[My Weekender] with Fabien Barbet

Beer bus rock with Fabien Barbet - Feb 22, 08

Fabien Barbet teaches at L’Ecole Francaise and is the drummer for local rock band The Rogue Transmission.

Dear SmartShanghai aficionados, my name is Fabien and this is how I'll work out my weekend number 8 (of 2008, that’s a fortuitous ba-ba bum). Good news is this time I won't even need to wait until the last minute to check all of the events posted here and on Facebook to make a final decision, as things are pretty clear already.

Friday is just all about the Get In The Van! party. I can't see any reason why I'd be choosing something else. Not only because I'm performing, but also ‘cause it's been a while since we had some decent live rock music in Shanghai (longing for a new 4 Live...). And because it's an original packaging that won't ruin your weekend budget at all. If despite all the buzz you still happen to be unaware of it, the night will start at C's Bar -- they just hosted last night's (well)come back of the Brown Nylon Suit party -- for an "I don't even need a happy hour" happy hour straight after work. I'll eat something around there (I may try to order a Hello Pizza from their couches) and 10 kuai beers to wait quietly for the 8:30pm buses. At that time, me and 200+ other people will get on a bus (drink some free REEB) and go to Live Bar!


After the three sets by Boys Climbing Ropes, The Rogue Transmission (I'll try to regain my pride after my drunken birthday show last weekend...) and Banana Monkey, the beer bus will take all us back to LOgO for an after party with Hard Queen and DJ sets by Boya and friends.

On Saturday I'll wake up hopefully by 10 for some quick backstreet food, such as a sweet Shandong egg-based crepe filled with veggies. This certainly isn't my favored French breakfast from the old times, but it's my choice because I read in a review recently Shanghai doesn't offer any good bread at all... So the crepe will help me get my dose of proteins to join the Azzurri team in the SIFL Football League in a crucial game against my French peers, Les Bleus, at Tianma Golf Country Club.

On the way back I'll probably stop at our sponsor Il Panino to get one of their delicious Panini's named after famous Italian characters.

Back home, I’ll get a well-deserved shower in my now doorless bathroom. For dinner I might go for a teppannyaki at Matsusaka with friends in order to warm up for the night. I heard of a friend-of-a-friend's house party to stop by afterwards, or I could go to Paramount for once. Though I'm really not a big fan of that venue and the parties usually held there, they seem to have an original VJ set that night (Optical Dope) that might worth checking out... and it’s free entrance.

Otherwise, STD's Digital Love should be the good mid-night rally point. "Surprises," they said... My night might finish at The Shelter for some late reggae vibes from Uprooted Sunshine's Shanghai By Bus.

Sunday, resting day (where at least it doesn't make sense to talk about morning) but in the afternoon I should go in to the studio with the band and Albert from STD to record some more tracks, as we’re trying to get prepared for a mini China tour in late April and an appearance in Beijing MIDI Festival, that will be held during the shortened May holidays.

We'll all go have dinner somewhere around, and I'll end up home to prepare classes and tests for the French youth of Ecole Française where I'm working this semester.

Images taken from Fabien's Facebook page. Compliments to the original photographers.

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