: Well... I've heard some say it's too complicated. I hope we didn't take it a step too far.

SmSh: No, I quite liked it.

Gianpaolo: We wanted to go beyond the hyperbole we usually find in the descriptions of the city.

SmSh: From living here, I get the impression that fads, genres, or whatever, come from the west or wherever else, but have such a short life-span... just burned out so quickly... but it's kind of depressing because its like people are using all the good ones up too fast. Come and gone before anyone really got the chance to enjoy it.

Gianpaolo: Very true. But I think people here are trained to change at a moments' notice. And feel like they have a lot to catch up with. So they race through information as fast as they can. Compared to the west, I mean here we can get lost in semiotics, but I believe the Cultural Revolution created a symbolic vacuum and the recent consumerism is a desperate attempt to fill it. So there is not much distinction between a deep value and a superficial one yet... Of course this is a gross generalization...

SmSh: But the book seeks to capture a deep value...

Gianpaolo: Yeah. it was an attempt. I've always loved the romantic hero. Fighting alone against a world that doesn't understand him and doesn't want him.

SmSh: [Laughs].

Gianpaolo: That is how I pictured the scene. Or more so everyone involved. Willing to go down with the ship rather than abandon one's values. I think I may have lost track of the original question, or has it been answered?

SmSh: Answered. What do you guys think next year will be like?

Gianpaolo: Ouch.



Tim: "To be continued in..... Shanghai Soundbites 08/09 " [Laughs]. To be honest for the past few month this is a question that is very often debated. Between myself and JP, but I also wanted to discuss that with a lot of other people. I've asked this question to different people, people who are organizer of the music scene, artists themselves... and it's a bit of a mixed feeling, but I would say that local people who are involved in this are pretty optimistic.

But on the other hand, you have foreigners, freelancers that have been very involved in all of this that are seeing their situation as critical in terms of visas. Lots of them are thinking of leaving or have left already, and are being pretty pessimistic about the situation.

But also, the social framework of being an artist hasn't developed here yet as it has in Beijing. Music and subculture has been present in Beijing for a long time and people are familiar with this -- artists are considered artists, musicians as musicians. But in Shanghai, it is very difficult to have a stable social position as an artist. And this is a crucial thing for its development I think. Musicians in Beijing can live life as musicians -- small income, concerts, fans. But this is not the case in Shanghai. People need an income to survive and in most cases, music won't be enough. And people won't consider "artist" as a normal social status.

SmSh: So 150 copies of Shanghai Soundbites will be available. Did you get them printed yourselves?

Gianpaolo: Yeah, I think it's quite exciting, just as it is now possible to publish your own album your own movie, it is also possible to publish your book.

Tim: Also because we did everything ourselves, which was not easy, we wanted to see ourselves what will be the result of it.

Gianpaolo: True to the DIY spirit.

Tim: But we worked together with a Chinese designer, Jay Zhou, for all the technical details.

Gianpaolo: We should probably add that we still haven't got the material copy in our hands, we haven't seen it yet, so we're still keeping our fingers crossed.

***

The "Shanghai Sounndbites 07/08" launch party is this Saturday from 4pm until 8pm at YY's. For more information visit the website here. The book costs 100rmb.

[Wellbeing] Outdoor Activities

Posted on June 23, 2008

Summer is finally here (sort of) and I'm guessing some of you, like me, are dying to get involved in some new activities that don't always include hanging out at a bar (or let's just say in addition to the bar life). Don't get me wrong -- I love a good party, but I'm also totally down with getting some "fresh" air and exercise too.

Here's a few ideas of what you can do this summer to get those endorphins pumping...

Dino Beach:
Just call it the Alabama of China. Thirty minutes from Shanghai, Dino Beach boasts 30 waterslides, a river to float down, a beach, Asia's largest wave pool, and all the fried fast food you could ever want. Like all great things in life, an awesome ride down a slide requires patience and standing in a line with dozens (or possibly hundreds) of other thrill-seekers. You'll probably want to hit up Dino on a weekday to avoid crowds. What? You have to work? Call in. Jeez.

If plastic burns on your rump aren't your style, check out hot babes at Dino's Beach Honey contest. This annual beauty pageant pulls in girls from all over the country competing for more than 400,000rmb in cash and prizes. As you might imagine, these are some classy, cultured ladies. For further reading, please consult SmartShanghai's BonBon Beach Honey article here. The Beach Honey Grand Finale is scheduled for August 16th at Dino Beach. Mark your calendars.

Running/Walking/Drinking:
What's this? Physical activity that includes socializing and drinking? Take me there please. The Drunken Dragon Hash House Harriers hosts an event for "drinkers with a running problem." Clever. Founded by people with nicknames such as "Nipple Blower" and "Princess of the Sloths," the group organizes bi-monthly (two times a month) runs in the countryside with food and cold beer in hand. Runners and walkers alike are welcome, and various trail lengths are available to accommodate different needs. Click here for more information and how to join in.


Biking:
Shanghai is a city with some serious bikers, and while the cycling crew welcomes newcomers into the fold, this isn't a "drinkers with a biking problem" sort of deal. There are several clubs that organize day trips, biking and camping trips, and even races.

SISU Cycling Club was founded by a group of expats in 2003. They arrange weekly cycling routes around Shanghai that range from 25km to 100km, and also have "escape" packages for small groups. These getaways to scenic parts of China are organized for groups of six or more with an agenda determined according to the needs of the group. Past trips include excursions to Chongming Island, Qingyang, and Beijing. Bikes and all necessary equipment included.

Prodigy Mountain Biking Club also organizes day and overnight biking trips. Recently they biked the East Mountain in Suzhou and last weekend traveled to Qingdao's Thousand Islands Lake for an overnight biking trip via charter bus. The package includes transportation, accommodation and meals. Don't let their name intimidate you -- if you can bike you can join. Check out the website to find out what's coming up next.

Bohdi Bikes Mountain Club organizes relatively low-impact day trips in Sheshan. 250rmb gets you round-trip transportation to Sheshan, a sandwich, bottle of water, an English-speaking tour guide, bike and helmet. The trip departs at 10am and finishes around 4pm covering approximately 25-30km.

And speaking of Sheshan:
If you're keen for the outdoors but are more in the mood to relax with a good walk, try a 45-minute trek out to Le Meridien Hotel in Sheshan for the day (45mins west of the Hongqiao airport, past Qibao, or 4th last stop on Line 9). Once you've completed the "trek," reward yourself with 248rmb Sunday brunch that includes wine and beer. That brunch price tag also gets you admitted to the gym and outdoor pool. Should restlessness ensue, Sheshan is rife with scenic, mild hiking.

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