I am resident in Shanghai and there are some good pubs with live music in the old French Concession area off Hen Shang Lu. Namely the Balrney Stone on Dong Ping Lu and O'Malley's on Tiao Jiang Lu.

Shanghai's Bund (known here as the Waitan) is a great walk with some stunning old European, English, American, Japanese and Chinese buildings.

The Shanghai Arts Musuem (Shanghai Bowuguan) houses one of the finest and best laid out collections of Chinese arts and crafts you will ever come across.

Shanghai itself is very easy to get around either on foot, by subway or by taxi, taxis are very cheap here. Some of the old architecture in what were the concession areas is superb, a mix of colonial and Chinese design with a lot of art deco thrown in.

Nearby an easy day trip is Suzhou a garden city, about 45 minutes by train, well worth the trip.

Also nearby is Hangzhou with its famous west lake.

Be warned the 1-7th May is the one week national holiday here and most places will be overrun by hoards of tourists from out of town.

Any idea on which dates these people are playing? I will tell the mob in the Blarney and O'Malleys as there are some very keen blue grass afficianados here.

You can PM me or use my e-mail address if you weant any help.

michellasia@mail.online.sh.cn