We’re pretty much reaching full capacity right now with shows folks – I count over forty gigs going down this weekend and I still had to leave a few out for the sake of my fingers. Whether you want to groove to instrumental electronic dream pop by way of Tokyo, celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with some genuine rock and roll hooligans, or check out a punk living legend – it’s a jam packed weekend – full of surprises, full of regrets, and full of musical encounters that might just make your day. Make the most of it.
MARCH 17th
Miaou (JAP) at Yugong Yishan
Tokyo-based post rock outfit Miaou ain’t your average post rock group – influenced by such greats as Telefon Tel Aviv and Boards of Canada, their music is closer to what some may call ‘instrumental electronic dream pop’ and utilizes everything from ‘swelling synths, spiraling melodies and IDM beats’ to create their soundscapes. The band swings through Yugong Yishan in spport of their latest album Drops. 180 RMB
Black Water, Free Sex Shop, Hugh Reed, End of the World at School
School Bar celebrates every alcoholics’ ‘get out of jail free card’ day – St. Patrick’s Day – with music and drinking – two things that School Bar already specializes at. But with a tasty, whiskey-filled lineup like this it’s hard not to get excited. Beijing\’s preeminent Irish rockers, Black Water will be joining all-girl punk trope Free Sex Shop, ska punk mainstays End of the World and Scotland’s finest rocker Hugh Reed. Now that sounds like a proper St. Paddy’s to battle your liver with. 80 RMB
The Paper Tigers, Drunkard, Disaster Chat, Jokers Belief, Funky Monkey at Mao Livehouse
In case you didn’t realize it, Mao Livehouse is alive and well, and to prove it they’re throwing down hard this St. Paddy’s Day with the second edition of the Shamrock Festival – with a lineup featuring funk- and soul-inflected rockers Jokers Belief; the steroidal power pop of Disaster Chat; Chinese neo-grungers, Drunkard; the eponymously descriptive Funky Monkey; and indie-rock dance punks, The Paper Tigers. Expect drinks deals on you guessed it – Jameson and Guinness – yum yum. 100 RMB
Su & The Paramecia at Yue Space
After a long tour of more than 30 cities and almost 100 shows in 2016, Su and the Paramecia members went to England to study music and perform across the country. That two-months experience inspired Su on songwriting and his latest single, which he’ll be presenting tonight. It also marks the first time the artist tried to write an English song. Folk rock that soars I think its easy to saw we can expect big things from The Paramecia this year. 85 RMB
Djang San at Temple
East-meets-West fusionist and veteran show stopper Djang San, self-proclaimed ‘re-inventor of Chinese classical instrument zhongruan, philosopher, poet, composer, guitar hero, DJ, one man orchestra, music pioneer and explorer of new sounds’ bring their hypnotic riotous music to the one and only Temple for a buck wild St. Paddy’s Day celebration. FREE
Papanosh (FR) at DDC
With a sound devoted to groove, rhythmic group improvisation and the history of jazz language, the French avant-garde jazz outfit Papanosh bring a breath of fresh air to the genre of imaginary folklore and art ensemble of Chicago. Just looking at those outfits you can tell it’s gonna get lively and goofy real quick. 70 RMB
The Lake, Norcelement, Hell Gates, Mr. Snowman at 13 Club
Death metal and indie pop join forces for what is surely the greatest plot for a buddy cop movie. Playing the role for the happy go lucky ladies man is The Lake and Mr. Snowman, while the role for the long-haired hardened rebel without a cause will be played by none other than Hell Gates and Norcelement. Think of the customer fan base for a franchise like this! Oh and did I mention it’s a balloon war themed show. Just take my money already! 80 RMB
Rhonda, Giant Saint, Eluvia at Mars Club
Math rock instrumental outfit bring the pain this weekend to Mars Club and joining them will be roots music trope Eluvia and dream pop duo Giant Saint, made up of members of By Dream and more. 80 RMB
Zhang Yide at Snail Hostel
Join artist Zhang Yide at Snail Hostel for a preview of his national tour show – the singer-songwriter, a campus favorite, is back after a year away and he’s got new material to show for it. Expect some soulful lyrically rich acoustic rock. 70 RMB
Logic Lab, Fomalhaut, Goodbye Sunset, Rope Angel at Hot Cat Club
Hot Cat Club gets nice and rowdy with a hardcore, metalcore, just about every core lineup that features Goodbye Sunset, Logic Lab, and more. Expect some shedding and boisterous breakdowns. 50 RMB
Fofox, Qi Ming, Zin at Mogu Space
Fofox, Qi Ming and Zin will appear at Mogu Space will appear at Mogu Space to cover Zhang Chu’s groundbreaking album Shameful Left Alone, released ten years ago and has since served as inspiration to a whole generation of indie artists in China. 50 RMB
Chu Boren at Laifu Livehouse
Shuanging’s Laifu Livehouse hosts up and coming hip hop artist Chu Boren who by the looks of it has an amazing bod. He and his bod will be throwing a hip-hop party with a slew of guests and friends including Sweater, Englishman, MC Crane, Jay Dub and DJ NinJaBlade. 80 RMB
Huang Yuqin, Shi Xioafei at Jianghu Bar
Known for her sincere and poetic lyrics, both delicate and strong, singer-songwriter Huang Yuqin joins Shi Xiaofei and her band for some heartwarming indie pop at the ever cozy Jianghu Bar. 60 RMB
The Hunters at Modernista
One of Beijing’s best foreign cover bands The Hunters combine old school funk, soul, and rock classics with intoxicating delivery. FREE
MARCH 18th
Mike Watt & The Missingmen (USA), Round Eye, Streets Kill Strange Animals, The Screaming Barbarellas at DDC
Mike Watt, bassist and founder of the highly influential and pioneering punk bands The Minutemen and fIREHOSE (as well as bassman for reunited Iggy Pop & the Stooges) is embarking on his first ever tour of mainland China with his group The Missingmen alongside Shanghai\’s punk ruffians Round Eye, who certainly know a thing or two about rocking out with reckless abandon. Catch them at their Beijing stop along with post punk faves Streets Kill Strange Animals and The Screaming Barbarellas. Mayhem will ensue. 100 RBM
Chui Wan, Da Bang, 16 mins, Silt & Lotus, Ma Yuan at Mao Livehouse
Speaking of Mao Livehouse not shutting down (which for anyone whose been following this column weekly knows by now) they’ve snuck in this week’s sleeper gig with a killer lineup featuring the return of some of Beijing’s best – psychedelic mood shifters Chui Wan, dance indie rock outfit Da Bang (who should have a new album any day now), the always alluring alternative rockers 16 mins, as well as grunge mainstays Silt & Lotus, and hard rockers Ma Yuan. Diverse set of sounds there with plenty of room for surprises – my kind of show. 150 RMB
Perpetual Motion Machine at Yue Space
One of Beijing’s most underrated bands, Perpetual Motion Machine, whose traditional Chinese rock revisionism has kept folks enthralled and full for years, are back! The three piece band kick off their 14 city nation wide tour this evening at Yue Space in support of their latest rip-roaring EP which finds the band mixing in even more traditional Chinese elements all the while keeping the rock and roll rolling. 120 RMB
Purple Soul, Saber, Missy, Rtsunami, SouthSideSamurai, Jinsfake, DJ Quaver at Modern Sky Lab
Modern Sky Lab brings some of underground scene’s leading rappers and hip-hop artists to the stage – artists who blend American, Chinese and international elements to create something entirely uniquely. The lineup includes the ever prominent Purple Soul, as well as Saber, DJ Quaver, Rtsunami, Missy and much more. 150 RMB
Los Crasher, Scare the Children, The Glamor Manifesto, Old Leather, Click #15, Risky Joy, Last Stand Doer, Electric Lady, Tumor Boy at Yugong Yishan
A host of classic rock-inspired acts hit the big stage for the Vigor Classic Rock Festival – with a hefty lineup that includes Los Crasher, Scare the Children, The Glamor Manifesto, Old Leather, Click #15, Risky Joy, Last Stand Doer, Electric Lady, Tumor Boy and other great local and foreign acts you can expect a crazy showcase featuring everything from industrial electro-rock, horror metal, stoner rock, to funk rock and more, each giving you that old time feeling of what rock and roll used to be and used to mean. 7pm start. 100 RMB
Chai Mi, thruoutin, Anita Pan at Honyo Contemporary Art Center
Last year I had the pleasure of documenting Shui – Resonance of Water, the latest audio-visual theater project from rising artist Chai Mi, who I first noticed back in 2013 with her performance project The Sparrow and the Raven. Since then the artist has been busy, hitting up festivals across the globe, and dabbling in every art form imaginable. And on Shui, she has outdone herself once again – a multimedia feast for the ears and eyes that found Chai Mi teaming up with sound artists thruoutin and Anita Pan to create an ‘experimental theater’ exploring the theme of water in all its intricacies. You’ve never seen or heard anything quite like it – trust me – catch the performance at the 798 gallery. 7pm start.
Dongzi at Yugong Yishan
One of the most influential artists in the folk scene, acclaimed Ningxia singer-songwriter Dongzi welcomes the spring with a special performance at Yugong Yishan. With a voice that’s rich, direct, tainted by melancholy while not too revealing, Dongzi’s music hits you like a ton of bricks. Expect a packed house for this one. 80 RMB
Rhonda, Macondo, Streams of Life at Temple
It’s an instrumental hoedown at Temple with three of the scene’s biggest hitting instrumental bands including math rock tinted hard rockers Rhonda, power post rock gliders Macondo, and post metal gallopers Streams of Life. Who needs lyrics?! FREE
Hard Candy Revolution, Time Street, 0190, Gentle Grape, Zhao Yuchen at School
Support the young rock and rollers of tomorrow with this \”China\’s Late Sleepers” themed evening that’ll feature a bit of everything – from female fronted glamrock band Hard Candy Revolution, 8-bit electro rockers Time Street, pop punk dudins 0190, as well as new school punk act Gentle Grape, and solo artist Zhao Yuchen. The evening doubles as a birthday party so expect some cake throwing and enough drinking games to keep you out of work till Tuesday. 80 RMB (40 RMB if you’re a Pisces)
Sound Sculpture at SOKARTMALL
The psychedelic ambient trope the Sound Sculpture bring their genre-shifting and multiple layered sound to 798’s SOKARTMALL as they’ll live soundtrack the 1934 Irish fictional documentary Man of Aran. 80 RMB (8:30 start)
Wang Wu, Jordan Darling, Sid Sidwal, Qi Ming, Nian at Mogu Space
Beijing’s favorite folk artists come to Xizhimen’s Mogu Space for the Mushroom Folk Festival including ‘wild-man’ Wang Wu, known for his unrestrained performances, indie songstress Jordan Darling, Nepalese singer-songwriter and Redundant Seconds frontman Sid Sidwal, vivid and moody guitarist Qi Ming and folk duo Nian. 70 RMB
Les R’tardataires (Belgium), LiA (Switzerland), Keith Kouna (Canada), KKC Orchestra (France), Napoleon Gold (Luxembourg) at Yugong Yishan
Yugong Yishan hosts the latest Mars En Folie curataed by the French Cultural Union and featuring artists from around the Francophone area including Belgian hip-hop act Les R’tardataires who’ll kick off the event with Canadian folk singer Keith Kouna at 7pm. Later on Swiss rocker LiA and France’s KKC Orchestra, a hip-hop electro quartet will take the stage. 7pm start. FREE
Wang Shengnan, Nathan Borokfa, Wen Liang, Li Qin Nan at fRUITYSPACE
fRUITYSPACE gets intimate with an eclectic batch of solo artists whose talents are far reaching – from the indie pop swagger of Wang Shengnan, to the composer at heart skills of Wen Liang, the rocky folk fusing of Nathan Borofka, to even a Golden Melody Award winner, there’s something for everyone. 50 RMB
Elenore, Banana Fish, Big Magellan at Mars Club
It’s a britpop heavy lineup tonight at the Batong Line venue – with the ever reliable Elenore leading the charge alongside am array of bands that bring back the good ol’ tunes of the UK. 80 RMB
Wedgecut, Dj Wild Wata, MC Rawhx, MC A.C.E., MC L-Force at Hot Cat Club
Hip hop and reggae night at Hot Cat Club as ska and reggae outfit Wedgecut joins an array of MC’s ready to spit out bars as well as DJ Wild Wata who’ll keep the good vibes flowing throughout the night. FREE
Jasmine Monk at Snail Hostel
Folk musician Jasmine Monk whose ‘complex and textural acoustic guitar, harmonica, and own mellow voice’ has made hit a favorite returns to the petit Snail Hostel for a special spring showcase. 80 RMB
Nick Parsons, Wu Gui, Xu Jun, Chenianpo at 69 Café
Chinese and American folk tales grace the stage tonight with this ragtag team of singer songwriters at 69 Café.
The Spice Cabinet at Modernsita
‘The Spice Cabinet is the jazz machine that slices, dices and reworks every pop number into the frenzy of a pop modern dance beat of wonder’. FREE
MARCH 19th
Alpine Decline, Lonely Leary at Yue Space
After released the acclaimed LP \”Life\’s A Gasp\” last year (one of my top albums of 2016), the seminal dystopian outfit Alpine Decline moved back to sunny Los Angeles. Smartly waiting out the cold weather, the band returns to Beijing to record their next release and they’re gonna play a special performance at Yue Space for the occasion. The trio whose sound touches on everything from psych, shoegaze, and noise rock will be joined by Maybe Mars’ latest catch, post punk scrappers Lonely Leary. Killer Sunday evening right there. 80 RMB
Namo at DDC
Campus rock sensations Namo, a band that has captured the hearts of 80s born young adults continue in the vein of their high-spirited, infectiously catchy melodies has moved to the big leagues in recent years without losing a bit of their charm. Singing earnestly on the minute stories and themes which make up life in a contemporary China, with a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that’s sincere above all else, the band gives a special showcase at DDC tonight – gonna get pretty crazy. 120 RMB
Nikola Mounoud, P.R.C.M, LG0000 at fRUITYSPACE
Sound artist … aka Nikola Mounoud whose work focuses on the exploration in real time of analog, digital and hybrid feedbacks using a laptop computer and an analog mixer joins the People’s Republic of China mincer consisting of NOJIJI members Meizhiyong and Usisi and described ‘the most expressive harsh noise band in China’ and ‘will chop every inch of your bones and flesh usingt heir sound’. Yes please (for those of you dying to catch them P.R.C.M will be performing Tuesday and Wednesday as well) 40 RMB
Chaos Kills the Pain, Lost in Space, Goodbye Sunset, Three-Quarters Dead, Zeus at School Bar
Transform into a howling monster this Sunday evening with this barn-burner of a showcase featuring some hard edged core music and metal – including hardcore up and comers Chaos Kills The Pain, post hardcore kids Lost in Space, metalcorers goodbyte Sunset, female fronted metal troupe Zeus and more. For those of you looking to exercise some demons. 70 RMB
Plateau, Russian Roulette, Malnutrition, AM Rock Band at Mars Club
Mars Club continues to import the Gulou’s bag of rock bands with a not too shabby lineup featuring punk scrappers Russian Roulette, indie rock placeholder Plateau and much more. 60 RMB
Lattice, V89, Kuso Eyes, The Lake, Pati at Modernsky Lab
Hard rock, indie pop, J-pop – the list goes on with this eceltic lineup at Modernsky Lab as they host an array of bands that have been working the circuit for years and are looking to break out this year. Best to ya! 100 RMB
Better Off Life, Re-X at Temple
Folk rock, groovy blues, and a Metallica cover band — who said Christmas doesn’t come early! FREE
Jurat, Zin, Nick Parsons at 69 Café
Local folk heroes Nick Parsons and Zin join Xinjiang raised singer songwriter Jurat whose mix of Urumqi and psychedelic rock has been a force on the scene for years. 60 RMB
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