Production Team of "Lost in Beijing" Debuts in Berlin
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/02/17/63@197547.htm

Two Chapters for John Woo's "Battle of Red Cliff"
http://english.cri.cn/3086/2007/02/16/60@197444.htm

Rain, Song Hae Gyo promote "Full House" in Changsha
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007- ... 749682.htm

Even with NBA in town, Las Vegas turns red for Chinese New Year
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stori ... 10491.html

From the Vegas story:

Taiwanese singer A-Mei and Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan came to perform at the Aladdin casino-hotel.

I'd give just about anything to see A-Mei in concert—she's my favourite Asian pop singer bar none and I have nearly all of her albums so far—but I have to wonder why organizers felt the need to add Jackie Chan to the bill beyond pure star value. I mean, I've heard a few songs of his that I liked, but that was more because of the melodies and arrangements than his singing voice. I realize his singing career is nothing to be scoffed at, but really, A-Mei packs 'em in everywhere and hardly needs the help, even on Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year articles with a Canadian flavour:

http://www.thestar.com/specialsections/chinesenewyear

(the articles on the Hakka population in Canada and the "head tax" reparations are particularly touching)

Thanks for the link to The Star articles, Brian, good reads.

I'm also an A*Mei fan. I picked up a video of one of her live concerts and was instantly hooked. I'm surprised that she hasn't become a bigger name as long as she's been around, especially since she seems to actually have talent (not to mention easy on the eyes). Maybe it was that problem with the ROC national anthem.

I'm also an A*Mei fan. I picked up a video of one of her live concerts and was instantly hooked. I'm surprised that she hasn't become a bigger name as long as she's been around, especially since she seems to actually have talent (not to mention easy on the eyes). Maybe it was that problem with the ROC national anthem.

It was one of her concerts that first got me hooked as well. The DVD of her 1999 concert and tour (the one where she opens with the song "Bad Boy"). Phenomenal show, choreography that just oozes confidence, a bounty of songs that build to that Big Third Verse Finish®, and a gi-normous crowd! It was recommended to me by a girl in a record shop in the Chinese mall when I was buying some compilation CDs that happened to have other Taiwan pop stars on them.

I've picked up most of the concert DVDs since then, but that '99 one still impresses the most. I have to admit, I've yet to hear an A-Mei song that I don't like, which is rare. And that voice...UNREAL! Few Chinese pop starlet wannabes can match it.

I recently picked up a Jolin Tsai concert DVD that happened to be playing in another record store, largely based on the songs I heard (and brief glimpses of the screen I caught) while browsing, and while she's definitely a OK singer of quality pop tuneage, she's got nothin' on a natural like A-Mei, and her stage show choreography was clunky at best. Perhaps with time...

What was the deal with A-Mei and the anthem? I haven't heard about that!

Incidentally, she's got a 10-year greatest hits comp out, but I'm torn between the 2 disc:
http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/c ... 004636612/

...or the 5-disc:
http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/c ... 004636603/

I've only got about 48 of her songs on my iPod, so there's always room for more!


EDIT: for those who don't know who I'm raving about, here's some videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEtRk5KIFJc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH9qoX61bTU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leVvZ4rX-lU (big hit, this one)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsdENPRltoA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zYL2NJxYXY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd60vefdZ4A (a personal fave)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMkKvN1b54
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUG5CRscp6Q

and a live classic (from the '99 concert, I believe) of the last song above, with one of the luckiest audience members EVER, backpack and all...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok2Whe5mgt4

Hah, turns out it's the 99 concert that I have too, didn't know it was on DVD.

I had to jog my memory at wiki to remember the details, the short of is was she sang the Taiwan national anthem at President Chen's inauguration bash. The mainland got pissed at her for being pro-independence and she got iced - concerts, advert work nixed. This was just as she was skyrocketing in popularity. Then later, as she was starting to come back, she got into more trouble vis-a-vis her supposed pro-independence stance. So, the Taiwanese proposed a ban on mainland artists. I don't think it got very far though.

The Wiki version
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ah-Mei

Yes, Jolin Tsai is purty but I half suspected that was her main/sole talent so I haven't listened to any of her music. I mainly listen to Teresa Teng and Tsai Chin these days anyway. I'm afraid to look at your yesasia links, I don't need more potential prospects for my wishlist.

I'm afraid to look at your yesasia links, I don't need more potential prospects for my wishlist.

That's OK, I just updated my previous post with Youtube links to her videos and karaoke hits, and there's plenty more there to get a good feel for her music.

I still pop in the 99 concert from time to time. The first 20 minutes are amazing, with a slew of top hits. The concerts since then are full of equally great music, but the venues DO seem a little smaller, at least on occasion, so perhaps the kerfuffle has something to do with that, but it doesn't really seem like she lost much of her fanbase, that's for sure!

Viva, Las Vegas!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ameivegas2.jpg

I just realized that A*Mei bears some resemblance (at least to me) to Zhang Jingchu who I'm also smitten with (Peacock, The Road, Seven Swords, etc.)

Zhang Jingchu
http://hkmdb.com/db/images/movies/12002 ... 05-4-b.jpg

...that sucking sound you hear is the Visa card coming out of my wallet...must resist

Hey Dennis, check out my new favourite green tea!

Yow, I want a sip of that! Tell me more?

Yow, I want a sip of that! Tell me more?

Not much English on the bottle, but it's made by a Taiwanese company called Kuang Chuan. The bottles on their website, though
http://www.kuangchuan.com/long07.htm
don't seem to have the bonus photos!

There's a chain of gigantic upscale Chinese grocery stores here that rivals the big Canadian chains for selection and quality, but of course nearly everything's imported, so you get a whole aisle of ramen, a whole aisle of pocky, a whole aisle of bottled teas, etc. That's where I got this little gem, and cool thing is that it's a brand I usually buy, so this was a very nice bonus .

My guess is you could probably find these at any larger Chinese grocery store you might have nearby.

There's at least three different A-Mei bottles, so this is definitely a "collect 'em all!" situation!