Weekend Update (04/03-08/03)

As we roll into March and slowly (but surely) push winter behind us, the music scene comes out of hibernation, looking to stir trouble every which way. And what a glorious harmonious mess it’ll be as the weekend according to ‘music law’ is gonna be a couple days longer. Keep that liver in check and let’s check it out. And as always hit up livebeijingmusic.com/events for details on what the rest of March has to offer.

Friday March 4^th

 

Candy Monster, Steely Heart, Pacalolo, Hot Line at School

Rock n roll coalition D.O.G. – who have been booking, managing, and helping foreign bands come to China, celebrate the Year of the Mokey and the emergence of the ‘7^th generation of rock n’ roll in China’ with a three-day weekend extravaganza featuring the brand’s crop of bands. Night one looks to get your feet moving with a host of dance-heavy, electro rock, upbeat show stoppers including Steely Heart, The Hotline, Candy Monster, and Pacalolo. 50 RMB (100 RMB three day pass)

 

Chaun Zi at DDC

Renowned folk singer-songwriter, Chuan Zi, who honed his guitar and lyrical grace whilst spending eight years in a Beijing prison, brings his odes to love, family, loss, and longing to DDC. Expect a packed house for the grizzled earnest artist. 150/200 RMB

 

Children’s Cinema, Black Mint, Miss Mix, Next Door Band, 鹿先森乐队 at Mao Livehouse

Mao Livehouse, still alive and kicking for the time being – knock on wood, hosts an evening of some of the indie pop scene’s unsung talent, bands with large followings and mainstream appeal including Children’s Cinema, Black Mint, and more. 90 RMB

 

Demerit, S.A.W at Temple

Hardcore street punks Demeirt, a staple of the punk scene in Beijing, bring their ferocious guns-a-blazing set to Temple before the band sets off on a epic European tour. They’re joined by heavy metal outfit S.A.W. FREE

 

Longjin at Jianghu Bar

Veteran female-led indie reggae pop outfit Longjin give a special unplugged performance tonight at the cozy hutong favorite. Perfect opportunity to warm up those eardrums. 80 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, give a special intimate performance at hostel and guitar bar, Snail Club. 70 RMB

 

Uncle Hu, Dan & Heike at Caravan

Indie folk artist Uncle Hu, originally from Chengdu, brings his lo-fi Elliot Smith-esque melodies over to Caravan, alongside singer-songwriter Dan Taylor and cellist Heike for some ‘melodic, deep, fun, weird’ goodness. 50 RMB

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Saturday March 5^th

 

Caspian (USA) w/ Glow Curve at Yugong Yishan

Post rock booking masterminds New Noise kick off the new year with a performance from American instrumentalist Caspian, who will be presenting their latest hailed album, Dust and Disquiet, which ‘cements the band as stand-alone leaders of progressive, engaging and thoroughly thought-provoking music’. Opening set from local ‘post-rock-and-so-much-more’ outfit Glow Curve. 140 RMB

 

Penicillin, Secret Club, Bye Bye Noise, Me Guan Me at School

D.O.G’s second celebratory evening brings out School’s finest indie pop and ‘girl fainting inducing’ bands, including britpop faves Secret Club and Penicillin, alongside more alternative Bye Bye Noise and Me Guan Me. 50 RMB

 

Twinkle Star, Candy Monster, Longjin, Finger Family, Tong at Mao Livehouse

Volume 10 of the series ‘Rock Girl’, which features Beijing’s fiercest, most badass ladies taking the stage including emo rock giants Twinkle Star, as well as Finger Family, Candy Monster, Longjin, and Tong. 100 RMB

 

Sound Remains (Inxu) at Temple

Previously known as Illness Sickness, INXU is a instrumental rock trio with bite. Post rock with a love for metal, the group delivers bone-crushing soundtrack music that slays. Catch them in their glorious return. FREE

 

Jing, Xia Guoxing, Zhang Zhou at DDC

Three veteran musicians, members of such bands like My September and Namo, take stage at DDC for an evening of folk ramblings, and collaborative shenanigans. 50 RMB

 

Wu & the Side Effects at Hot Cat Club

The spirit of the blues is alive and well in the energetic, longtime favorites Wu & the Side Effects at Fangjia Hutong venue Hot Cat Club.

 

An Art Show at 69 Café

Cozy Nanluoguxiang joint presents ‘An Art Show’ showcasing a colorful array of art, music and poetry as artwork by various local artists will be displayed with poetry recited by the likes of Asch, Liz Richards and more and live music courtesy of Ani, Jordan Darling, Shannon Lethbridge, Scott Mac Arthur, Dan Taylor, Nathan Borofka, The Plum Trees, Electric Badminton and The Felling Tree. A packed afternoon and evening indeed. 30 RMB

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Sunday March 6^th

 

Laisee, Gum Bleed, The Diders, Day Dream at School

The final night of D.O.G’s three-day extravaganza goes in punk overdrive as punk stalwarts Gum Bleed kick up hell alongside fresher punk favorites Laisee, The Diders, and Day Dream. 50 RMB

 

Moonsorrow (Finland) at Modernsky Lab

Finnish pagan metal band, Moonsorrow, going strong since 1995, bring their black metal with folk elements to Modern Sky’s glamorous digs at Galaxy SOHO as they finish their China tour. 280/400 RMB

 

L-Gentlemen, Pisces, Magic Mama at Mao Livehouse

Pillow fights are all the craze in Beijing. Am I missing something? Something tells me it’s not a bunch of scantily clad ladies running amuck with feathered-pillows. Whatever the case, color me intrigued. Music accompaniment by britpop regular scenesters L-Gentlemen, Pisces, and Magic Mama. 100 RMB

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Monday/Tuesday March 7^th/8^th

 

Electric Lady Festival at School/Yugong Yishan
Start off your week with a two-night celebration of women in rock and roll. Over twenty bands, either all female or female-fronted, will perform in Gulou at School Bar and Yugong Yishan for the inaugural event hosted by Douban Artist and YEMA Live. From Kunming punk electro trio South Acid Mimi Dance Team (only praise I hear), to the 90s alt sweetness of The Twenties, to indie pop favorite Wang Shengnan, new trip hop outfit Wusuozai, punk ruffians Free Sex Shop, and much much more. Really stellar lineups. Full lineup below. 80/100 RMB (Yugong Yishan) 60/80 RMB (School)

March 7^th

Yugong Yishan – Li Xiaoyun, Gemini, Twinkle Star, Wang Shengnan, Gabrielle

School – Girl Kill Girls, S-Mud, H.C.R, Wusuozai, The Twenties

 

March 8^th

Yugong Yishan – Jiang Xin, South Acid Mimi Dance Team, New Cake, Cheng Shijia, Xu Fei, Eryi

School – The Power Powder, Platanus, Time Street, Free Sex Shop, Quick Shot

 

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Tuesday March 8^th

 

Blackbird Blackbird (UK), Chad Valley (USA) at Modernsky Lab

If that wasn’t enough to get your week to a rocky start, Split Works is proud is bringing over the ‘dreamy folk-tronica of San Francisco-based wunderkind Blackbird Blackbird and the swoony solo electro-pop of critically acclaimed UK songwriter Chad Valley’. Not a bad way to spend your Tuesday. 100/120 RMB

VU, Yang Wenliang, thruoutin at FLOSO

FLOSO; a newly opened record store and clothing shop on Gulou Dongdajie, opens with a early evening night of electronica – with some offbeat grooves and ambience courtesy of thruoutin, kicking off his China/South Korea tour, as well as Yang Wenliang and VU. Starts at 7pm.