Upcoming: JUE Festival

It’s that time again – time for us to soak in as much music and art as possible over the next couple weeks as Split Works brings back their annual JUE Festival from March 12^th to March 22^nd across our fair city (and Shanghai for those of you who like to get their kicks down south). Packed to the brims with conferences, workshops, markets, film screenings, biking excursions, and of course a heck ton of music, both local and international, the JUE Festival is the first real punch of the festival season, and one of the few that I’m always looking forward to mainly due to the sheer diversity of talent and activities on hand. This year looks no different with appearances from Boris, The Bug, and Primitive Calculators, as well as photo exhibitions, comedy nights, and a closing party that’s on a friggin city bus. Where they’ll be serving beer and having bands jam out! Below you’ll find a recap of the musical events happening about town, but for a view at the all the festivities going down, I’d recommend browsing through the organizers very user-friendly calendar. And be sure to head over to Temple/Dada next where pbr and LBM will be holding the opening rager (after a kick ass sound art exhibition at Aotu Studio) for the festival. Stoked!

Thursday March 12^th

Temple/Dada

pbr x Live Beijing Music Present: Gulou Double Decker #2

As the opening rager of JUE | Music + Art, pbr x LiveBeijingMusic.com double down at 206 Gulou Dong Dajie once more, throwing parallel shows in perpendicular universes. Full details here.

Friday March 13^th

Yugong Yishan

Genjing Records: Primitive Calculators

JUE | Music + Art – in partnership with Genjing Records – is proud to present the brash, visceral sound of Primitive Calculators to Beijing. Once one of the rawest acts of the 70’s Australian punk scene, 35 years later they’re back, and they’re meaner than ever. Support: Birdstriking, SUBS (60/80 RMB)

Dada

Lost Cargo: Cian O’Donnell

Lost Cargo are excited to present a night of eclectic, strictly vinyl sounds with very special guest Cian O’Donnell from New Zealand’s Conch Records! Originally from England, Cian O’Donnell has been DJing since 1989 in various spots around the globe. Having worked in record shops since leaving schsool Cian’s sound covers a wide variety of musical genres. A typical 3-hour set can see him switch effortlessly between genres depending on to whom and where he’s playing. Support: Ozone, Aivilox, Howell (50 RMB)

Saturday March 14^th

Mako Livehouse

Boris

The eclectic and prolific Japanese rock band Boris is coming to you, courtesy of JUE | Music + Art 2015. Composed of drummer/vocalist Atsuo, guitarist/vocalist Wata, and bassist/guitarist/vocalist Takeshi, Boris is best known for its monolithic sludge tracks, but incorporates a vast panorama of genres—from drone metal to pop—into an imposing, smoldering whole, ready to inundate you in an landslide of noise. Support: Vagus Nerve (150/180 RMB)

Jianghu Bar

The Hutong Yellow Weasels Album Release Party

The Hutong Yellow Weasels are an old time string band, leading barn dances and playing traditional American music predating World War II. The Weasels’ danceable, foot­stomping rhythms and down home melodies that evoke nostalgic summer nights in the Appalachian hills, and wherever they go a sweaty square dance hootenanny is sure to follow. The band uses fiddle, banjo, upright bass, guitar and sweet vocal harmonies to perform traditional folk, hillbilly, bluegrass and gospel music. Support: Risa Dickens (100 RMB – includes CD)

 

Dada

Wooozy Offline: Logos + FORMA (live)

The Wooozy Offline lads are back after a cracking debut year. They rinsed the dancefloors of our favorite clubs, bringing credible names from across the electro spectrum including NYTA, Nguzunguzu, Bok Bok and Untold. Now they’re back, and they’re ready to shatter your eardrums. Supported: Microlab, Evan, Jackie, Sleepless (80 RMB)

Tuesday March 17^th

Yugong Yishan

Jay Electronica and Miss Ko

Native New Orleans rhyme machine Jay Electronica and Queens hip-hop tour de force Miss Ko meet for the first time in the milieu that is the 7th JUE | Music + Art Festival. The two make up an undeniably compelling and exciting double bill with Iron Mic crews in support in both Beijing and Shanghai. Support: Iron Mic (150/220 RMB)

Thursday March 19^th

 

Dada

Awesome Tapes from Africa

JUE | Music + Art is bringing cassette culture back to China come this March, with Awesome Tapes from Africa. Since 2006, Brian Shimkovitz’s Awesome Tapes From Africa blog has been shedding light on obscure and wonderful sounds from across the African continent. As a DJ, he travels from club to festival to DIY space bringing the blog to life with 2-3 hour sets blending folkloric pop, left-field dancefloor gems and hip-hop beats he’s collected from African marketplace finds. (50 RMB)

Friday March 20^th

 

Yugong Yishan

EMILIE SIMON

JUE | Music + Art is excited to welcome back the enigmatic French singer Emilie Simon to Shanghai and Beijing. With her unique mix of electronic, pop, and Bjork-like vocals, Simon has performed at sold-out shows across the world. Now, following on from her short tour in China in 2010, Emilie Simon is back to play for JUE audiences this March. (150/180 RMB)

Dada

Sub-Culture: The Bug

JUE | Music + Art teams up with Sub-Culture to bring the noise on March 20^th (BJ) and 21^st (SH). The Bug is the main mutation of producer Kevin Martin, also known as King Midas Sound, Techno Animal/Ice/God (with Justin Broadrick of Godflesh/Jesu), Razor X Productions (with The Rootsman & various M.C’s), Pressure, Ladybug, the man behind Pathological Records, and a slew more. He’s provided bass-booming remixes for Grace Jones, Thom Yorke, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Primal Scream, Two Fingers, Beastie Boys, and has fans as diverse as Aphex Twin, Four Tet, Trent Reznor, Fuck Buttons and Death Grips. Support: Manga (100 RMB)

Saturday March 21^st

 

Yugong Yishan

YOZOH

Something sweet comes your way this March. With her cloudlike upbeat music and saccharine voice, it’s hard not to let your cares melt away when South Korean singer-songwriter Yozoh steps on stage. As one of the most remarkable indie-pop musicians coming out of South Korea today, JUE looks forward to presenting Yozoh to Beijing and Shanghai audiences.

Sunday March 22^nd

Line 3 BRT

LOOP x pangbianr: JUE Closing Party, Bus Show

To close out the JUE | Music + Art 2015 festival, LOOP and Pangbianr join forces on Line 3 BRT for a bus ride to remember. Local musicians Alpine Decline, Charm, Zhang Shouwang, DJ Kippy and Compact Dicks, and many more will be performing live for bus passengers on this route all day. The bus will make its regular stops while on Line 3 – all you need to do is pay the normal bus fee and jump on! Want a craft beer to accompany your tunes while cruising through north central Beijing? JingA beer will be selling their JUE brew on the bus too. (FREE)