Shanghai Daily News

When Christmas is around the corner, the city seems filled with joyful anticipation and festive songs to warm the chilly air. However, special notes - unlike mainstream music - are also in the air.

This Christmas, partygoers can take part in a unique show at the DDM Warehouse, entitled "I Just Wanna Die in My Beautiful Shanghai," presented by popular local band "Top Floor Circus."

"Top Floor Circus" is an underground avant-garde band whose members are whimsical and full of energy. Their distinctive punk rock style has been influenced by the late scuzzy-rock freak, GG Allinhas. The band's songs are always in the Shanghai dialect, telling the stories of back-alley life.

"Their performance style is changeable and every time they surprise the audience," says Yan Yao from the DDM Warehouse, one of the show's organizers. "They want to send out their feelings and attitudes about the world to the audience in a self-mocking way. And they sometimes make themselves like jackpuddings."

Each band member has a day job - one is a customs officer, another an adman, one owns a juice shop and the other is a television producer. They devote their spare time to their music.

"The musical style of the band also changes from time to time. It may be the last time they give their performance in punk style," says Yan.

Another university band named "Shen Zhi Wu Zhi" ("God Knows, I Know") has been invited to do the warm-up act.

In addition, "Top Floor Circus" will screen their latest self-produced digital video series "A Punk is Born" and "How a Punk is Made" from the "Punk Trilogy," which is said to be one of the most visually impressive digital video pieces this year.

Date: December 24, 8pm

Address: 3/F, 713 Dongdaming Rd

Admission: 30 yuan

Tel: 3501-3212