52 North Records updates

Hi, we've been pretty snowed under in more ways than 1 over the past weeks with shows around Beijing and travels around the world to various other cities.

Principally I'd like to let you know that we're preparing a live recording of 3 of our artists Blaque, Charlotte Lowe and The Fruits who will all be popping into Darktrunk's studio (Forbidden City Studios) here in Beijing over the next couple of months. We've got some examples of some of their more recent live work on 52 North's soundcloud homepage and so we hope you can get there to have a listen.

Something else that I want to say is that our studio sound engineer, producer and performer Blaque is preparing his newest album of about 12 songs loosely titled Twobitville. Right now he's deep in production in setting up templates, editing lyrics and both rehearsing music and securing the right talent for the recordings. This project is perhaps expected to be finished sometime after June this year,...

52 North Records is promoting and supporting several line up's from in and around Beijing and broadly speaking from other cities, such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen, with stops along the way.

Blaque who we're spending a fair amount of time with has several of his own duo's apart from his own solo appearances and recording sessions.

One of his duo's is Charlotte Lowe comprising Blaque and singer Suzanne Robare. Formed in late August 2012 we've got some clips here on link from Blaque's Junkieland youku site. (youku.com is a portal based in China).
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From a December 4 show at the Vanguard Bar here are Charlotte Lowe in their version of Coldplay's Major Minus
From the same show there is also this clip of the Korgi's late 70's track Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime and the standard Fever and you can see
both on this link

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One of the acts that are on the 52 North Records label is The Fruits who played a show at Blaque's Showcase event in Beijing. The duo out of the UK are based in Beijing where we've been lucky enough to meet up and do some shows with.

For now we've posted a clip of some of their work and though not great quality sound or visually it gives you an idea of what their style of music is.

What we're happy to say now at 52 North is that there are some great things coming from this duo and we're happy to be along for the ride and can't wait to get them into Forbidden City Studios to capture there sound with more control.

Check out there work here on this Link.

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Not really known outside Beijing former Melbourne musician "Blaque" has been plying his trade in smaller venues around Beijing. Traveling on a national tour of that country more recently he has supported Sydney Duo Jamie and Scott Hutchings alongside producing his own weekly Talent Showcase and producing local Beijing Rtists. Blaque is managed by local Record Label 52 North Records who began operations sometime back in late 2009. Right now both 52 North Records and their promotional company Darktrunk ...

Every Tuesday night, the VA Bar has a showcase of talented expat musicians in Beijing. The shows include covers and originals and are totally free. If you like music and want to hang out with a community of people who also like music, you should check it out.

Notes: Shot on my Canon 5D Mark II

Featuring:
Steve Blaque
Renee Robinson
Simon Hooton
Phil Spencer
The Fruits

Songs:
Walk On The Wild Side
by Lou Reed
Performed by Steve Blaque and Renee Robinson

This City by Simon Hooton
Performed by Renee Robinson and Simon Hooton

Margarittaville by Jimmy Buffett
Performed by Steve Blaque and Renee Robinson

If you look closely, you’ll see our good friend Rocky the Dog make a cameo.

For those of you in China, here it is on Youku.

For more information about the Tuesday night showcase at VA Bar, visit www.darktrunk.com...