Spicy hotpot, hot chocolate, and feet warmers – just a few of my favorite things to indulge in during the winter season. But what really gets my blood going during these frigid months? Ridiculously dangerous decibels levels and enough bass to blow-dry my hair. So if you’re idea of a good time is bleeding perversely from your eardrums look no further cause your weekend gig guide is here to save the day! And a little heads up: Live Beijing Music will be throwing a pre-Christmas bash at DDC in a couple weeks – so if mulled wine and some of the season’s freshest talent sounds nice – come join us!

Thursday December 8^{th –} Friday December 9^th   

 

Pixel Echo Audio-Visual Festival at Omni Space

Some there’s a new stud in town that goes by the name Omni Space. In actuality, it’s the new Jiangjinjiu (a longstanding venue that resided between the Drum and Bell Tower) which its previous owners kickstarted together earlier this summer and opened last week by the Temple of Heaven. Point is – it looks like they mean business. For their second week in circulation they’ll be hosting Pixel Echo 2016 – 2 evenings of audiovisual performances from musicians, sound artists, visual artists, experimental bands, programming artists, and dancers – basically, some of the most cutting edge artists around including glitch artist Hong Qile, pianist Yue Xuan, guitar soundscaper Li Jianhong, iimmune, Gan Jian, and much much more. Check out the poster above for the complete schedule and get the low down here. Very curious about this one. 80 RMB (one day) 150 RMB (two days)

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Friday December 9^th

 

Automat (Germany), Future Orients, WoGui de HuoChe at Tango

VICE returns with their annual year-end celebration and they’ve tapped quite the act – veteran German trio Automat whose ‘groove-infused take on neo-psych and Krautrock’ will surely have music geeks grinning. They’ll be joined by 2016’s hottest new comers – Beijing Foals-esque rockers rockers Future Orients and Nanjing indie trio WoGui de HuoChe. Hot stuff – tickets aren’t available anymore but it’s a free event so just waltz in or play dumb. FREE

 

Rolling Bowling at School

Get to School Bar early cause everybody’s favorite rockabilly group, Rolling Bowling is back, and they’ve got a special two-hour performance waiting for you. The band, who have hit it big in the past year, with a major record deal and two tours of Europe, are ready to close out the year with a banger. ‘Bring your dancing and drinking shoes’ cause it’s gonna get wild. FREE

The Big Wave at Modernsky Lab

New wave punk outfit The Big Wave return to Beijing to close out their forty-plus city tour and more importantly celebrate the release of their debut See The Sun – these cats have certainly elevated their game since their School Bar days – expect extremely kinetic synth rock that’ll have ModernSky Lab hot and sweaty (Extra tidbit: the second track on their album is simply named ‘02’ because Chinese censors couldn\’t handle ‘Chinese Live In Hong Kong’ – such nonsense). 100 RMB

 

Zhong Lifeng at Yue Space

Renowned urban folk singer-songwriter and Zhong Lifeng brings his majestic story-telling voice to Yue Space to celebrate his upcoming seventh album as well as his fifth book, released earlier this year. Literary jackpot people – as per usual with Yue Space nowadays, expect a packed house. 150 RMB

Muppet at Yugong Yishan

Though my dreams of having the actual Muppets (the Jim Henson ones that is) perform have been scattered, the Beijing based hard-edged emo rock outfit Muppet will be closing out their nationwide tour with a blowout at Yugong Yishan. The female fronted band has been riding high since their debut earlier this fall so head over and give them a pat on the back. 100 RMB

 

Rhonda, Oldy Baby, Bastards of Imperialism, A. Borealis at Hot Cat Club

Explore the various facets of punk at this wildly diverse showcase at Fangjia Hutong hotspot Hot Cat Club including sets from rageous punk folk outfit Oldy Baby, math rockers Rhonda, politically charged anti-establishment outfit Bastards of Imperialism and more. FREE

Bill Evans (USA) at Blue Note

World-class saxophonist and producer who made his debut on the international music scene in the 1980s originally with Miles Davis, hits up the jazz venue game changer Blue Note. With 24 solo albums, Grammy nods, and countless collaborations and tours under his belt – expect nothing but a class act. 280-560 RMB

Zhang Qianqian at 69 Café

Veteran sing-songwriter Zhang Qianqian, a staple of the folk scene, since her debut in 1996 gives a special showcase courtesy at 69 Café. 80 RMB

 

Lívia Frossard and the United Nations Co-Op at Caravan

It’s a Brazilian Caipirinha party at Caravan with special guest Lívia Frossard whose bossanova, samba, latin-flavored stylings will keep folks moving and grooving. 50 RMB

Golden Buddha, Wang Zongxing, Yang Ming, Shao Ha Ha at Jianghu Bar

Long standing jazz outfit Golden Buddha fronted renowned jazz musician Kong Hongwei bring their modern take on jazz alongside friends and fellow talented musicians. 60 RMB

Orchid-Eyed Women, Marginal Park, 玺儿at Mars Livehouse

The Batong Line venue looks to dig it’s feet into the music scene pool ever more with an eclectic lineup that features all female country rock outfit Orchid-Eyed Women. 50 RMB

 

The Reaper at 13 Club

Break out the black eyeliner and fill that dark hole in your heart with some gothic metal courtesy of The Reaper who’ll be bringing the pain to Wudaoku. 40 RMB

 

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Saturday December 10^th

 

Gum Bleed, D-Crash, The Flyx, The Demonstrators, Shave-N-Shut, Unregenerate Blood, Tumor Boy, Dressed to Kill, Hang Nail, Duff Beer at School  

Local hardcore/punk collective H.B.K., which is centered around Shave-N-Shut, The Demonstrators, D-Crash, and Hell City, has put together one heck of lineup Saturday with ten bands with a knack for the extreme and punishing, bring chaos to School Bar. Hardcore, punk, d-beat – you get the picture. Get ready to mosh cause it’s gonna be a long one. 4pm start. 100 RMB

 

Scar Constitution, A.J.K, Hind Brain, Ice Moon, Need a Name, Dr. V.agent, Ephemerality, Collision Dreamer, The Uncrowned Drunkard, Laisee, Devil Mask, OWAT, Mega Soul at Yugong Yishan

If one jam-packed lineup of the scene’s heaviest characters wasn’t enough, Yugong Yishan has gone ahead and tapped fourteen bands that specialize in all things heavy – grunge, industrial, hard rock, hardcore, and metal galore – for a carnival of moshing, fist-pumping, and head banging. One last middle finger to 2016. Best come prepared. 5pm start.

 

Comp Collider, december3am at fRUITYSPACE

Improvisational psychedelic krautrock outfit Comp Collider will be releasing their latest album Secondary Drowning at fRUITYSPACE – ‘a snapshot of the band’s developmental arc over the last 12 months’. Support by the phenomenal and one of a kind december3am, a duo that knows no bounds. 4pm start. 40 RMB (w/ CD)

 

My Skin Against Yours (Taiwan) at Yue Space

Taiwanese indietronica band My Skin Againts Yours bring their electrifying set to Yue Space to promote their latest EP Msays – for fans of energetic, sleek trip hop and electro pop this is where it’s at. 80 RMB

The Jessica Stuart Few (Canada) at La Plantation

‘Inventive genre-bending triple threat composer, guitarist, vocalist’ The Jessica Stuart Few presents her ‘koto-playing indie soul-jazz (the koto is a traditional Japanese 13-stringed instrument) whose trademark red hair and genre-bending dancefloor grooves have taken her and her band on multiple tours throughout Asia and Australia. Catch the acclaimed artist over two days at La Plantation. 150 RMB (80 RMB if you\’re a student or still wet the bed)

 

WHAI, The Felling Tree at Hot Cat Club

Trip hop electro rock veterans WHAI bring their hypnotic sound to Hot Cat Club with support from folk act The Felling Tree. FREE

 

Bian Yuan, Nathan Borofka, Nick Parsons at 69 Café

Folk rock crooner Bian Yuan (of Joyside and Lone fame) takes the small stage at 69 Café alongside regular folk singer-songwriters Nathan Borofka and Nick Parsons. 70 RMB

Cool Rhythm at DDC

Blues funk outfit Cool Rhythm made up of guitarist Joan Gong, harmonica player Jason Zhang, and jazz drummer Wu Zhijun, bring some old school swagger over to DDC. 100 RMB

Lost Gravity, Missile Pigeons at Mars Livehouse

The Tangzhou livehouse located just outside the Communications University (and who have a stellar sound system I’m told) get wild this evening with a rocking lineup featuring a band named Missile Pigeons – sooo points there. 50 RMB

 

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Sunday December 11^th

 

Jess Meider, Solaris, Moor Hick, Ani, Atelier II + Gene Earle, Nancy and The Fantastic at DDC

Make a difference this Saturday as a group of international artists get together for a fundraising event to raise awareness about the Syrian Crisis that’s been unfolding before our very eyes this past year. The event will include performances from six bands (like neo-psychedelic outfit Solaris and sultry jazz outfit Jess Meider) and a silent auction that will include 32 artworks donated by 12 artists. Good tunes for a good cause. 100 RMB

Kenichiro Nishihara (Japan) at Yugong Yishan

Composer, arranger, and producer Kenichiro Nishihara brings his jazz infused hip hop oriented dance music collages to Yugong Yishan – ‘smooth, jazzy sounds of comfort and a sense of melody propelled by the piano – the artist is a sensation at home and aboard. 220 RMB

 

Not in Catalog, BUOY at fRUITYSPACE

Things take an unexpected turn as experimental free jazz collective Not in Catalog, headed by Zoomin Night’ head honcho Zhu Wenbo joins another merry band of misfits BUOY. 4pm start. 40 RMB

 

The Second Kick, Need a Name, Triangle, Sweet Boy at School

A night of punk rock all the way from Langfang, Hubei – Beijing’s scrappy neighbor – with sets from skate punks The Second Kick, hip-hop punk outfit Need a Name, and more. 60 RMB

  

The Jessica Stuart Few (Canada) at La Plantation

‘Inventive genre-bending triple threat composer, guitarist, vocalist’ The Jessica Stuart Few presents her ‘koto-playing indie soul-jazz (the koto is a traditional Japanese 13-stringed instrument) whose trademark red hair and genre-bending dancefloor grooves have taken her and her band on multiple tours throughout Asia and Australia. Catch the acclaimed artist over two days at La Plantation. 150 RMB (80 RMB if you\’re a student or still wet the bed)

Codex, The White Papers, Mom’s Little Lucy, 37.5 Degrees, Beta at Modernsky Lab

Modernsky Lab hosts a slew of upcoming bands for an afternoon showcase. Meet next year’s next big hit? Come and find out. 2pm start. 50 RMB

All Shall Be Well (Netherlands) at Modernsky Lab

All Shall Be Well, from Haarlem, play instrumental, cinematic music – ‘they build on themes, thresh out their melodies and look for unsuspected harmonies…and liken their music to stories rather than songs.’ Sounds good to me. 90 RMB

 

Voodoo Cat at Hot Cat Club

Three of the scene’s hardest working musicians come together for to bring you the best of Jimi Hendrix. FREE