Weekend Update (03.04-05.04)

Starting to sound like a broken record here. It was a grim week for the scene – police ending mid-set a metal festival, MIDI and Strawberry being forced to put a hold on their May festivities, and venues across the country still taking substantial hits via fines – it\’s almost as if the powers above are testing just how viable and necessary a healthy scene is here. Which is essentially why we must rage on my friends. And with a weekend full of noises of all fashions, it\’s time we make sure the scene doesn\’t slow down one iota. Get your lighters out. Oh, and as always check out the events page for more. Rage on.

Friday April 3rd

Curious to see what border city, favorited among visa runners across the country, Shenzhen has to offer? Well hit up DDC as they host two rock worthy bands from down south, including indie math rock outfit Pokemon Dad, fresh from releasing their much filling debut, as well as Friendly Cannons, self described as cute punk, which is totally a genre I can get down with. Always nice to dig into the country\’s diverse soundscapes. Based out of the home of jazz – New York City – The Shanghai Restoration Project is an electronic music group who bring a modern take on 1930s Shanghai jazz. The outfit includes emmy-winning Chinese-American producer Dave Liang, professional composer and MC/keyboardist Jamahl Richardson and chart-topping jazz singer Zhang Le. The trio play a fusion of electronica, rap, improvisation, and based their playtime on various media outlets like The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and NPR, I\’d argue these guys are the real deal. Class act through and through, all at Yugong Yishan. Local emo rock outfit Tookoo have been one of the scene\’s most worthy acts. Started in 2005 between twin brothers twin brothers Li Xiaochuan and Li Xiaoquan, the group has evolved over the years, mixing in elements of nu-metal, grunge and even Christian rock (no joke) all the while maintaining their fanbase. And while last year’s Love Is Key, Hallelujah seemed to indicate that the band had plenty left to offer, it’s seems they’re finally calling it quits (twins I tell ya!). So bring a pack of tissues, a fresh tee, cause it\’s gonna get equally riotous and sentimental tonight at School – a combo that always works in my book. Shanghai party rockers Round Eye are in town recording their latest and they wanna get you all gooey inside – tonight they join Bedstars at Temple for some hijinks. Kurt Cobain tributes galore in the next week – first up – at Mao Livehouse bring a handful of acts including Drunkard, CA, Silt & Lotus Root, Abnormal Body, Toss, White Meat, and Anti–Bone to pay their respects to the grunge king.

Saturday April 4th

One for the books folks. Classy wedding ceremony? Not likely. Rebellious rock and roll nuptials? Much better. Starting at 6, DDC will turn into a wheelhouse of love and fun. Twister breakdowns, hard cider, airborne dildos, and old hippies get in their last licks – and I didn\’t even mention the music yet, which includes Shanghai sax-wielding punk rockers around Round Eye, electronica power team white +, garage bass grinding duo Luv Plastik, post punk carebears Streets Kill Strange Animals, and techno ranger duo Fratricide. And of course, the most feral and vile duo to grace the stage. No, not my mom and dad. You\’ll just have to wait and see. Full details. An annual tradition for melodic metal outfit Frosty Eve, one of the more respected bands of the scene – the Qingming Metal showcases pays tribute to the dead with a whirlpool of metallic head banging at Mao Livehouse. This year, they\’ve gathered quite the lineup which features neo folk outfit Bloody Woods, sludge metal slayers Never Before, and black metal faves Narakam, among others. So grab your fake wad of Maos and appease your dead auntie with the raddest circle pit known to man. Local promoters Wild Bird bring a trio of blues-infused, retro-fitting, highly satisfying acts to Yugong Yishan including blues reggae act Dafay, minstrel psych folksters The Harridans, and electro alt rock kids 16 mins. Cross-talking alt rock outfit Chenianpo bring their unique sound to Shuangjing\’s Mako Livehouse. Funk goes to Temple as Tavey Lean & The Solid Gold Machine take over. Italian punk band Atlantic join Negative Child for some mischief at School. I’m gonna d-block this from SmartBeijing for the most part – here’s the gist. Beijing artist Yan Jun hosts a diverse lineup of Japanese and Chinese noise makers for a two-day experimental music mini-festival at Meridian Space. It\’s a collaboration between Yan Jun\’s MIJI concert series and Multiple Tap, a globally floating music fest showcasing the \”chaotic extreme Japanese music scene.\” And it looks like all kinds of batshit crazy – “a bonafide Japanoise lineup that includes Hijokaidan founder Jojo Hiroshige plus noise compatriots Toshimaru Nakamura, Katsuyoshi Kou, Ko Ishikawa, and Tetuzi Akiyama. Yan Jun brings the local artists to the table, rounding up his usual cast of improv performers:Yan Yulong, Liu Xinyu, Vavabond, Li Qing, and Li Weisi. Two nights, starting at 8pm —– quite the feast for you noise and experimental junkies out there.

Sunday April 5^th

Easter Sunday brings a slew of fun-filled showcase. Over at Mako Livehouse bluegrass heroes The Hutong Yellow Weasels kick up a good ol\’ West Virginia barn dance. Meanwhile, Mademoiselle de la Orchestre bring their gypsy jazz greatness to School. More Kurt Cobain die hard fans retreat to Mao Livehouse as Broozers, Stone Lion, and Firebell pay their dues.