On October 31, Shanghai will loose a huge part of itself when Xingfu Lu club LOgO shuts down for good. With their license expiring in about a week, club management has been unable to obtain a new one, and so quite suddenly, one of the most well-known and popular clubs in this city is closing permanently.

Be it on turntables or on stage, as ground zero for independent Shanghai DJ, producers, and musicians to perform for their city, LOgO has been an integral part of the Shanghai underground community.

The "Shanghai underground community"... bars like LOgO seem to attract guidebook clichés pretty easily. It's tough to accurately convey the importance something like a club can have in your life. A lot of people in Shanghai live the majority of their lives after dark, and if you're one of those, then chances are more than good that you made some great memories at LOgO...

...and that the city will be quite a bit suckier for you on November 1.

The bar was always an honest place so we'll be honest too:

LOgO, you were a good-ass place to get pissed at, see some bands, and listen to some music. Nice bar. Comfy couches. Loud and smoky. Foosball. Made some good friends there. Had some good times. We're sorry we smuggled so much beer in, or just drank it outside.

You will be missed.

Make sure you stop by often over the next week or so to say thank you to Maxime and Taipei for five years of LOgO.

SmartShanghai talked to LOgO's Music Director Maxime (aka Xeum) about dead man walking.

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Maxime: Unfortunately yes, closing on the 31st of October. Well, it's not like there’s a sign outside asking kindly to be quiet. [Laughs.] So LOgO is just victim of its success I guess.

...and again thanks to the convenient stores on the sides.

But so far, we're going to move some of the parties to Lune and see how it goes. And we might look for another place in the near future as well.





Maxime: Well, it's been so crazy that Taipei [LOgO bar's owner] had to pay for a hotel room for the neighbors sometimes to keep them quiet. Fortunately for us, he has great relationship with local police.

[Laughs.] Yes, that old Chinese granny even came once with a hammer then after came to unload her trash INSIDE LOgO!

But my favorite one, is that old Chinese guy hanging around LOgO for whatever reason...

Actually, my favorite neighbor is Michael! [Dada bar manager.]


Maxime: Well, she just came in and tried to break EVERYTHING with the hammer, including the sound system and the turntables. I was there to stop her though. [Laughs.]

I can't remember what the event was, but surely a nice one...


Maxime: Well, we can give them a last blessing on the last days and pack the street!

But yeah, I feel sorry for the families with kids and the people who were working early. I regret the disrespect of our compatriots...

...I guess I can give them a free LOgO compilation for them to remember us. [Laughs.]




Maxime: For the past four years, I always wanted LOgO to be different every nite of the week in regards to what other clubs were producing, and the last week remains in that way...

Definitely the last TRASH a GO GO will be HUGE. We also have Gyorgy de Val from Berlin as well, giving a crazy dubstep and breakbeat session on Thursday... For this last Wednesday, we have something special coming up with Acid Pony Club.

And you know this Friday is the ONLY weekly reggae party in China, and we have a special party with with DJs from Belgium -- and it's moving to Lune now.

And of course the last day on Sunday will be a BEST OF Shanghai with all our friends -- R3, Mau Mau, Sacco, and everyone.


Maxime: You know, I waited for one year for Taipei to buy equipment for LOgO cuz we started, we used my own instruments and turntables. Then the renovation, I waited two years... I wanted to start young artist exhibitions but as you saw, people don't really respect anything, especially white walls, so it became like kindergarten...

Fortunately, I had great support from street artist to make it look a bit better, but I guess it’s how people show their love for the place by leaving their name somewhere. Like a historical monument.

So yeah, I can't force people to respect LOgO walls or not to bring outside drinks inside...it has to come from them.

LOgO is a place for freedom of expression, that's the most important thing behind everything, especially here in China. So, yeah, I'm sure the walls will sweat again for the last time. It's a party place -- if you want to be civil, you can go somewhere else.

But I hope people will remember to thank Taipei as well. Without him, nothing would have been possible...




Maxime: On October 28, we have a huge Finland party... but yeah Mau Mau will get his favorite Tuesday there, and the Friday reggae guys as well. Ben Huang will come back soon too.

Lune will never be LOgO, but LOgO's soul will live on through the compilation and a show on Udance that will start soon. Again, I know for a while that in the future, maybe ten or twenty years, people will remember their special time there and smile...

To have such a cultural impact was definitely the most important thing for me. I did LOgO with free entrance and cheap drinks, NOT for the poor laowai, but for the locals to be exposed to new arts and sounds.


Maxime: Freaklub, One Love, Sundae Jam... but I can't forget Jimmy Tennor, man -- was so huge!

As well as the night when Sonic Youth came for a drink... the manager called me like super pretentious, like "we wanna book a table, bla, bla, bla, bla". I told her, "who cares, EVERYBODY is a rock star in Shanghai. There's no booking at LOgO, just come for a drink". And they came, and NOBODY cared...

Omar Sosa came down and loved it.... RESPECT.




Maxime: Well, its a best of the DJs who came perform in LOgO, and it's the first time all the tracks are released -- exclusive for the compilation. We have Pacou from Berlin Tresor, Mikey Gallagher from Ministry of Sound America, AND the talented Chinese producers B6, Liman, and Ben Huang. It's available on the net everywhere and soon in stores. And there's one track we did with the Ponys where I'm singing as well [Laughs].


Maxime: Well, I've already released tracks you can find on Itunes or Beatport, for labels in Munich, LA, Paris, Singapore... I'm one of the official remixers of disco idol OTTAWANN: D.I.S.C.O., that came out recently on Def Jam records. I have project with DJs from Sweden and Korea, and got a track which reached the top 10 Minimal Beatport last April. I also recently remix one of the artist of Yousou N Dour, Ousman Guangue, that will come out in a Berlin Label.

But most importantly I started last year a music publishing, management, and consulting company in Paris -- UNICUM -- with a friend who used to work at the main office of a major company in London.

I also wish to start workshop and education program with the JZ School for everyone to learn how to mix, produce, and scratch... is that enough? Let me know or I will never stop talking [laughs].


Maxime: I mean, its about time Shanghai starts its own scene, not like Beijing or Hong Kong. BE CREATIVE and don't be afraid to take risks or critics. Jealousy means you re doing something successful.




Maxime: COME TO LUNE!


Maxime: As well, don't forget that we are all guests here in China. I have enjoyed and I continue to enjoy every seconds of this great opportunity to be in Shanghai right now. It's great to be part of the cultural evolution here, because China allows us to do so...

LOgO is not a place or venue, it's a spirit and its inside everyone from the young students to my grand parents who come to visit. It's all about LOVE. And again I created this place because everywhere else people don't ask you "What do you play?", they asks you "Oh how many people will your bring?"

But fuck that!

There are not, but there should be more places that let you take the mic and express what you feel...

Welcome to LOgO!

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Flights of Shanghai DJs sing LOgO to its final rest on Sunday, October 31.

Take it to the streets one last time.

They are open every single night before that.

Thanks Maxime and Taipei.