8.1.2010 von Ines.

We went to a small renovated hutong bar near Houhai for a concert of our friends. The Over Easy Dance Band plays foot-stomping rhythm and blues. They claim “If the Rolling Stones knocked up the Scissor Sisters, we’d be the spawn”. The band consists of Jimmy Biala on drums, Matt Forney on electric guitar, Meilan Frame on vocals and flute, Matt Roberts on the doghouse bass. But Jimmy flies forever to the United States in February so this was their last gig.

They played songs from Depeche Mode as well as Tom Waits. I think it is the first time that I heard a band play Tom Waits in China. It was really nice. Too bad the entertaining drummer is leaving Beijing.

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14.11.2009 von Ines.

The “DiVINE” CD Release Party of Jess was so great! Such a good concert, great performance and nice vibe in the venue with energetic afterparty. Here are some pictures of Jess with Sarah Vossler (background vocals) and Zac Courtney (drums) and other musicians:

The Italian juggler Federico Moro did a ball juggling performance with up to 5 balls choreographed to a new song of Jess.

After playing all the new songs that are on the Divine CD then Meiyouwenti Records brought some reggae music with the DJ Oscar who gave us a nice grove for dancing.

There was a nice article about the concert published in the Global Times. Check it out!

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14.11.2009 von Ines.

I am so looking forward to this. Jess Meider has just finished her new album and is having a special CD-release concert tonight at Dos Kolegas starting at 10pm. The album is called DiVINE. Her new songs are so beautiful… If you are in Beijing come on out and listen and experience!

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13.8.2009 von Ines.

My friend Xiao Lu dropped by the shop today. He had the typical fixed gear injury a few weeks ago: Two of his fingers got squished between the chain and the cog while he was helping a friend fix his flat rear tire. But he was lucky none got really chopped off. He showed me his new fixed gear bike. Unfortunately he cannot really ride it as his fingers need to heal first.

In the evening Jess and her 3 band members had again a concert in Yugong Yishan. Jess was playing some of her new songs that her and the band are currently recording for her new upcoming songwriter CD. Fede did some glowball juggling during one of the songs. My small camera is not good enough to take pictures in such low light environments.

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20.7.2009 von Ines.

Tonight we had the weekly Beijing Jugglers meeting in Yugong Yishan. It was special because Jess Meider and Fede Moro practiced their joint performance: Jess playing the guitar and singing her own beautiful “Moon Song” while Fede has a crystal ball to do contact juggling to the music. It looks just like the moon.

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18.7.2009 von Ines.

Today I went to the Ritan Park rock climbing wall. It was astonishingly empty for a Saturday late afternoon. Maybe this is due to the hot and humid weather. It was great not to have to wait in line to climb a route. And there were hardly any mosquitoes, not like in the past years.

This evening was the Beijing Burners Without Borders event called DESERT DANCE organized by Greening the Beige. It was a mix of art and music to raise environmental awareness. There was a belly dancer

Jess Meider played her songwriter songs in unusual positions while Federico performed contact juggling.

The whole venue was extremely beautiful. It is a privately owned renovated former temple. Really amazing.

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15.7.2009 von Ines.

It is nice to be back in Beijing, meet some of my Beijing friends and have dinner in a Xinjiang restaurant. And it was cool that Jess Meider had a special concert today in the Yugong Yishan club. She was accompanied by Sarah (background vocals) and Zack (bongos) as well as Zacks’ brother (standing bass) and Marie-Claude (accordion). It was a great mix. And my friend Fede performed during the Moon Song with his crystal ball.

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11.4.2009 von Ines.

Tonight I met with friends in a small beautifully renovated hutong building in a small alley going off Gulou Dongdajie #66 (near the public toilet). This new bar is called Amilal in Shoubi Hutong. A small Chinese minority band called EZ played some quiet music. They had a 4 stringed guitar, a 2 stringed instrument, a drum, a bell and other instruments. It was a really nice atmosphere.

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24.10.2008 von Ines.

If you come to Beijing and want to experience a nice lamb dinner in a Mongolian tent (called yurt) - then go to the restaurant near Dongdan. We went there and had our own little yurt with our own waitress. Each yurt is a luxury tent as they have their own air conditioners. We did not order a full lamb, but really enjoyed the Lamb back. Later even some Mongolian singers came to sing for our guests from overseas.

Afterwards we went to my favorite Chinese band called Second Hand Rose Band. In Chinese their name is 二手玫瑰. They played again in the Get Lucky bar. We arrived late but there were still 2 pre-bands playing. I was confused to see the Second Hand Rose lead singer with almost no hair and not wearing a dress nor high heal shoes. Also he was not able to put the typical rose into his hair anymore. I really always loved his outfit as well as the appearance and intensity on stage. That was missing today.

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11.6.2008 von Ines.

One of the most famous food in Beijing is the Roast Duck. It is always served like this:

If you are having the dinner with friends or customers or colleagues you will probably have to drink some high percentage white rice alcohol - called baijiu. If your friends like you then they will get high class one in nice bottles and not the cheap Erguotou.

After dinner we went for some drinks in Houhai. I could not walk past a shop - I had to go in - I had to buy some more Chinese Rock music. Especially as my favorite band Second Hand Rose finally have their 2nd CD out.

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