Like rugby? Like beer? Like both?  If you answered yes to any of these questions then you're in luck.  This Saturday(5/22) The Chongqing Conquerors welcome arch rivals, the Chengdu Black and Whites to Chongqing for their only home match of the season.  Having been beaten by Chengdu in each of their previous encounters, the current incarnation of the Conquerors is quite possibly the best yet, and this promises to be an action packed match between bitter enemies.  And as is customary when it comes to rugby, there promises to be plenty of beer to be drank as you cheer on the home town heroes. 
The match is at 3:00pm at Chongqing Normal University in Shapingba(across the street from san xia guang chang.  The post match "social" will take place at Golden Hans Restaurant in Shapingba and is 50rmb for all you can eat roasted meats and all you can drink German style micro-brews, and will continue on at Nuts club on the late night.
for more information please visit www.cqrugby.com , or call team captain Ting Fan at 15823865298.

In February the new British Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood, visited Chongqing to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the British Councils operations in the South West of China.  With this in mind on Friday 19th at 6pm they will be bringing a double decker bus to Chongqing Tiandi to continue the birthday party, unfortunately the word is that it won’t be a red one.  Brits will just have to use their imagination.  Music will be from the Cotton Club’s inhouse band.   This will continue a year of related cultural events and any Chengdu readers will be glad to know their party is coming the following weekend, on the 28th.

Over the past decade the British Council has been involved in many Cultural and Educational events in the region.  Although the main basis of their work in is education and providing services like the Ilets exam, the Council also promotes and engages with all areas of the arts from bringing contemporary dancers here to setting up  exhibitions of emerging Chinese artists in the UK.  Most recently in Chongqing, the Council collaborated on the Flock project in October, staged in the Peoples Square and Chongqing Tiandi. 

Xintiandi already has areas in Shanghai’s old Shikumen houses, as well as ongoing projects in Beijing and Wuhan, and Chongqing’s new development is certainly one of the better looking areas in the city and is worth a look in its own right.  Situated between Shapingba and Jiefangbei on the river side it’s easy to get to.  Take bus 808 from Shapingba.   It’s pretty new so taxis don’t always know the way.

rosa k.

We had a chat with Michael(DJ)Ozone, co-founder of The Antidote(Shanghai) as they get set to make their Chongqing debut, Saturday March 13 @ Nuts Club.

CQSCENE: First off, can you tell me what The Antidote is all about? beginnings, etc..

Michael Ozone: Well we started in 2005 in shanghai, me and B6 we just wanted a way to bring new, innovative music to china... give new producers a platform to play out and get the right audience to discover them so, although we do bring a lot of acts from around the world, to china for the first time, our heart is in pushing up the mainland Chinese music scene.  so, the act we're bringing to Chongqing this weekend -- ChaCha -- we feel is a massive new talent in China and we're excited to work with her and let new people discover her music

CQS: Can you let the people here n CQ know what to expect from ChaCha, and an Antidote party in general?

MO: Well Antidote parties  -- we always do eclectic music on the night, so we might play everything from punk rock to minimal techno to reggae, in one night. So also, we bring mostly live electronic acts sometimes rock bands but mostly electronic. We also have DJs that play before and after these live acts so it's a *party,* not just a show where you watch and leave.  we want people to have a good night out, relax, meet new people, and have silly fun. we like to have a mix of people and music from rock to hip  hop to techno.

This time we're bringing Chacha, a singer who's originally from Guizhou, but lives in Shanghai now.  She's been recording in the studio with -- no exaggeration -- some of the world's top producers of reggae, dub, dubstep -- absolute legends.  her releases are getting excellent critical reviews in UK, Europe, etc., so this is quite special to have her come to Chongqing.  Next time will be May 8 , we bring Reptile Retard from Denmark, to Chongqing.  We did a tour with them last year, 10 shows in china, and they were incredible!

CQS: Finally, what are you most looking forward to during your first time to Chongqing

MO: Well the party of course! But, I'm also really excited to check out the food and explore the city('ill be staying for a few days after the gig).  I also write about food, so I'm eager to check out the food there. I love Sichuan food, but it's hard to find good stuff here in Shanghai.

 CQS: As I'm sure you know, CQ is famous for its hot-pot, will you be giving that try?

MO: For sure! but also want to find some weird eats, for my blog  www.weirdmeat.com.

CQS: Anything else you'd like to add?

MO: Anyone who dresses like a cartoon character gets a free beer from me.  Or a kitten, we like kittens.




DJ Ozone and ChaCha, and The Antidote will be throwing it down Saturday March 13th, 21:00 - LATE!  With specilal local guests DJs X76 ans Red Apple.

Back in November, A Taste of Singapore restaurant introduced Chongqing's first ever pub-quiz.  back then the numbers were dismal, and I had my doubts as to how long it would last, but week after week the numbers seemed to grow until the annual, month long, dearth of anything exciting came long, better known as Chinese New year, and the pub quiz went on hiatus.  Well fear not fellow quizees, for she/he/it is back, and better than ever(lets hope so at least).

Time and Location info:

Tuesday night, 8:30
A Taste of Singapore Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
5th Floor, CapitaRetail Building, Shapingba, Sanxia Guangchang
(Same building as Pizza Hut & Haagen Dazs)
新风味生活餐吧 (xin feng wei sheng huo can ba)


沙坪坝三峡广场，嘉茂购物中心 5 楼 (sha ping ba san xia guang chang, jia mao gou wu zhong xin wu lou

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As usual, this weekend's action begins on Thursday with Fresh W. Promo's(FWP) weekly dance party "Thirsty Thursdays."  known primarily for the drink specials and not necessarily the dancing word seems to be spreading that Nuts club is the place to be Thursday night.  The following night(Friday the 4th), Nuts club plays host to the 'oh so dreamy' folk sounds of Yangon Burma(via Melbourne Australia)  singer/songwriter Tamas Wells.  immediately following Tamas, is FWP's first ever Salsa night, also at Nuts. 
On Saturday, the Chongqing Conquerors rugby team hosts both Shanghai and Chengdu in a 1 day tri-series.  And that same evening, the Chongqing International Women's group has their annual Christmas charity ball, beginning at 18:00 in the Intercontinental(11th flr. ballroom).

p.s. if you can't wait until Thursday to get things going, tonight(tuesday 12/1) a Taste of Singapore restuarant in Shapingba hosts their weekly pub quiz @ 20:00.

Every Thursday @ Nuts Club
21:00 - 1:00
10 rmb Tequila shots
15rmb Gin & Tonics
15 rmb Rum & Coke

not only is the 2nd installment of this year's CQ beer festival this weekend featuring musical performances all 3 nights, but you also have a chance to see one of western china's best djs in action.  it all kicks off friday july 31st with the "Shan Cheng Pi Jiu  Rock & Roll Evening Party(20 RMB)," featuring the bands Perdel,  Thin Man Band (瘦人 Shou Ren), and Escape Plan @ the CQ beer festival (Ba Guo Cheng in jiu long po district).  then on saturday the 1st is the "2nd Shan Cheng Beer Cup hip-hop tournament (20RMB)" also at the beer festival, and on the late night CQ native (via chengdu) DJ Geezer will grace the turntables for "My House is Your House" @ CiCi Park.  i've been fortunate enough to see geezer play on a couple of occasions, and anyone into dancing is guaranteed to enjoy his high-energy mix of electronic music(even if you're not into dancing, geezer's selections will outdo the music at any other bar in CQ, and CiCi's couches and patio are a great place to relax and have a drink or 7).  sunday brings the weekend to a close with none other than a "closing ceremony[and evening party](60 RMB)," featuring among others, CQ natives and one of china's most renowned punk bands The Wheels, which brings an end not only to this year's beer festival, but also a "weekend worth waiting for."

mark your calendars y'all 'cause here it comes.  the 7th annual(well almost annual last year's was canceled due to the olympics) chongqing beer festival.  and this year the event spans 2 weekends, begening the weekend of  july 24-26, in yuzhong (at the sports stadium near the hilton), and the following weekend july 31 - Aug. 2, in jiu long po "panama city."
i've not been to a cq beer fest, but i here the shancheng flows like the jialing(though much safer for swimming), so be prepared to drench your belly from the inside and out, as word on the street is that as the day wares on, beer fights ensue.

details to come...

and as always, new music for y'all.  from their new e.p., Neon Indian's  "deadbeat summer." a perfect song for chilling out to on a steamy cq night.
dwnld or listen below.