LumDimSummary: Death Cab for Cutie Beijing Concert

“Whoever is in charge of the fog, can you turn it down a bit? It’s a f*cking KISS concert up here.”

- Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie(vocals, guitar, piano and drums extraordinaire)

American Indie-rock band Death Cab for Cutie from Seattle, Washington is the big headlining act for the 4th annual JUE | Music + Art Festival, put together by the Splitworks team.

Last year JUE brought one of my favorite bands Whitest Boy Alive to Yugongyishan and with Death Cab for Cutie headlining this year’s festival, they’ve managed to top last year and it’s only just the beginning!

Running from March 9 (starting with WHALE! as their launch party)-March 25, expect plenty more alternative, creative and progressive arts and music events across the next few weeks.

“Performance art, film, spoken word, street art, workshops, photography exhibitions, live music, madness… all of these things and more fall under the creative umbrella that is JUE.” – Split Works Team, hosts of JUE Music + Art Festival

I’m a huge fan, but seeing this concert in person was beyond expectations. They were phenomenal live and I’m pretty sure everyone else who crammed into Tango Club on Saturday night would agree that Death Cab is not only talented, they are mind-blowing-ly awesome.

It was nice to hear everyone singing along to the songs, especially “Transatlanticism” and “I Will Follow You into the Dark” which Ben dedicated to Nathaniel Davis, one of the founders of Spitworks (such a nice guy). If only he dedicated “Soul Meets Body” to me (can’t stop listening to this song on repeat!).

Best bit? When Ben Gibbard goes nuts on the drums (see photo below).  No wonder he’s the guy who got Zooey Deschanel.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Death Cab for Cutie Concert:

Take a Bow Death Cab! Beijing loves you!

About JUE | Music + Art Festival 2012:

Upcoming Line-Up of Events in Beijing:

• March 16: Steve Mackay (the Stooges)

• March 17: Qu Wanting

• March 18: Courtney Wing

• March 20: Beyond Bibimbap: Creative Korean Cuisine

• March 24: 87fei87: TAXEE TAPES EDITIONS

• March 25: JUE Hear + See with Devil Music Ensemble + Eatliz

For information on JUE | Music + Art 2012 events, check out their website.

JUE Music + Art Festival Launches with WHALE!

“I like Crab People, I like the Crab People song. I’m not going to DJ it, but I think that when people hear Crab People as a DJ name, the first thing that pops into their head is probably “fun party, slammin’ tunes”. ”

- DJ Crab People of WHALE!

If you know South Park’s Crab People, then you’re probably cool enough to come to WHALE!‘s resurrection (we’ve been deprived without WHALE! for a little over one month now). Not only is WHALE! back, their party TONIGHT also happens to mark the official launch of the JUE Music + Art Festival.

Who is this DJ Crab People you ask? Among this zany group of ‘non-DJ’s', you’ll just have to turn up to find out.  In the meantime, you can read CityWeekend’s interview with DJ Crab People, which is kind of ridiculously awesome – check out the full interview here.

My weekend plans are looking pretty full thanks to JUE with their multitude of events from their launch party in collaboration with the unstoppable WHALE! team of your favorite DJ’s tonight to their headlining event Death Cab for Cutie’s concert tomorrow night (Saturday, March 10) at Tango. Get in with JUE starting tonight at WHALE! which will be hosted at the ever-popular, newly opened 4corners肆角餐吧 bar by the Drum and Bell Tower in Gulou.

“Come and experience the micro-smash for yourself. MUSIC! DRINKS! SEATING! TOILET FACILITIES!” – DJ Crab People

Now how can anyone say ‘no’ to toilet facilities in ALL CAPS?!

See you tonight at WHALE! 

Click here to see pictures from previous WHALE! parties:

• WHALE! on a Rainy Night in the Deep, Dark Hutongs
• “W” is for WHALE!
• A WHALE! of a Good Time

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, March 9, 2012
• Time: 10PM-late
• Location: 4corners 肆角餐吧
• Address:  By Drum and Bell Tower on DaShibei Hutong 西城, 大石碑胡同27号 (See map below)
• FREE ENTRY

Death Cab for Cutie Headlining JUE Music + Art 2012

Death Cab for Cutie (Press Photo by Danny Clinch)

People have been going nuts for American Indie-rock band Death Cab for Cutie tickets since word first got out that they’d be coming to China this year and thanks to JUE | Music + Art Festival, the Splitworks team has brought the arrival of Death Cab for Cutie for two performances in Shanghai (March 9) and Beijing (March 10)!

Beijing’s performance will be held at the 3rd floor of Tango at 8PM on Saturday, March 10 and pre-sale tickets are available now! See below for ticket sale info.

“Fresh off the heels of another Grammy nomination for their seventh studio album, Codes and Keys, Ben Gibbard, Nick Harmer, Chris Walla and Jason McGerr bring with them the melodies that charmed a generation of young music lovers and lyrics that made their hearts melt to the shores of China. Whether you love the sweetness of early singles like “A Movie Script Ending” or the complex later work of “I Will Possess Your Heart” and “You Are A Tourist,” the band’s unwavering commitment to sonic exploration and lyrical ambition promises an epic night of rock from one of America’s favourite indie rock bands.”

 Death Cab for Cutie by Autumn de Wilde (Photo taken in Greek Theatre, LA)

Death Cab for Cutie by Autumn de Wilde

Death Cab for Cutie Concert in Calgary

Concert Details:

• Date: Saturday, March 10
• Time: 8PM
• Location: 3rd Floor of Tango
• Address: 79 Hepingli Xijie, Dongcheng district  东城区和平里西街79号

Ticketing Info:

• Ticket Price: 280 RMB (Presale) /360 RMB (Door)
• Ticket Info Hotline: 1870 113 3908 (Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, EN + CN)
• Presale tickets available:
• -       Taobao (in Chinese): http://splitworks.taobao.com/
• -       Tango 1st Floor Ticketing Desk (Mon-Sun, 24 hrs)
• Address: 79 Hepingli Xijie, Dongcheng District
• -       Crêpanini (Mon-Sun, 9am-12 midnight)
• Address: Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu, Chaoyang District
• -       Lush (Open 24 Hours)
• Address: 2/F, Bldg 1, Huaqing Jiayuan, Chengfu Lu (across from the Wudaokou light-rail station), Haidian District
• Website:  www.lushbeijing.com
• -       NLGX Design Store (Mon-Sun,10 AM – 10 PM)
• Address: #33 Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng District
• Website: www.nlgx.org

About JUE | Music + Art Festival 2012:

Celebrating it’s 4th year, JUE (觉) is sn independent urban arts and music festival in both Shanghai and Beijing that spans over a few weeks collecting alternative, creative and progressive arts and music events from March 9-March 25.

“Performance art, film, spoken word, street art, workshops, photography exhibitions, live music, madness… all of these things and more fall under the creative umbrella that is JUE.” – Split Works Team, hosts of JUE Music + Art Festival

Last year they brought one of my favorite bands Whitest Boy Alive to Yugongyishan and with Death Cab for Cutie and Summer Lei (雷光夏) as headlining acts in this year’s line-up, 2012 is looking bigger than ever!

So it’s very appropriate that WHALE! is their official opening party to launch this creative festival of talent.

(What is WHALE!? Just ask Bobby Dropper.  He explains it best here.)

JUE | Music + Art 2012

A-Trak’s Back on the Beijing Attack

A-Trak is widely recognized as one of the world’s top electro-hip hop DJs.

He won his first DMC championship at only 15 years of age (the youngest DJ ever to claim this title) and he has since won all five DJ world championships and also the first to win DMC, ITF and Vestax.  DJ for Kanye West, A-Trak has also launched America’s most trendsetting new label, Fool’s Gold, and is currently one of the most sought-after remixers in electronic music.

Together with Montreal-born A-Trak there will be Italian´s rising star Congorock kicking off in China! A young high-flyer from fool´s gold label, Congorock has managed to distinguish himself in style and approach by synthesizing his influences – from Dancemania 12″s and hardcore punk to video game cheat codes and Magic: The Gathering – into a unique world of sound all his own. Don´t miss this unique night…FIRE!

Line-Up: Miss Melody & Mobidextrous (live), TNEM, Saul D, A-Trak, Congorock, Liman, A.M.U // VJ Chen Xiongwei

This Friday, get to Tango by 11PM cause you won’t want to miss DJ Saul D’s set (guaranteed to the crowd riled up), and of course Congorock and A-Trak are expected to be nothing less of exceptional.

Door Tickets are RMB 150 or Pre-sale tickets are RMB 100 available at Tango Taobao -  http://m-tickets.taobao.com/

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, June 10, 2011
• Time: 10PM – late
• Tickets: RMB 150 at door or RMB 100 pre-sale – http://m-tickets.taobao.com/
• Location: Tango
• Address: 79 Hepingli Xijie, Yonghegong, South of Ditan Park - 东城区和平里西街79号（雍和宫桥北）

From Burberry to Hit FM: Keane Kills It in Beijing TWICE

After performing at the massively talked about, high-tech private Burberry fashion event last Wednesday night, Keane then performed for a second live music performance just a few days later at a much larger private party for Hit FM’s 8th birthday party at Tango on Saturday night.

With crazy raving reviews for shows, you can catch video clips of their star performance on both youtube and youku online.

LumDimSummary: The Whitest Boy Alive @ Star Live

My first thought when I saw The Whitest Boy Alive‘s lead man Erlend Øye (from Kings Of Convenience) get on stage?

Napoleon Dynamite!

He’s tall, skinny (lanky even), big glasses, curly/fro-ey hair…Napoleon could seriously pass as his doppelgänger!

But as soon as Erland Øye spoke into the mic, he proved exactly why he has such a massively loyal following worldwide.

Unlike Napoleon (who is semi-retarded), Erland is incredibly cool and everyone at the Star Live music gig was raving about how much they love the Whitest Boy Alive…or maybe that was just me! (I think hipsters are incapable of expressing the same level of enthusiasm that I do.)

“Lead man Erlend Øye is a long time hero of mine from his work as half of Kings Of Convenience. One of the coolest men alive, surely?”

- Woody, fan of The Whitest Boy Alive

At their show in Shanghai, women were throwing their lipsticked bras onto the stage!!  …definitely not Napoleon.

Considering it’s a few days after the show and I’m still listening to the tracks on repeat goes to show just how much I think they ROCK.

LumDimSum Snapshots of The Whitest Boy Alive at Star Live:

A Few Other Upcoming JUE (觉) Events:

• IMPROVISE 2 with Beijing Improv & LDTX (3.19): Joint dance and theatre improv performance at LDTX studios, RMB 80
• Shanren (山人) Concert (3.18): Chinese Folk, Reggae-Rockified. 9-11PM @ Tango RMB 60 presale/RMB 80 at door
• *The Besnard Lakes (3.19): A good Canadian Band “like the Beach Boys when it’s calm, and Queen when it’s crunchy.” 9-11PM @ Mao Livehouse RMB 60 presale/RMB 80 at door
• The Black Atlantic (3.23): Acoustic pop band from the Netherlands. @ Mao Livehouse (ticket and time TBA, click here for more info)
• *AAB 2011 Preview Party (3.25): Beer, BBQ and Art @ AAB’s beautiful courtyard space. 6PM, FREE
• *WHALE! and Friends Dance Party (3.25): 200 tons of danceable rock and electronica, 11PM @ School Bar, FREE
• Panbianr Independent Film Screenings & Discussions (3.26-3.27): 2 day discussion and showings of a dozen documentaries, narrative features, and shorts. From 12PM-8PM at HomeShop (click here for info) RMB 100 for 2 day pass,
• Abaji (3.27): A man with over 250 instruments. 7:30-9:30PM @ Jianghu Bar, RMB 30

For a full event run-down, check out their website: www.juefestival.com

LumDimSum Super Sweepstakes

For your chance to win a RMB 200 voucher at Hummingbird Therapeutic Spa, answer the following question in the comment section:

If Napoleon Dynamite is Erlend Øye’s doppelgänger, who would be yours and why?

Deadline is Tuesday, March 22 at noon.  To answer, click here and scroll down to comment section

JUE (觉): Awaken to a Celebration of Arts & Music

觉 / JUE (pronounced joo-eh) - verb: to sense; to awaken

An independent urban arts and music festival in both Shanghai and Beijing, JUE (觉) is a collection of alternative, creative and progressive arts and music events over a three-week period from March 12-April 3.

What you can expect:

• Almost 100 artists
• 42 venues
• 22 concerts
• 22 art exhibitions
• 5 live comedy events
• 5 spoken word events
• 4 theatre/performance art productions
• 4 workshops
• 4 film screenings

Presented by Split Works, JUE is now in its 3rd year and with a diverse collection of art, theatre and film events along with major music gigs including one of my favorite groups – the deftly danceable Scandinavian group – The Whitest Boy Alive performing this Tuesday, March 15 at Tango.

JUE (觉) Event Highlights:

• Kite at the Bookworm (3.12): A modern take on the most ancient Asian traditional of strings and drums. 8-10PM, FREE
• “Slap, Rap, Words” Bookworm Literary Festival Event (3.12): Festival guest slam poets Omar Musa and Kelly-Lee Hickey battle Chinese hip-hop artists at Dos Kolegas at 11PM, RMB 50
• 19 Solo Shows on Painting (3.13): Opening Reception at 3PM at Platform China Space A & B (click here for details)
• *The Whitest Boy Alive (3.15): Deftly Danceable Scandinavian Efficiency @ 3rd floor of Tango, 7:30PM, RMB 130 (presale)/ RMB 180 (door)
• Vitalic with Pet Conspiracy, Liman, A.M.U, VJ Zhiqi (3.17): Like Daft Punk – a world leading electronic producer. 9:30PM @ Star Live RMB 80 presale/RMB 120 at door
• IMPROVISE 2 with Beijing Improv & LDTX (3.19): Joint dance and theatre improv performance at LDTX studios, RMB 80
• Shanren (山人) Concert (3.18): Chinese Folk, Reggae-Rockified. 9-11PM @ Tango RMB 60 presale/RMB 80 at door
• *The Besnard Lakes (3.19): A good Canadian Band “like the Beach Boys when it’s calm, and Queen when it’s crunchy.” 9-11PM @ Mao Livehouse RMB 60 presale/RMB 80 at door
• The Black Atlantic (3.23): Acoustic pop band from the Netherlands. @ Mao Livehouse (ticket and time TBA, click here for more info)
• *AAB 2011 Preview Party (3.25): Beer, BBQ and Art @ AAB’s beautiful courtyard space. 6PM, FREE
• *WHALE! and Friends Dance Party (3.25): 200 tons of danceable rock and electronica, 11PM @ School Bar, FREE
• Panbianr Independent Film Screenings & Discussions (3.26-3.27): 2 day discussion and showings of a dozen documentaries, narrative features, and shorts. From 12PM-8PM at HomeShop (click here for info) RMB 100 for 2 day pass,
• Abaji (3.27): A man with over 250 instruments. 7:30-9:30PM @ Jianghu Bar, RMB 30

For a full event run-down, check out their website: www.juefestival.com

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, March 12 – April 3, 2011
• Location: All over Beijing & Shanghai
• Tickets: http://www.juefestival.com/11/en/?page_id=1124

• Website: www.juefestival.com

LumDimSum Super Sweepstakes

For your chance to win a RMB 200 voucher at Hummingbird Therapeutic Spa, answer the following question in the comment section :

Which JUE (觉) event are you most excited about and why?

Deadline is Tuesday, March 15 at noon.  To answer, click here and scroll down to comment section

Chains with Confusing Consistency

If you choose to franchise your business, whether you own a grocery chain, laundry chain or a restaurant chain, its safe to say that a certain level of consistency should be expected – consistency in the product sold, service, quality, quantity and selection.

Example of Consistent Chain:

When the second Hatsune opened in Sanlitun Village in April 2009 as a new location with a new design and makeover with the menu, Alan Wong was meticulous in ensuring that the service and product would equal that of the original Guanghua Lu branch that opened in 2001.  Customers like the option of a second location, but they still want to satisfy their sushi samurai cravings – they still expect the usual Moto-Roll-Ah among other favorite rolls.

Example of a Confused Chain:

I remember the first time I moved apartments and went to the neighboring Fornet Dry Cleaning Store to find that my Fornet card with pre-paid credit did not apply to this new Fornet or the gazillion other Fornets in Beijing.  What is that about?

New Example:

After hearing about my terribly disappointing experience at Chao Dian this past week, my good friend Dan Goodman FINALLY took me to the 24-hour dimsum spot near my apartment in the Tuanjiehu hood.  People always tell me about this mysteriously good dimsum spot near me, and I never knew what they were talking about…until today.

Surprise to me, this ‘mysterious dim sum restaurant’ turned out to be none other than the very well-known restaurant chain – Jin Ding Xuan金鼎轩. I have been to the branch next to Tango at least half a dozen times, whether for dinner or late-night grub and always took it as it is – a relatively cheap and massively ginormous Chinese restaurant with quick service, awful entertainment and half-decent food. I never even thought of it necessarily as a dimsum restaurant since their menu also features a lot of Sichuan dishes and standard “Chinese restaurant” dishes.

So naturally, I quite expected my brunch experience today to be similar to my previous experiences and was pleasantly surprised to find a winner!  Again, massive restaurant with 4 levels, it was packed (and luckily no wait upon arrival), quick service, big menu with lots of pictures, and a very satisfying dimsum brunch!

As it was a great experience, I’ll be a returning customer for certain, but knowing the way “chain venues” go in China, I think I’ll still be avoiding the branch by Yonghegong.

Review of Jin Ding Xuan 金鼎轩: 15 Tuanjiehu Nanlu, Chaoyang Park 团结湖南路15号 Tel: 8596-8881

Best Part:

• A good selection of dimsum staples – overall good taste and good prices (ordered about 8 dishes and total bill was RMB 86 (bill at Chao Dian for same amount of food was RMB 174)
• The place was packed, lively atmosphere
• Open 24 hours
• It’s in MY hood!

Comments:

• Normally in the “Best Part” section, I would highlight the fact that there are 4 branches of Jin Ding Xuan (Yonghegong, Tuanjiehu, Olympic Area, and Fengtai), but I would say my experience eating dimsum today was much better than my previously dimsum meals at the Yonghegong branch (which I thought was not fresh and very mediocre).

Highlights were BBQ Pork Buns, Shaomai, and LuoBuoGao, with other dishes being satisfactory.  Everything was good overall but nothing exemplary or mind-blowing in terms of taste and quantity. But for the price, it’s great value.

I’m just waiting for the day when someone opens a Hatsune equivalent to DimSum in Beijing (casual, fun vibe, smart design, high quality raw materials, great service, all for a fair price).