Got your fill of mooncake? Enjoying the brisk temperatures as autumn makes its all-too-soon demise? Well at least the music scene’s heating up as September rolls out with new venues to indulge in, visiting punk legends to mosh with, and cafeteria gigs (hells to the yes!) to start a food fight in. Whatever you fancy it’s out there. Here’s your weekend gig guide.
Friday September 23rd
Gate to Otherside, Gatsby in a Daze, Backspace at Yue Space
The new Beixinqiao venue, headed by music platform Musikid, throws a ‘I Love Frank Party’ centered on the enormous paper head mache made famous by the eccentric rock band movie ‘Frank’. But enough of that nonsense – the real sell here is that this 400 person capacity venue means business and they’ve got the lineup to prove it including Hangzhou shoegaze indie rockers Gatsby in a Daze, Beijing psych rockers Gate to Otherside, and fresh on the scene synth rockers Backspace. Definitely worth checking out. 80 RMB
Da Bang, South Acid MiMi Dance Team at School
Converse once again bangs out a killer two-punch lineup (with an added layer of awesoness being it’s free) that includes dance rock veterans Da Bang, who will be dropping their newest MV this evening, as well as much hyped Kunming psychedelic dance trio South Acid MiMi Dance Team, who are truly one of a kind. FREE
December3am, Jump the Fence, Jordan Darling at Hot Cat Club
One of the city’s freshest new acts – the intoxicatingly good ‘post kraut Mongolian infused rock’ duo december3am join catchy expat trope Jump the Fence and serenader Jordan Darling. FREE
Junglemico at Temple
Mixing elements of live Drum’n’Bass, Dubstep, Dub, Break beats, Deep techno and more, the Junglemico Project is one of the city’s best live electronica acts – expect a packed house and fans galore. FREE
Yanchai, JAM, Ma Xiao, Yeli, 鹿先森at Yugong Yishan
It’s a folk filled autumnal equinox bash at Yugong Yishan as the big venue gathers some of the folk scene’s most promising up and comers including the ethereal Yanchai, the indie pop stylings of Ma Xiao, and more. 150 RMB
Tulegur at Snail Club
Tulegur, the veteran Mongolian folk rock duo whose grungy revisionist take on Mongolian music has won acclaim here and aboard, performs. 80 RMB
V89, Stockholm Syndrome at Blue Stream Bar
Grunge, and more hard rock vibes at the cute venue next to the Drum and Bell Tower. 50 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
Hot Club of Beijing at DDC
Multi-national gypsy jazz ensemble bring their 1930s swinging jazz, hot latin rhythms, and gypsy waltzes to DDC so best bring your dancing shoes. 50 RMB
Xiao8, VV, Li Yong, Shi Xiaofei at fRUITYSPACE
fRUITYSPACE mixes folk and electronica for a friendly gathering of sounds and stories from a range of young artists including Libra blood type A folk singer Shi Xiaofei, Beijing-Thailand hopping electronic musician Xiao8, and more. 40 RMB
Kingdom Passion at 13 Club
Alright — have no idea what the hell is going on here but my best guess – Christian rock up the wazoo. Take the lord in your heart and mosh with the best of them – oh you so nutty Wudaoku. 80 RMB
The Groove Collective at Modernista
Feel the soul and fun-loving funk of the long-standing vibers The Groove Collective at the ever lively Modernista on Baochao Hutong. FREE
Saturday September 24th
The Fleshstone (USA), Round Eye, Bedstars, Motorbike Girls at School
Legendary New York punks The Fleshtones, one of the NYC punk scenes pioneering bands, bring their forty years of influence and experience to Beijing for their first ever China tour – they’ll be joined by Shanghai doo wop punk lords Round Eye as well as Bedstars and Motorbike Girls for what will surely be a riotous sweat-filled evening. 80 RMB
Birdstriking, Dirty Fingers, Lonely Leary, Future Orients at Laker’s Pizza
Go back to the future with this nostalgic flashback as D-22 comes back to life for one night only. Well, in spirit at least. The space where the renowned venue once stood in Wudaoku is now a Laker’s Pizza (a cheap beer and grub place where university students mingle) but that ain’t stopping the kids from banging down its doors as Birdstirking (a band birthed from D22) joins Shanghai scrappers Dirty Fingers, as well as Future Orients (fresh off their debut release) and Lonely Leary. Should be a hoot and a chance to relive those Wudaoku glory days one last time. 100 RMB
Macondo, Hard Candy Revolution, By Dream at Temple
Feel the righteous healing powers of Temple with a triple punch combo of hard rock featuring power rock instrumentalists Macando, sassy glam outfit Hard Candy Revolution, and post rock kids By Dream.
The Life Journey at Tango
Acclaimed Beijing Britpop outfit The Life Journey, one of my first guilty pleasures in China (I’m lying – they’re straight up good) give a special performance at the massive Lama Temple space, Tango. 180 RMB
Early Bus, DJ Rasta at FRUITYSPACE
The basement de facto chill spot FRUITYSPACE gets in on the ska love train with a special performance from ska veterans Early Bus, who have been kicking around the scene since pretty much forever. Gonna get wild folks. FREE
Re Botswana Orchestra, Jiang Shan at Ao Club
Catch some of Botswana’s most innovative jazz musicians with the Re Botswana Orchestra who’ll perform alongside Qinghai folk singer-songwriter Jiang Shan at the Qianmen venue Ao Club. 150 RMB
The Hunters at Hot Cat Club
Badass cover band pay tribute the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Blood Sugar Sex Magic album which hit its 25-year anniversary this week. Get your dong out. FREE
Liu Donghong at Jianghu Bar
Bluesy folk rock singer-songwriter Liu Donghong a staple of the folk scene brings out his band mates for an intimate show at the hutong hotspot. 100 RMB
Ember Swift at DDC
Indie singer-songwriter Ember Swift brings her swag and stylish indie rock to DDC as the longstanding Beijing-based artist presents material from her upcoming album Sticks and Stones, which promises to echo ‘childhood joys while living in an adult world’. 50 RMB
Mademoiselle et son Orchestre at Modernista
Premier gypsy jazz outfit bring their sultry upbeat Chanson influenced numbers to the ever chic Modernista. FREE
Jordan Darling, Shannon Lethbridge at Mogu Space
Regular acoustic singer-songwriters bring their A game to the Xizhimen space. 60 RMB
Sunday September 25th
Desecravity (JAP), Ogenix at Temple
Metal platform Painkiller hosts Japanese technical metal band Desecravity who\’ll be joined by local electro metal band Ögenix. FREE
Golden Rum, Steal, Deep in the Heart, Out to Sea at DDC
It’s a campus rock filled Sunday afternoon as university bands across Beijing join for some sun-filled rock and roll. 40 RMB 2pm start
16 mins, The Peppercorns at DDC
Alt rock crusaders 16 mins bring their genre-bending sound alongside crooners and hard rock ruffians The Peppercorns for some riotous fun. 40 RMB
The Beauty, Self-Portrait, Joker’s Belief, Half Half at School
Celebrate (or grimace) the end of summer with an indie rock bash featuring Britpop serenaders Self Portrait, indie rokcers The Beauty, neo funksters Joker’s Belief, and the female fronted disco punks Half Half. 40 RMB
Unforbidden Horse, Liu Mingke, Wanjianxinwen at Mao Livehouse
Southern flavored hard rockers Unforbidden Horse throw a release party for their crunchy new EP Different But Same, with friends of old and new. 80 RMB
CD Box, Next Door Band, Mind Notes at Modernsky Lab
Pop rock outfit CD Box content with their name are finally coming around to release their debut album CD and they’re going all out with a heavy pop flavored lineup at Modern Sky’s Galaxy SOHO digs. 100 RMB
Seesaw Jazz Quartet at Hot Cat Club
Playing a fusion of jazz in different styles like swing, cool, bebop and hard bop, as well as Latin music and Chinese minority music enjoy the modern jazz stylings Seesaw Jazz Quartet. FREE
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