Gig-tastic!!

Oh, my - it's an exciting and hectic few days we have coming up.

Tonight I'm planning to indulge in a Jianghu session for the first time in a month or two (I've seen my guitar buddies Dan & Nico at a few other places, like Salud, recently, but not there - the fantastic, tiny courtyard bar which has become their spiritual home).

As I've already mentioned, the fantastic SUBS are playing tomorrow night at a small club up in Wudaokou. That's a must-see.

If I've recovered from that.... Saturday offers an embarrassment of riches. The traditional Indian musicians I mentioned last night are playing an afternoon gig in Ritan Park (which I might just about be able to shoehorn into my schedule), and then later are supposed to be jamming with my favourite Xinjiang-flavoured jazz trio Panjir at the Stone Boat (which I'll have to pass on, sadly). There's also a very tempting line-up at the new Yugong Yishan club, with good bands Joyside and The Scoff (I'm afraid I'll have to pass on that too).

The reason I have to spurn these two very attractive gig options is that Glorious Pharmacy are playing in my 'hood. This is an event - sort of on a par with a Velvet Underground reunion! The Pharmacy (also sometimes translated as Glamorous Pharmacy - I've no idea what the Chinese is, I'm afraid) were a loose affiliation of eccentric geniuses who produced largely improvised, highly experimental music that fused Western jazz/folk/rock with traditional Chinese elements. I only managed to catch them once in their heyday, at the old Yugong Yishan, but it was one of the most brilliant shows I've seen here. The heart of the group was the delightfully batty Xiao He (who I have seen several times solo over the past year) - but he just got a bit too weird for everyone else, and the group split up to pursue individual projects a couple of years or so ago. I have seen them advertised to play a few times since, but these gigs always seem to fail to materialise (or it's just Xiao He on his own, like the show I saw out at Dashanzi a few months back).

This time, I am assured, they really will play together - at least, the three core members: Xiao He, Li Tieqiao, and Guo Long. Apparently my Indian friend Sumita and her Chinese hubby have known the band since their early days, and have persuaded them to get together again to play at their leaving-China party (Sumita's, that is - but I'm sure she'll be back). Not to be missed.

And Sunday? There's almost certainly something to be seen on Sunday as well, but I can't plan that far ahead at the moment - suffering from something of a cultural overload!!