Looks like Shanghai's been had again. Tickets for a Gwen Stefani show at Shanghai Grand Stage on 5 May have been advertised for a while (ie. this link here) but as it turns out, the tour date is fake. Surprise, surprise...

No Doubt holla'd back with this statement on their website:

"Gwen Stefani will not be touring in May. There was an announcement made recently that she'd be performing in Shanghai at the Shanghai Grand Stage on May 5th but that is not the case. Gwen and the guys are in the studio working on the upcoming No Doubt album and have no touring plans at this time."

962727 – The digits Shanghai residents should dial if they suspect that their lovely bowl of chao mian was cooked in nasty cancer-causing drainage oil. It was revealed last week that up to one-tenth of oil used for cooking in China could contain aflatoxins, which are among the most carcinogenic substances known to man. 

30 – The number of people who were left stranded 20 metres above the ground when the biggest roller-coaster at Shanghai’s Happy Valley amusement park stalled again on Sunday. Happy Valley’s developers explained that “some glitches are to be expected”.

60,000 – The number of acrylic rods that will cover the ‘Seed Cathedral’, the centrepiece of the UK Pavilion at the 2010 Expo. This and several other remarkable Expo scenes were shown in a Boston Globe photograph series published last week.

50 to 60 – The appropriate indoor humidity level during a dust storm, like the ones that have been plaguing us and the whole eastern seaboard recently. A face mask, hand-cream and fruit are also good ideas. 

- Compiled by Alex Taggart
 
 

The Jinqiao 8K run takes place this Sunday 21 March, and we can't think of a better way to celebrate and replenish your body after the race than with TALK and Big Bamboo. 

The TALK and Big Bamboo running team will head to the Bamboo's new Jinqiao digs post-race, and we want everyone to join us! Celebrate your successful run with the Big Bamboo's excellent food and drink deal (RMB 75 includes one free draft beer or soft drink, and choice of pizza, burger, chicken caesar wrap or tuna melt).  

The after party takes place at Big Bamboo Jinqiao in Pudong, located at 381 Hongfeng Lu from 10am to 4pm. Don't miss this post-race party! It will blow your mind...

For more info email [email protected]

This weekend music lovers are in for a real treat when DnB royalty comes to town in the form of LTJ Bukem, and his long time collaborator, MC Conrad. TALK caught up with the mercurial DJ to chat about his career and what he has planned for Saturday night.

As one of the prime innovators in the development of jungle music how have you seen the genre change since its conception?

I’m into music that can be played in 10 years’ time. To me dnb is as fresh as it was 15 years ago. I listen to stuff that is 30 years old, and knowing that DnB is becoming like that is wicked. I’ve been doing plenty of touring, seems like I’ve been on a life long tour for the last ten years. Loving the DJing as always. Still on my decks when I can, busting mixes, calling Conrad to tell him ‘Check this mix!!’ like it was 15 years ago. Enjoying the music, all the new artists coming through, the guys at Hospital as well as the old heads like Renegade and all that.

How does your lofty position in the DnB scene influence the music you release? Do you feel any pressure?

There’s no pressure at all. I’m making music out of love and the enjoyment of making music. I can’t sit there and go 'Will this track be better than the last one?’ I make stuff because I enjoy making it, you now?

What got you into the music business to begin with and why DJing?

First of all, I made a track called “Logical Progression” in 1989 but didn’t know what to do with it. Then a friend of mine told me he has a record label called “Vinyl Mania” and he would put it out for me. I agreed and two months later he gave me 2,000 pounds and I was like: 'This is good, man. I want to make more music!' Most important was that I wanted to find out how I made that money. I wanted to find out how the record was made and distributed, what shops sold it and whey did they sell it.

In 1990 I made the track “Demon’s Theme” and decided to release it through my own label. In that time a guy called Phil started a distribution company called “Vinyl” and I had Good Looking Records. So, we came together and he helped me to get my music out to the people, showed me how everything was working and this is how Good Looking basically started.

Back then I didn’t really care about success. I didn’t give a sh*t. I couldn’t care less. I just wanted to make good music. I wanted to have a channel to put my music out there. Many people saw this, they liked it and started joining me and writing music for the label. That’s how the early Photek stuff came out, PFM as well… All these guys came together and decided to make the same style of music. Four years had passed before I even thought it was successful.

This isn’t your first trip to Shanghai, and from what I’ve heard your last set was pretty insane. How do you plan to top it?

I’m coming in with no expectations and hope the crowd will like it as much as last time.

Your shows always bring a mixed bag of people. Why?

I think it’s because the music I represent spreads far and wide into music lovers consciousness, if that makes any sense. I always notice there are house people, there are jazz and soul people there, there are hip-hop guys there, there are techno guys there. The music I play, I think, it brings out a lot of aspects in music that involves those people so they are interested in hearing their moment, their feeling of music that they are into through what I am doing DnB-wise. I think that’s why it brings out all kinds of people, young and old.

I know you have been in Japan a lot. From your experience how do the crowds in China differ from the ones in Japan?

I love Japan, Japanese people. They're a very fanatical race of music heads - do you know whatta I mean? When the Japanese go with something they like, they love it beyond reason. So, yeah I love Japan - the place, the people. We're gonna try and come here more often, maybe every couple of months or something to try and promote the sound better -- they need it.

What’s your take on Chinese music, and what acts do you like in Asia?

I can’t say I’ve heard much of Chinese music.

What attracted to you the Shelter for your one gig in China?

Last time we came to play for Jane (Phreaktion) and had a great time. We’ve been wanting to come back to play for her ever since but timing was never on our side. This year everything worked out so we are looking forward to our show.

What plans do you have for your music in the future?

For me, it’s definitely hard running a label doing all the things that I do, being A&R and everything. It’s so hard getting in the studio. I want to get the label to a certain point so I can take a few months off and work on this album that I have been wanting to do. And with the label, we’re doing two releases a month and we’re re-releasing the old catalogue. We have a DVD with me playing for 30,000 people. I also have a new mix series called Mellow Yellow which is going to come out in January of next year. I also started the sub-labels as well and they are going to feature music from new artists so we can up their profiles before moving them onto Good Looking. So much stuff!

If some of our readers haven’t heard any of your music before, what album should they listen to before they come on Saturday?

The classics include the Logical Progression session series. On a recent one, check out the Fabric live mix I did. With the mix I really wanted to highlight what I’m doing as a DJ. I could’ve sat there with a computer and done what a lot of people do: a computer mix, which is great fun as you can do what you can’t do live. But for me personally, I wanted it to be exactly what I do on a Friday night, strictly dubplates and records. I also wanted to represent people on the mix that I am working with on Good Looking, who I have a strong belief will have some longevity in what they are doing, and are going to be prolific artists in their own right. For me, it doesn’t matter who the artist is, it’s just about good music. That’s been my ethos since day one.

RMB 80. 10pm, 13 March. The Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu, near Fuxing Lu.