Weekend Update (13/02-15/02)

Slim pickings this week as families head home, and expats bail as the Chinese New Year gets underway next week. Still, it’s sure as hell better than the ghost town that Beijing will surely become once those fireworks hit. So let’s head to the bottom of the barrel one last time and see what we can MacGyver. And as always, hit up the calendar for more. Actually, don’t even bother. Like I said, slim pickings.

 

Friday February 13^th

For my birthday the dark lords have decided to conjure up the original lineup of gruffed up stoner rock trope Devils at the Crossroad, the first band I had ever caught at Temple – yup, Joris is back and I couldn’t be happier – expect cows, pigs, and possibly Pink to be sacrificed. 69 Café owner Xiao Zhan is on a ‘festival’ rampage – very much like myself, he got a taste of the throwing extravagant shows and now just can’t turn back. His latest ‘festival’ lineup at Mao Livehouse features some of the expat scene’s finest Luv Plastik, as well as a slew of up and comers who have cut their teeth at the cozy café including The Plum Trees, The Sleep Walkers, Daniel Taylor (!), and Nathan & Stefan – will be interesting to see Mao showcase these jolly folks. Drink the bar dry over at School as Bedstars, Li Shi, and HotLine take turns rallying up the troops with some of that good ol’ rock n roll. Rocking blues of the Chicago variety over at DDC as Soul Pollution and The Tore Down get down and dirty. The Lawerence Ku Quartet keeps things bopping over at Jianghu Bar while David Colp gets acoustic at 69 Café.

 

Saturday February 14^th

School cleans out house with a freebie rager featuring the venue’s undisputed (though unofficial) house band, the Bian Yuan led, Leonard Cohen loving, poet accordion rock outfit Lone – expect spirits to be at their highest, and of course sloppiest. Fall in love this Valentine’s Day with this diverse (though Britpop heavy) lineup at Mao Livehouse that includes the always dependable Perpetual Motion Machine as well as Larry\’s Pizza, Self Portrait, Time Capsule, Mr. Honey, and Noise Jelly. Blues breathing folk-turned renegade Liu Donghong & Sand hit up Jianghu Bar for one last gig while over at DDC those feisty Beijing Beatles just wanna hold your hand. Zhang Qianqian brings her pristine folk voice to 69 Café. And of course we can’t go into the new year without a last performance from electro rock fusion sensations WHAI tearing it up at Temple.