Posts from May 2008
May 28, 2008
Goob Ama?
Managed to grab this quick shot on the way to SFO airport.
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May 03, 2008
Mini Midi in Shanghai
The Midi festival was cancelled this year, another annoyance you can blame on protestors lunging for the torch. Wonder if those guys thought "By throwing junk at that Chinese girl in a wheelchair we are taking away the chance to see good indie music for the people who happen to live in China, and make if a pain in the ass to deal with visas." Guess not.
Yuyingtang sponsored a weekend of bands who were supposed to play at Midi. On Friday there were about 6 bands. Bryce and I met up with Rob, a concert promoter, and we sipped on Buds and watched a young crowd enjoying good loud music. A good Friday night thing to do.
Overdose's drummer, a mohawk clad tattoo covered Sid Vicious kind of character grabbed the mic and I was sure he'd say something offensive or at least a bit rude. But instead he said "I'd like to thank you all for coming here tonight....and I'd like to thank my mom who's in the corner....and all you guys should move around and get sweaty....we'll play some good music for you..."
Bryce looked over and gave me a funny look, "Wow, these guys are the polite punk bank from Beijing."
May 01, 2008
Brubeck Braid
Scott told us about this nice Sunday afternoon jazz concert with Matt Brubeck and David Braid. I thought it'd be cool to hear one of Dave Brubeck's sons play, while looking out over the Bund. Ran into JQ and Lawrence as well, so the Shanghai jazz contingent was well represented.
It was great just lounging there, enjoying this sort of jazz recital with like minded people who wanted to lounge around and enjoy something well done and nice as well.
Brubeck had a really cool carbon fiber cello set up that fed real well into the PA. Braid played a nice blend of Chopin styled jazz charts and tasteful solos. I liked the way they arranged their material to work as classical pieces and in an AABA (no not the Swedish pop group misspelt) jazz format with solos and a head.
There was one tune mid-set where a truck horn blared through the windows right at the perfect moment, a half step off.
Here's the head to the Monk tune, In Walked Bud.
Dizzie, he was screaming
Next to O.P. who was beaming
Monk was thumping
Suddenly in walked Bud and then they got into somethin'
Oscar played a mean sax
Mr. Byers blew a mean axe
Monk was thumping
Suddenly in walked Bud
And then the joint started jumping
Every hip stud really dug Bud
Soon as he hit town
Takin' that note nobody wrote
Putting it down
Dizzie he was screaming
Next to O. P. who was beaming
Monk was thumping
Suddenly in walked Bud
And then they got into something
I've never figured out whether it's pronounced "Moe's (like owned by one of three stooges) or Moss (like that guy out of Bonanza), but the one down the hill from me is open until 2am most days, which means that if I get out of the club early enough, I can catch the best burger in town, the muo si la bao or the Spicy Mos Burger. They have lots of jalapenos and 
