We’ve always loved that time between Christmas and the Chinese New Year. Nobody really goes back to work during this interim, because they know that the next holiday is just around the corner. For some people, this time of the year is spent curled up on the couch with some DVDs and Sherpa’s on speed dial. If you’re looking for an alternative that doesn’t involve loud music, and the soporific effects of alcohol then Jane’s is perfect. Cozy is the name of the game. We had noticed Jane’s (not to be confused with Jane’s Pub Bar or Jane’s Bar) a while back. The tiny entrance leading up to the second floor doesn’t stick out, but the area gets good foot traffic because it’s just down an alley near the Southern Cross. It was a cold night when we first went into Jane’s. We had just come from a camera repair shop and were making our way to the bus. One look at the crowded bus stop, and we knew it wasn’t worth the hassle, so we decided to wait out the rush hour and the rainy weather at Jane’s.
Jane’s wasn’t at all what we were expecting. We walked up the stairs past a dozen or so wine bottles hanging from ropes on a mural covered wall. It was small enough to feel busy without feeling crowded. The Kings of Leon were playing quietly in the background. During the day, smiling staff serve coffee and the music that plays is so up-to-date that it will have you asking the staff, “Who sings this song.” Hanging out here is like hanging out at a friend’s house - if you have friends with a fully stocked bar, superior coffee, as well as frequent live music.
Not too sound like an old man complaining about ‘kids these days,’ but we usually think most places in town with live music seem to let anybody get on stage, and then put the volume up way too high. When we saw that a duo of guitar players were getting ready to go on we thought about packing it up, but quickly changed our minds. Everybody has their own ideas about music, but most of us could agree on a few points when it comes to live music. Hotel California should be banned, or at least only played no more than once a month, anywhere. Also, one guitar, one keyboard, and one scantily-clad female does not a Kanye West cover group make. We could go on, but what’s important is that every weekend, and most weeknights, Jane’s has music that doesn’t fit the local stereotype and is done well. If you don’t go for the atmosphere, go to admire the beauty of the best jazz singer in Suzhou. She’s straight out of 1920’s Shanghai.
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