Re: Nightlife.
Perhaps my view is tinted by time, or perhaps it’s that for most of my first year here I was pumped full of too much alcohol and miscellaneous drugs to really evaluate it, but it seemed like things were really good at the time – from the old Londoner, to the great band (and strippers) at A La, to the late-night druggie places (E-Power, and that one by the train station, The Rock maybe?), to the ridiculous meat-market that was the Pig Pen (and, later, Sound Garden). 89K was always packed, as was the teppenyaki down the road on the corner of GongYi. Oldies was usually busy and had a piano/guitar/drums setup you could go in and just jam on, and people did. The Dive was great when it opened, closing either not at all or when Sean decided to move the party to someone else’s pub (?!). I woke up there a few times. There were a bunch of groups organising parties and other events regularly – TaichungHits, Revevolution, Dragonfly Jamboree, those guys who worked out of Liquid Lounge whose name I’ve forgotten.
Now? Well. The Londoner is gone, at least as a meeting place and pool-sharking venue. The band from A La left and went to this other place called The House where prices are high, service is terrible and foreigners are not really welcome (Strippers are still there, but … older). The druggie clubs have moved and become more druggie and less funny. The Pig Pen is quiet and depressing, Sound Garden closed down and later turned into an attempt at a trendy lounge that I’m not much impressed by. 89K is quieter, the teppenyaki closes at 12, Oldies has no jam setup (and smells kinda funny), the Dive tends to close early and it’s always the same people there.
So what does that leave? Freedom is great for hard nights out once in a while. The Grooveyard has great music but I find the crowd there so irritating I can never stay long. Another place called 99 Music House has great bands sometimes and awful bands other times, with no apparent pattern. There are plenty of little local pubs to sit around in with friends, but that’s true anywhere.
For reasons no longer clear to me we actually went to Xaga tonight, and had a really good time. Security was heavy but professional and friendly, prices were reasonable (for a big club), the music was good (unilke the first time I went – new DJ?), and it was packed full of people having fun.
So, there are still places … but somehow the magic, the sense of community, and the excitement are gone.
Maybe I should do more coke?