Life of Guangzhou - SOHO, A Bar of Tenderness

The night clubs, along the river bank of Yanjiang West Rd., were all stirring disco clubs until November, 2006, when SOHO started business beside Babyface. At SOHO, the setting is for get-togethers with friends, a chat, a little drink, or to just bate in the music with someone you have just met who gave a good impression.

Wood is everywhere here: the counter, the dancing stage, the shelves, barstools, stairs, and the fence upstairs. So it’s warm and cozy in contrast to the cold marble and glass interiors of some other bars.

Light is another contributor to the tender setting here as it is faintly yellow and spared of flashing colored laser rays. You don't have to dance to ease your nerves. There is a row of flashlights hanging over the shelves, swinging in the air with their own relaxing rhythm.

No dancers for the good singers

This is necessary, in order not to give too many distractions. The singers are very good. One singer usually sings three songs, then the DJ plugs himself in, and another one will take over the stage…singing in both Chinese and English. Although there are no professional dancers for the singers, there is spontaneous dancing from the guests. You may be one of them.

Away from noise and craze, a cozy environment is better for get-togethers

A "Heavy industry" stage

Beside the central stage, a mechanical set capable of moving up and down is a cool DJ console. Styled like the naked internal mechanism of a kart, a typical presence from heavy industry. With other items like a stream valve at the side door, little shelves that display cocktails, and decorations hanging on the walls, the aura of the bar between is set between the classical and the artistic.

DJ console styled like a heavy industry machine

Although hot dancers are not in this bar, good singers are.

Plasma pillars

SOHO has no LED screens. As an impressive pioneer in Guangzhou, it houses plasma screens, both on the walls and on the pillars. As music plays, changing colors and pictures on the plasma screens of stars, fish, or bubbles outperform LED screens. They can also move in a jumping manner along to the beat, just as some other pop bars in the world do.

No isolated areas

The size of a basketball court, this bar has no VIP booths, but a small attic upstairs for more private space, where you can watch the stage from a close position. In general, guests do not frequent the bar with too much gel in their hair, cosmetics, or extraordinary expressions, since this place is not about thrill, but relaxation.

Price for drinks: ￥450 per bottle of imported wine (with 6 free items of soft drinks )

Address: No.147, Yanjiang West Rd., Yuexiu District.

(Translated by Jiang Jianming and proofread by Alan Devey)