Friday, April 20 2007
Getting Sick in a Foreign Language
There is something familiar to me in that idea of an abandoned past; in a place like Beijing, you too can become anybody, literally. Because of the disconnect between here and Back Home, you can create for yourself the identity you've always wanted.
Friday, March 2 2007
The Revolution Will Not Be in a Stadium
If the Chinese revolution has a soundtrack, it won't be the Rolling Stones' songs; especially given that their ticket prices are more than most Chinese can afford.
Monday, August 28 2006
Foreigners in Foreign Lands, Part II: Exotic Occidentals
The second in a series of two examinations of foreign musicians, in which the Devil returns, literally, to China, to suss out those abusing the 'foreign' tag.
Monday, July 31 2006
Foreigners in Foreign Lands, Part I: Exotic Orientals
In the first in a series of examinations of foreign musicians we meet the Subs, a Chinese band who, no matter how good (or bad) their music, are first and foremost Chinese -- whether they like it or not.
Friday, April 7 2006
Yar Matey! Sailing the Pirate-infested Seas of Beijing’s CD Shops, or: Piracy: A Defence
The Beijing music-buying experience is daunting and disorienting, rife with clogged cardboard boxes, cut-outs, and pirated imports. In a highly censored market, the explicitly illegal discs may also be the most necessary.
Tuesday, February 21 2006
History in the Making?
How unsuspecting Tuesday nights of experimentalism in a tiny bar may be indicative of our living in extraordinary times.
Friday, January 20 2006
Post (Modern) Punk
Gimme gimme mock treatment! A Shanghai folk band go suddenly and self-consciously punk in front of an in-on-the-joke Beijing audience.
Monday, December 12 2005
When Good Isn’t Enough
When a national music scene is mediocre at best, what exactly constitutes 'good'? Campbell trounces his fortified preconceptions about Beijing rock bands to find out.
Tuesday, November 15 2005
Cultural Imperialism or Friendly Guidance?
The Foreign Devil swears he's trying to help, but when does 'help' become an imperialist action?
Tuesday, September 20 2005
The Kindness of Strange Punks
In a foreign land twice-removed, Campbell discovers that punks, even mohawked ones, aren't all devils.
Wednesday, August 3 2005
Paying the Piper. Or Not.
Urban cool Beijingers are happy to spend their money on alcohol, karaoke, and high-end food. But when it comes to paying a cover to attend a live show, something happens: their sense of self-importance precludes their willingness to pay to be entertained by others.
Tuesday, June 28 2005
Vive La France!
A dozen Francais artists -- including electro-jazz troupe St Germain and tango-meets-dub-and-beats act Gotan Project, among others -- played a massive stage in a downtown Beijing park to an audience of several thousand merry revellers.
Wednesday, May 25 2005
Token White Guy
In which the Foreign Devil becomes eye candy, window-dressing and court jester all while not playing a John Denver song.
Wednesday, April 6 2005
Midi Music Festival
In which the Foreign Devil picks up where he left off, taking readers back to China's favourite rock festival.
Wednesday, February 23 2005
The Four Represents
In which the Foreign Devil shares four Beijing-area rock experiences to prepare readers for what is Out There, and, further, what is to come.
