Shanghai Daily news

He was gunned down in New York City nearly a quarter of a century ago, but John Lennon's legacy lives on and his music will be celebrated by Shanghai rock bands in Xintiandi on Saturday, writes Michelle Qiao.
If John Lennon were still alive, he would be excited to see how he's influenced generations of rock performers around the world - and that includes Shanghai.
To commemorate the anniversary of Lennon's death on December 9, six local rock bands will revive dozens of Beatles songs at Ark, the city's major rock club, in Xintiandi on Saturday.
That's right, it's going to happen in Shanghai, a city that China's "father of rock," Cui Jian, once said "has no rock."
Well might Lennon be smiling. The Ark concert will see some of Shanghai's budding rockers - musicians whose rock 'n' roll enlightenment was from Beatles songs - on stage performing the best they can in a show to celebrate his memory.
The afternoon's entertainment was organized by a newly established volunteer group - "Yuyin Tang," whose aim is to arrange live shows for local rock bands. The Lennon activity, entitled "Give Life a Chance," is the group's first signature show.
"Shanghai, unlike Beijing, doesn't have a fertile ground for rock music," says 26-year-old Zhang Wenting, one of Yuyin Tang's founders and whose day job is in administration for a wine company. "Beijing has a group of loyal rock fans and more than 10 rock venues. Shanghai has fewer bands and bars with live shows. There are more than 30 rock bands in Shanghai but not all of them are able to put on a good live show."
Zhang says Yuyin Tang takes its name from the road near the city's former North Railway Station. Priests in a church there used to take in orphaned children.
The group's six organizers are all super rock fans whose day jobs vary from white-collar worker to professional DJ gigs.
"Rock is straightforward, impulsive and passionate music that no other style of music can compete with," says 26-year-old Ark DJ Zhang Haishen, another founder of the group. "We want to encourage local bands, offer more live-show opportunities and nurture their music - just like raising babies."
But he agrees that Shanghai rockers cannot rival their Beijing counterparts in terms of skill and live-show experience.
"Beijing has more than 10 venues for live rock shows," says Zhang. "As far as I know, Shanghai has only four. In addition, Beijing's two modern music schools attract talent from around the country. Beijing's many professional bands survive by performing. Shanghai rockers have to be more practical and have good daytime jobs to earn the bread they need to support their hobby."
Yuyin Tang arranged several live shows at Halley's Bar in Xujiahui in October and November. Each show attracted audiences of between 100 and 200 and they were "sort of" successful. Now the group is negotiating with 10 local rock bands to put on more shows.
"It's fantastic to have a sense of community in this because we're starting from such a small beginning," says vocalist Ken Nicholds from band "On9" and whose four members are all foreigners living in Shanghai. "Now the scene seems to be cooperative - it's fun and supportive - and Yuyin Tang is part of it. They can push us forward and set up the environment for us to hang out more and to play more for more people. I will be very proud to say, later, that I was a part of expanding Shanghai's rock scene."
The band will sing various Beatles songs such as "Helter Skelter," "Dear Prudence" and "Happiness is a Warm Gun" as well as some of their own songs at the Ark concert on Saturday afternoon.
"Shanghai's road to rock has just started," Nicholds says. "But there's a nice atmosphere now - a new wave of bands is coming through with pure intentions and positive energy, who are willing to cooperate to build a scene."
Yan Yao, a local music fan who has lived in Germany, doubts that the emerging rock scene can last long.
"Westerners have the habit of attending live shows regularly on weekends and therefore Roskilde, a Danish music festival that was initiated by several young students, can attract an audience of 300,000 every time," Yan says. "But Shanghai is too big and the venues are too far away to get to from home. I doubt whether fans will hold onto the habit of going to live shows. Also Shanghai's character is not impulsive and not exciting, which is against rock's rebellious spirit. Perhaps elegant music like jazz is more popular in the city."
Local rock band "Marrow" has linked with Yuyin Tang, but it's also building its own Website for free downloads.
"Shanghai's 'dim' character is not suitable for hard rock," says 27-year-old Yuan Ting, a female vocalist with Marrow and whose day job is with a trading company. "But, on the other hand, Shanghai is generous to various cultures and styles and its music fans, with their picky ears, listen to a variety of music including classical, jazz, blues and rock. They are more fussy about local rock music. I hope my music can reach the marrow of people. It's not just background entertainment - it can touch your heart."
Yuyin Tang is also planning to put on shows at universities and will invite Beijing rock band, "Diverse," to perform in Shanghai next Friday.
At the Lennon event, "Yellow Submarine" performed by 20 local fans will be broadcast at the gateway.
"I just like rock because it is so different from my life - it's full of attitude, rebellion, brash noise, big hair, poses and drugs," Nicholds says.
Yuan agrees: "Many well-paid friends of mine are not happy since they lack spiritual power. People need spiritual support. Rock is a kind of spiritual power to me. Rock is sincere music which attracts sincere persons."
No matter that Shanghai's rockers are still like orphaned babies who need to be cared for, they are growing and they are rocking.

Date: December 4, 1:30pm
Venue: Ark, Xintiandi, 181 Taicang Rd
Tickets: 30 yuan (includes a special　　 drink)
For more details, please visit www.yuyintang.com