Banana Monkey / The Mushrooms live @ Yuyintang

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silkstockings

Well ... what the f%*k do I know? Tonight's show at Yuyintang was going head to head with Battles at Dream Factory, essentially stripping it of hipsters and ex-pat party types. Then, on top of that, the night was marketed (to mainly local rock fans) as a silk stockings night. If the ladies wore a mini skirt and stockings, they get in half price. And the weather was miserable. Seemed like a perfect recipe for a dead night.

So yeah, I turned up near doors open time and had to queue to get in. It was already over 300 when I bought my ticket and ended up being absolutely rammed with overspill into the park, just like the Halloween Subs show. To top it off, there were wall to wall local indie and rock girls ...yes ... almost all wearing short skirts and stockings. As co-owner Zhang Haisheng said to me later on, never bet against the discount.

So, yeah, it was rammed and a great night. The main room was bursting and everyone got jumping about halfway into the set of Banana Monkey. Lead signer Bono was visibly dissapointed with the crowd at first and asked them to get jumping between each song. But to be fair, they still haven't found their mojo since reforming and the point at which the crowd got going was the point at which the songs were tighter and the performance better. By the last song I finally felt like I was at a BM show and the band went out in rock style, taking turns to throw down thier instruments and attack the drum kit.

Next up, the Mushrooms were the headlining act. And ... finally, the new line up has tightened up and settled in and the energy we were used to from the Mushrooms was back. What a good time for a return to form, in front of a packed room of adoring fans who knew the words to every song. Front man PuPu has never been short of charisma and with the new line up solid, it was back to his old self. I did want to get some footage, and Youtube is back but once in the mosh zone there was no chance to get out again. Great band, great night. Perhaps we could schedule a hipster friendly show on the same night as local rock shows all the time? It's win-win.

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9 Comments

It was a very difficult choice for all of us I guess and indeed many ex-pat party types decided to see the Battles. I wish I could have been to both concerts...
The Battles were great, and both Lava-Ox-Sea and AVO were rocking - and the crowd got jumping too (at least Dan Shapiro did...:)

Well, I like diversity in music for sure. But it was an easy choice for me to make, I'm just not that into bleeping at odd time signatures. Maybe listening at home a little.

I'm with John Lennon on the backbeat.


It was difficult for me, but since I could not find stockings and mini skirt that would fit I went to see the Battles eventually;)))

I hadn't ever heard 'battles' before but I was invited by a friend and thus went. It sounds like I should have walked my way over to yuyintang instead. I enjoyed the show, but yeah, I'm with you on time signatures. 'math rock' (is it still called that?) is likely a blast to play, but never really been my thing.
And yeah...a lot of hipsters and a lot of high school kids as well...strange.

Hi Jason, yeah, a friend of mine with a similar mindset went and said Battles are cool and their stuff is OK, but live it was a bit boring.

Another friend of mine who went said it was packed out and good in the 'event' sense.

What did you think of AV Okubo?

cool blog. where would you recommend that I get some of the music? I live in Qingdao and its pretty damn difficult to get anything here but Jay Chow or some korean pop divas. Any info on underground artists in china would be greately appreciated.

Hek

Hi Hek

You can mail me directly through the 'about' page if you like.

There are some bands from Qingdao, most famously Demerit, but they are based in Beijing for the scene. I think they come back each year to put on a festival.

I have a contact for that. So yeah, mail me.

Wow, i totally agree with this one awesome.

i just love tv series. it makes my night so much funny. hope to get my favourite tv episodes out sooner. cheers

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This page contains a single entry by Andy Best published on March 29, 2009 3:55 PM.

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