(Shanghai Star)
Updated: 2006-05-02 10:42

 

In most bars, customers can only watch the performance of jazz or pop music. They rarely find rock music composed and performed by the bands on stage.

Several youngsters have changed all that with a bar in a small warehouse on Lane 200, Longcao Road in Shanghai. Instead of calling it a bar, they refer to it as the "Music Warehouse." The building had been a warehouse for many years before these young people found it and turned it upside down.

The bar area is only 120 square metres, and patrons will not find the usual bar furniture here. Barrels and couches are randomly scattered about the place for sitting down or placing drinks while watching the concerts. The walls and ceiling have been refurbished and repainted in their original colours.

High above the stage,spotlights give customers the feeling they are in a noisy workshop.

Large photos of local and overseas rock bands who have performed here will definitely catch the eye of first-time visitors. Almost every rock band in Shanghai has found its way to this stage.

Unlike the simple furnishings, the sound equipments is of the same quality found in any studio or professional theatre.

According to the owners, the bar can be easily turned into a small studio if bands want to produce albums here.

In January this year, 19 local and foreign bands performed here in the largest rock concert in Shanghai, which lasted 10 hours.

Presenting more rock concerts is not the only goal for the founders of the Music Warehouse. They have formed an organization named Yuyintang to look for more promising rock bands in Shanghai, especially at universities. With their help, many bands have produced their first albums at the warehouse free of rental charge. A rehearsal room not far from the bar was set up by the members of Yuyintang and stocked with all kinds of musical instruments. Rock bands, especially those giving their first concerts, can use the room to get prepared. The owners of the bar plan to promote these bands' albums to music companies in the future.

"We hope everyone will love these bands and the music we love, and we hope we can bring more concerts and joy to people who love rock music because all of us love rock music too," said Wu Dan, one of the owners of the bar.

Music Warehouse
Location: 200 Longcao Road
Tel: 6436-0072