On The Scene: Dos Kolegas 21-04-2012

My night started at the wine fair in Shuangjing, where I was eventually ‘cut off’ due to the high probability that I wasn’t going to purchase any of the wines (which was false) and that I didn’t look the part (hobo discrimination!) – so by the time my late arriving friend was denied a sample and kindly told a French Ben Affleck to stick his wine bottle where the light don’t shine, I had a bad taste in my mouth from the French. Luckily, by the end of the night the French had won me back in the form of Mademoiselle et son Orchestre, who capped off a lovely laid back evening at Dos Kolegas.

The show at the Liangmaqiao joint was being hosted by the Catalan Club, and boy do they know how to have fun…food, bread, and drinks everywhere, the place was packed with people in high spirits and football fans awaiting the Madrid/Barcelona match. I arrived in time to catch the end of Rolling Bowling, who were in full element, decked out in black, and playing gleeful to the hungry crowd. These guys are hard working for sure, and I think they are gaining quite the fanbase around town.

Next up was Skarving, and what can I say, as soon as I got a view of Zhang Qi’s sunglasses I knew I going to have my ass moving in seconds’ time.

It’s hard not to enjoy this type of music. Zhang Qi is the epitome of ska, and he put Dos Kolegas into a frenzy as he and the rest of the boys put on a rocking upbeat show full of originals and covers (a few Bob Marley covers to celebrate the 4/20 holiday perhaps).

Genuine to the core, Skarving is a guaranteed good time. Keep those shades on!

The real treat of the night though was Mademoiselle et son Orchestre, the gypsy jazz group who were simply wonderful. Having been around for quite some time, the group was effortless in their ability to turn the joint into a smoky French jazz bar, with clinging bottles everywhere, good attitudes, and old fashion sense of offbeat fun.

Lots of chatter for sure, but hey, the whole place was a party by that point – it didn’t take away from Marie-Claude LeBel’s smooth and sexy voice, which she has such fun teasing the audience with.

Did I mention that everyone in the band was on fire tonight, including Emile Calme on the flute. She freaking wielded that thing like she was in Jethro Tull. Thanks Mademoiselle et son Orchestre for putting the French in a good light once again!