Weekend Update (08/08-10/08)

Anniversaries, a visit from India, and all the jailbait high school action you’ve been waiting for – yup, it’s the weekend – and time to get down and let loose. Music’s in the air folks – huff that shit right up. Here’s what hot – and as always hit up the calendar for more.

Friday August 8^th

If, like me, you’ve been itching for something fresh, something new – to take a chance on a up and coming band for the slim chance that you’d be surprised – then stopping by summer hood Dos Kolegas might in your interest. Hosting some new names including post rock outfit She Never Sings Our Songs (SNSOS) and rugged punk group Skin Bad  – as well as The Krane, a punk band that’s been popping up on more and more punk bills and Bye Bye Noise, whose Strokes-invoking new wave rock has perked my interest since I first heard them online –definite potential. You know when Josh Feola ain’t sure what to expect from a band, it’s gonna get weird. Indian-born globe trotting award winning novelist and songwriter Jeet Thayil swings by XP with his latest music project Still Dirty – which could sound like this but I’m getting the feeling will be nothing like – he’s joined by Mr. Feola himself and Jordan Thomas Mitchell – and supported by our own sparkplug poet Little Punk, as well as electronic broham duo Hot & Cold, and Zoomin Nights regulars Liu Xinyu and Yan Yulong – strange vibes. If you want none of that weird shit and want simply music to get to get your feet moving and nothing else – exactly what School knows how to do. Really, this is a stellar lineup for those looking to kickstart their weekend by cutting loose and rocking out with steady melody after steady melody. Whether it’s the dee-wop retro rock of Candy Monster, the rockabilly charm of Rolling Bowling, the swagger and slurred vibes from new wavers Steely Heart, or the slam bam electro punk of The Big Wave – there’s no shortage of dance-ready tunes. Head to Temple for a bit of fusion action from our resident instrumental maestro Djang San whose east meets west rock and roll will get the crowd lively. Young punks untie over at the Old What? Bar including Free Sex Shop, N&Y, and Hoyodajiawa. Inner Mongolian singer songwriter Gangzi returns to the Blue Stream Bar while Bian Yuan and Liu Donghong pay tribute to Leonard Cohen at 69 Café. US pop punk outfit Issues performs at Mao Livehouse while Chinese folk outfit Secret Backyard kicks off a national tour at Mako Livehouse. Last, catch Zhanren at DDC and Turexun at Jianghu Bar.

Saturday August 9^th

Party pushers, music promoters, and School-based collective D.O.G. celebrate two years of kick ass events with a killer lineup at Yugong Yishan that includes some of the most scream-worthy bands including ragtag no bullshit catchy indie rockers Casino Demon, minimalist post punk space cadets Snapline, always trotting the line between inane and genius, and ex-Joyside Jevoah-witness upped (ok that’s a lie) Bian Yuan, whose piano-driven Leonard Cohen–inspired ballads are starting to grow on me. The event also allows some of School’s rookies a chance on the big stage including dance punk (now) trio Heat Mark, britpop panty-chasers Secret Club, and indietronica outfit Da Bang who are gearing up for another album release under Modern Sky. Now that’s bang for your buck – give D.O.G a big pat on the back and get at it. I just put out this little exposé on high school bands in Beijing – which you should definitely check out. Some fascinating stories coming out of the least likely of places – and tonight teens on the verge of young adulthood will have their moment in the spotlight tonight at Mao Livehouse. Metal, grunge, blues, punk, J-rock – everything under the rock and roil tree with a host of bands including graduated Finger Family, Watermelon Can, Akalic Weed, Bomb & Stone, 95 Factory and much more. Good or bad these kids will most certainly be giving it one hundred and ten percent as they’re exposed to a world that some of us can’t even imagine being in. I’ll personally be slinging out custom made mixtapes to corrupt the young with – can’t friggin wait. Whoa! This just came in – VA Bar – off of Wudaoying has done a complete overhaul and are reopening tonight with a slick lineup that includes WHAI, Me Too, Bloodz Boi, and Black VA – let\’s hope this is a sign of great things to come as I haven\’t been listing VA Bar\’s shows for some time now. Things get noisy at XP as garage rock revivalists Luv Plastik, koin grunge rockers Pork, and up and coming post rock group SNSOS. Over at Temple the \’prodigal sons\’ of rock and roll, Rustic, return for fun. For that classic hard rock sound head to School where Nakoma, Tractor, Electric Lady and One Shot perform. Crosstalking biting satirists folk sensations Slap give yet another special performance at DDC. Meanwhile keep it poppy at Mako Livehouse where Recycle, Mr. Honey, and Collision Dreamer perform. Finally, get rowdy with S–Mud at the Old What?, cute at 69 Café with Annasmile, and folky with Jin Song at Jianghu Bar.

Sunday August 10^th

Folk rock outfit Xi You releases their latest album at Mao Livehouse while Britpop acoustic outfit Antu releases theirs at Mako Livehouse. Last, check out School’s folk/experimental night with Li Zenghui.