Picture: 'old' Logo
Warning! Extensive ramblings from personal experience. Read the last paragraph. If you have any good Logo stories, show remembrances or updates to this news - mail them in and they'll go straight up.
Adam over at Luwan Rock is reporting that Logo Bar, a venue on the music scene, is now closed and under construction. He has photos. No official word on if it's done or if it's moving yet.
Keep an eye on the comments there for updates.
When I first got here, this thread of local music history hadn't started yet. Then Zhang Du (Zooma), a 90s generation Shanghai scene guy, opened up a music bar called Tang Hui in the location that would become the first Logo. It was an instant success with the party crowd but not really an active scene venue in the way that Harley's was, for example. Zooma then upgraded to Tang Hui VIP and Logo soon appeared in the old venue. Tai Bei was the owner and Maxime Lenik organised the music side.
Side note: Tang Hui ran into trouble and Zooma returned to the Xingfu Lu strip with Anar, also now defunct.
So Logo was a big hit, mainly as a hang out for music scene people away from the venues. Sketchy shows were put on too, a few live on as memorable events. I saw Cassette give a great performance there and they overcame the famously shitty sound set up for the benefit of about 20 people who knew who they were and had any real interest. The problem there was its own supporters. Die hard fans of the place did most of the drinking directly out front with beers bought at the store next door. Also, they got continuous trouble from noise complaints because of said revelers out front. No one made any kind of effort to reign in any of this to any kind of degree. The party ended, the venue moved and none of them made any lasting effort to support the new Sinan Road venue to the same level.
There was a gap between the old and new Logo opening, which was filled with their lounge bar venture Lune. Despite many attempts, it never gained any significance with the majority local scene. It really ended there (new Logo) when Maxime moved on to greener pastures earlier this year.
When I think back to great Logo moments, I think always of old Logo and of a scene and events propped up by the international community here. The Fucked Up show was legendary, and also displayed the worst self destructive tendencies, crowds on the street causing a disturbance and buying their drinks anywhere but from the bar itself. Hedgehog had a good early one, as did Snapline. Abe Deyo and R3/STD probably had a hand in most of these, right?
Can anyone think of a good show there that did not feature the hand of an ex-pat in promoting it? I guess it was a scene to itself. These are just ramblings: if anyone has a good retrospective they want to write, or has a favourite show they want to review - mail them in to me and I'll post them all.
