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Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Shanghai China Retail Beverages and Energy Drink Photo
I have been in China the last few months gathering marketing data for an Energy Drink company. Here is a photo of a China retail store called "Quik". Other Popular retail chains in Shanghai are Kedi, Lawsons, All Days, and Watsons.
Click here to Checkout our Marketing Services Page.
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posted by DJViBE TV @ 4:02 AM
Monday, July 03, 2006
Free Website for a Free DJ School in Shanghai
StudioX has volunteered to help out a great cause in Shanghai. The Lab is a free music community where anyone can come in and learn to DJ for "FREE".. It's making music accessable to even the unfortunate.. It's a great place, so StudioX has donated its design and marketing services to the Lab. Sometime it's not about the money it's about supporting something that's a good cause..
"If you build it, they will come" aptly fits The Lab - ´they´ being DJs and musicians fed up with the mainstream and searching for something real. The Lab, occupying the loft apartment of an old watch factory in Jing´an and founded by Gary Wang and Fu Jun (DJs V-nuts and Fortune respectively), provides a most welcome subwoofer of fresh air to the Shanghai music scene. Granted, more renowned international acts have passed through this fair city in the last year than ever before, but the scene has not necessarily moved forward, as Gary Wang laments. Upon his return from Japan in 1999, Shanghai nightlife was mainly focused around Maoming Lu with the old dkd (now Buddha Bar) as its epicenter. Hip hop back then didn´t enjoy the massive commercial success it does today, but the audience was a lot more appreciative of the music. These days, crowds generally expect commercial chart hip hop to be played. This is precisely why as a promoter Wang has brought to China artists, like Roc Raida and Kid Koala, who he feels possess musical merit rather than immediate commercial appeal. Moreover he endeavors to keep ticket prices as low as possible so that local kids grasp the opportunity to attend, as opposed to just the affluent crowd that sweats the bubbly more than the music. Now Wang´s efforts to take hip hop back to its roots have intensified with The Lab, where gear is available for established turntablists and novices alike. A quick rundown: 10 Technics SL 1200s, an assortment of Pioneer mixers (909, 707, 400 and 800), three Krohn amps, two 15-inch JBL bass speakers, four regular ones, two Akai hardware sequencer/samplers, a Mac G5 running E-magic, Logic 7, Soundforge and Protools, and a live drum set. Alternatively, there´s ample space to kick back, surf the net through WiFi or hang out on the absolutely massive rooftop terrace, which will soon be hazed by graffiti artists. The best part is that all of it is free. Of course any contributions, whether time, skills or money, are warmly welcomed. The Lab´s musical policy covers any noncommercial styles that are underrepresented in Shanghai. This includes any music, as long as it´s "good," as Wang smilingly puts it. The focus mainly falls on hip hop, funk, soul and downtempo. Anyone is invited to come have a go and someone will always be around to give out some pointers. Wang is quick to mention that he aims to create a welcoming environment where people can get involved, share experiences and expand the community. "The Lab belongs to the people!" he says. And the people have been showing up in respectable numbers, even though the vast majority of them are foreigners. Perhaps this indicates an underlying problem with local attitudes -- rapid development and increased affluence have been accompanied by a see-and-be-seen mentality. "Most local kids like mainstream hip hop, and they´ve come to expect that the music involves drugs, sex, money and other negative elements. And when they come to The Lab and don´t see that, they think it isn´t real," says Wang. "But the regulars who do come here don´t care about the bling bling mainstream. They care about music. Here you can be yourself." The fact that it´s free might also throw some Chinese off and paradoxically scare them away. Nevertheless, as The Lab progresses it will without doubt gain popularity and attract a wider variety of people. American DJ Daddy Dog from New York found his way here during a four-month work gig. He heard about The Lab from friends and came to practice as he has no turntables in his Shanghai home. "The best part of The Lab is that everyone shares something. I´ve taught beat juggling, where you rearrange percussion, kind of like live remixing. And in turn the others have taught me different kinds of scratching," says Daddy Dog. "I´ve even learned to play the drums." Even non-musical artists have been cropping up at The Lab. Canadian graffiti artist John Leslie, a.k.a. Plus One, cannot believe his good fortune. "I call this place ´The Wall´," he excitedly says. "My painting partner from Canada is coming, too. I called him up and said, ´they´ve even got scaffolding!´" By the time Plus One lays down his aerosol can at the end of summer, the terrace´s concrete wall will stand testament to the power of alternative art. Indeed, it´s exactly this exchange of knowledge and the laidback community feel that will propel The Lab into the summer and help it achieve its aim of establishing a music and art center of the people, by the people. Schedule£º Mon-Tue: Closed Wed: DJ Practice 2pm-9pm Thu: MC/DJ Practice 2pm-9pm Fri: DJ Practice 2pm-9pm Sat: [1st Sat: DJ; 2nd Sat: MC; 3rd Sat: Live Musicians; 4th Sat: Graffiti & Visual Artists, all from 3pm onwards.] Sun: [1st/2nd/3rd Sun: Live Band Practice; 4th Sun: BBQ (BYOB & food)/ Movies, all from 3pm onwards.] Address: 5/F, 343 Jiaozhou lu (near Wuding Lu) Tel: 5213-0877 Website: http://www.thelab.cn
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posted by DJViBE TV @ 9:49 AM
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