UPDATE: Festival rumour season is officially in full-swing. Strawberries? In Suzhou? In April? What could it all mean?UPDATE 2: More fuel for the fire.
Is it too early in the year for a Midi Shanghai rumour? Apparently not. So here it is. This rumour comes courtesy of her out of Cold Fairyland who has put out a call for local bands because she says she's had a phone call from someone organising it asking for recommendations and she doesn't know any Shanghai bands. Huh. So I'm cranking up the rumour mill and declaring Midi Shanghai 2011 officially on. It'll happen in May and will be held in your apartment.
We've been here before, so many times before, I'm kind of bored by it already. Sure, a festival in Shanghai would be cool I suppose, Splitworks' Yue Festival a few years back was good fun, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Also, aren't Midi signed up for ten years in Zhenjiang or something? So they're going to do Zhenjiang and Shanghai? I know last year saw a ridiculous number of festivals, but isn't that spreading things a bit thin? Let's face it, you see the same bands at all these festivals anyway (yeah, I still go). At least this time Midi might actually invite some Shanghai bands, which is nice - usually the one or two Shanghai bands that get to play at these things are on much earlier than they ought to be so maybe they'll sort that out. If they can hold a completely independent, open and unbiased music awards ceremony there's no reason why they wouldn't put some of our best bands on in headline slots, right?
Anyway, we'll see. Midi Shanghai 2011, it's definitely maybe happening. Possibly.
my sources would suggest something other than a midi festival. someone (probably the same someone) also asked me for a list of bands. if you've worked with me and you have a functioning band, you're probably on the list.
YES! My one-man band dealing with hermaphrodite rights issues is IN!