Live Chinese music nightspots expand song lists to include English, K-pop and J-pop tunes
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Young trio of musicians Kenny Khoo, Beishan Seto and Zephan Chew are juggling their studies and making music together as Kenyen, one of 14 resident acts at Shuffle Bistro Bar. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- PHOTO: SHUFFLE BISTRO BAR
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The crowd enjoys a live performance at Switch by Timbre. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- PHOTO: THE TIMBRE GROUP
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Patrons applaud during band performance at SHAKE on Jan 19, 2013. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
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(From left) Mandy, in her early twenties, Chen Juan, 25, Cindy, 28, Qiao Qiao, 23, and Deehellsix Xie, 34, during the band performance at SHAKE on Jan 19, 2013. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHU
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Singer Andy, who only goes by one name, from China, performs with resident band Hacker at Shanghai Dolly with a group of back-up dancers on Friday night. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN
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Singer Kiki performs at Shanghai Dolly. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN
Young trio of musicians Kenny Khoo, Beishan Seto and Zephan Chew are juggling their studies and making music together as Kenyen, one of 14 resident acts at Shuffle Bistro Bar. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- PHOTO: SHUFFLE BISTRO BAR
The crowd enjoys a live performance at Switch by Timbre. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- PHOTO: THE TIMBRE GROUP
Patrons applaud during band performance at SHAKE on Jan 19, 2013. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
(From left) Mandy, in her early twenties, Chen Juan, 25, Cindy, 28, Qiao Qiao, 23, and Deehellsix Xie, 34, during the band performance at SHAKE on Jan 19, 2013. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHU
Singer Andy, who only goes by one name, from China, performs with resident band Hacker at Shanghai Dolly with a group of back-up dancers on Friday night. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN
Singer Kiki performs at Shanghai Dolly. Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience. -- ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN
Clubs and bars playing live Chinese pop songs are going multilingual, adding English, Korean, Japanese and even Thai music, to cater to a wider audience.
Mr Dennis Foo, chief executive of St James Holdings, which owns the four-year-old Shanghai Dolly, said he has changed the entertainment offerings of the club to cater to the preferences of customers.
He says: "Our main concert and dance hall now holds weekly themed nights. On Tuesdays, it's Canto Nite. On Wednesdays, it's a special modern music theme night featuring K-pop, J-pop and Mandopop top-40 hits."
Mr Foo adds that Shanghai Dolly's club lounge on the second floor, called Piano Bar, offers a stripped-down, acoustic atmosphere with Mandarin jazz and Cantonese hits performed live.
