Tang Dynasty are one of China's earliest rock bands, with a history going back 20 years or so. I gather they do metal with a prog-rock twist, incorporating lots of classical Chinese allusions into their lyrics. (I believe I saw them play once, at the Midi Festival years and years ago - but I don't recall too much about it now.)
I don't think they've played together much for years now, but it seems they're getting back together for a tour this year and have just cut a new EP. Their opening show was last Sunday night at Star Live - with Brain Failure (which is, I'm told, a rather inspired elaboration of the Chinese for 'aneurism'), generally reckoned to be Bejing's biggest rock band of the moment, opening for them. That's quite a bill! And, for once, you could count on it being a proper rock'n'roll crowd, and 99% Chinese - rather than the hordes of Wudaokou language students and other laowai poseurs we have to endure at Yugong Yishan and D-22.
I really ought to have gone, but was fretting about ill-health and penury and a huge editing job hanging over me like the sword of Damocles.
It appears to have been a great show: check out the review here on BeijingDaze (a very useful resource for keeping in touch with developments on the Beijing music scene) written by guest blogger 'Miss Ruby' (who hangs out around here from time to time, but mostly in 'lurk' mode - or perhaps under other guises).
4 comments:
It was indeed a great show, you really should have come!
Actually wasn't aware I had another guise here, and I'm not sure I like it. Can Ruby, not just be Ruby?
You can be anything you want to be, Ruby, dear. I was just wondering if you wanted to draw some distinction between 'Miss Ruby' and 'Ruby' (or my suggestion the other week of 'Ruby Murray'), between your persona here and on other Beijing blogs.
You know that Proverbs 31.10 - in the King James version - says: "Who can find a virtuous woman?
For her price is far above rubies."
There is a story (told me by a favourite teacher at school; I've always loved it) that this line once prompted a precocious 8-year-old girl to bother her parents with the question: "So, how much is Ruby?"
Well, if we're going to go religious, a great Guru once said
“No one has found the worth of the ruby of the heart; its value cannot be estimated.”
Ruby is simply Ruby. One online persona is more than enough for someone still trying to understand who she is in real life!
Post a Comment