SmartShanghai | MP3 Monday: Feting 'Fete de la Musique'

MP3 Monday: Feting 'Fete de la Musique'

By Morgan Short, Jun 13th, 2011 | In Nightlife

Your big musical thing this weekend is the two-day, multi-venue “Fete de la Musique” concert(s), returning for the second year in Shanghai, featuring a massive amount of French, Chinese, and miscellaneous bands from all over, playing all over the city -- all of it free, free, free.

Here’s “Fete de la Musique” translated for you, along with some sound samples of some of the acts.

A concept originating in France in the early ‘80s -- and organized and hosted in Shanghai by official French government types -- “Fete de la Musique” is now a global celebration thing, positioning music in the public sphere, in a sort of communal, collective, jam-heavy spirit. Openness, eclecticism, the free exchange of culture and music -- all that happy stuff. In Shanghai, they have two days of music planned on June 18 and 19. On June 18 is the opening concert at 800 Show on Kangding Lu, as well as the Xingfu Lu block party after-party. On Sunday June 19, is the main “Fete de la Musique” celebration, and they have loads of concerts planned on stages all over the city -- over ten locations of music on outdoor and indoor stages -- starting from as early as 1:30pm in the day and culminating into a big jam sessions on Sunday night at Mao Livehouse -- at 7pm -- hosted by Shanghai lord of the jam: John Nguidjol. You might remember him from his jam nights at the old Logo and Anar. Great voice, for sure.

Again, all of this is free. You can go to some of it, all of it, and in and out as you please. Good opportunity to stretch your legs and see some music during daylight hours, as well as celebrate on into the evening if that’s what you do.

Generally speaking, music styles are really diverse. Everything from rock, folk, and pop to jazz, blues, and… um… “ethnic sounds”, would be the lazy catch-all. And you’ve also got your electronica from French two-piece, Coco & Curry, returning as the marquee act for this thing after a successful China tour last year, as well as lots of dance music from deee-jaaays.

Okay, so the opening concert is this Saturday at 800 show, a big warehouse-type venue on Kangding Lu. This is thrown in conjunction with Shanghai indie label, Zhu Lu He Feng -- a folk and pop label headed up by Lezi (Sonnet, Pinkberry) -- and features a few Shanghai bands paired with some visiting French acts.

Here’s the line-up:

4pm - 4.30pm: Moonrock
4.45pm - 5.15pm: An Lai Ning
5.45pm - 6.45pm: Joyce Jonathan
7pm - 7.40pm: Sonnet
8pm - 9pm: Yuguo
9.20pm - 10.20pm: Curry & Coco
10.20pm - 11pm: R3

So here’s some samples from two of these acts -- the one's coming in from France to play this thing. Some folky pop from Joyce Jonathan, a young singer / songwriter, performing in both French and Chinese. Sounds real precious.

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And here’s two from Curry & Coco, disco-electroclashish-pop (pictured.) They were in Shanghai last year, hosted by S.T.D., playing a well-received show at Lune. They’re the main booking for the festival.

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So after the main event at 800 Show, the official after-party is on Xingfu Lu, which is also the S.T.D. four-year anniversary. They’re taking over both Anar and Dada for that, and it features a big line-up of local DJs at both venues. More of a dancey-dancey thing at Dada, and more of a harder and “experimental” vibe at Anar. Main act there is local electronica freakazoid, LLND. He’s always good.

So that’s the Saturday. And on the Sunday is the main Fete de la Musique thing on stages all over Shanghai. There’s too much going on to get into specific detail, but we’ve uploaded the full schedule of acts, times, and locations.

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Click here for the Fete de la Musique schedule and locations.

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Zoom in with your magnifying glass tool to get a better look. As we said earlier, over ten venues, scores of bands and DJs all over town, all afternoon-long, culminating in a big multi-musician jam session (they’re saying over 50) at Mao Livehouse at 7pm. A highlights of the Sunday shows would be the one at Xintiandi -- Youssef Abado, X is Y, Weghur, and Beijing’s Amazing Insurance Salesmen and more -- but it’s a pretty eclectic day, so if you’re open and easy, it’s all good.

Last link we’ll leave you with. Here’s their webber -- alas only in French and Chinese -- but that’s got more background on the performers.

So yeah. That’s it. Fete de la Musique on Saturday and Sunday. Free, free, free!

Egalite! Fraternite! Liberte! Is that right? Think so.

Fete de la Musique is this Saturday and Sunday, all over Shanghai.