How\’s this for a weekend – almost too much too handle. Who needs festivals when we got these bad boys fining for your attention. No fat, all muscle. Who\’s gonna be the lucky one. That got weird.

FRIDAY

For a guaranteed good time – you really catch go wrong with a outdoor reggae party with Longshendao at the one and only Dos Kolegas, whose lawn I might add is in fine form. Drinks, food, good vibes. What else you need? How about \’a rock and roll band that’s trying to make the rock sax and love songs cool again with a spoonful of sugar\’ – that would be Round Eye whose sax infused riotous party rock out who will be touring alongside American garage punk legends M.O.T.O ( Masters of the Obvious) and Gou Shen, out of Shanghai as well – tonight they\’ll invade Temple for surely a rambunctious night. If you\’re in more of a celebratory mood, head over to the newly re-designed The Other Place where the new electronic label Sinotronics launches with a slew of ace electronics artist including Dead J whose minimalist IDM music is cinematically, ridiculously addicting, as well as FAR∞, Ganjian, and XLF. Good natured indie rock trio Mr. Graceless, who write sweet, genuine, cleverly written pop tunes graces the tiny stage at XP along with some other Britpop inebriated bands including Dirty Little Secret and Bye Bye Noise. I\’m raved enough about about thruoutin and Low Bow who will hit up School this evening – but I\’m more excited for Girl Kill Girls, led by the saucy and ‘probably could kick your ass’ Gia of Hang on the Box fame, and Arrows Made of Desire, the accomplished indie rock group led by Joewi, who definitely knows a thing or two about making ridiculous down to earth yet pop friendly tunes. Arrows Made of Desire will also be a qingdao throw\’s away at the VA Bar along with funk and bluesmen The Tore Down. The Beijing hard group Fanzui Tuanhuo celebrates ten years with a fistful of bands of all genres, including hardcore group Saving Molly, pop rockers Caffe-in, funky reggae artists Longjin, and more at Mao Livehouse. Lastly, catch folksters Erbai and Ma Di at the Blue Stream Bar, poet rockers Bu Yao! and The Batong Line Blues at Jianghu Bar, and Music Soulz at Modernista.

SATURDAY

Looks like School is getting in on the action sax-infused party rock action as M.O.T.O, Round Eye, Guo Shen, and the welcomed addition of rockers with the \’nothing to lose\’ Bedstars take the stage. Tonight the second half of the Sinotronics celebration hits off at The Other Place – as Pangbianr turns three – expect some experimental anything goes sets from thruoutin & Chai Mai, Thin Gaze (out of Canada), VAVABOND, Damage Blanket, and more hit the stage for something out of the ordinary. \”One of the best acts in town\’ trance-rock heads WHAI will hit up Temple for some more badassnessdom. Joni-Mitchel-esque singer-songwriter Zhang Qian Qian graces the hole in the wall that is the Old What? Bar, while a ways north rockabilly gods Rolling Bowling give Hot Cat Club a much needed dosage of fun. Accalimed folk artist Zhong Lifeng releases his latest album at Yugong Yishan. And finally, we have some jazz pop with Dimo at 69 Cafe, Echo Orchrestra at Blue Stream Bar, and Chiren at Jianghu Bar.

SUNDAY

If you need to shake the weekend’s excrement off – then I’d recommend taking the hardcore treatment at Mao Livehouse with the best doctors in town – Beijing’s hardcore crew featuring the likes of Unregenerate Blood, Return The Truth, Saving Molly, xitneverhappendx, and visiting UK head bangers Brutality Will Prevail. For something a little more soothing (depending on who you ask) head to School where singer-songwriter Liu Yusi gives a free performance. Soft spoken \’cute\’ indie group Montage release their new album at Blue Stream Bar along with some help from Cui Longyang. To cap things off, Zhao Mu Yang makes a rare appearance at Jianghu Bar for some folk goodness.