Weekend Update

A relatively slow weekend as the haze of burning cash and holiday hangovers clear, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the spring air and kick back with some tunes at all of our favorites.

Return The Truth bring it at Mao

FRIDAY

The big one tonight is at none other than Mao Livehouse as hardcore legends King Lychee coming up from Hong Kong – I’ve heard about these guys from Unregenerate Blood way back in February and it’s sounds like they are the real deal  – Return The Truth and xitneverhappenedx support. Down the street at Temple, Brand New, You’re Retro festival kicks off with freak Canadian duo Vialka playing along with Xiao He and Djang San. Over at Dos Kolegas, they’re up to their regular shenanigans with Devil at the Crossroad playing with Flaming Heat and Bad Mamasan, all the ingredients to healthy night of rock. At the Old What? Bar, punkers and rockers converge with Old Fashion, Early bus, Trouble Trouble, and more taking stage. Folk artist Li Jianbin brings his latest release to Mako Livehouse with some support from Dongzi. Experimental guitarist Li Jianhong plays an improv sess at Zajia Lab. Jianghu Bar brings reggaee group Shaddai, while the Hot Cat Club host the JVK Band, still in town, alongside Abominati, and lastly, folk group Zhou Dynasty makes a stop at the Blue Stream Bar.

SATURDAY

Almost forgot that punk group Reflector is at Tango where they will surely fill and rock out (thanks for the reminder BD!). Other than that, the other big game in town is the beautiful match-up of grassroots band The Randy Abel Stable and Mongolian troupe Ajinai at Yugong Yishan. But part of me what’s to throw money down on  Shijingshan rap group 1043 at Mao Livehouse simply because it’s a scene that doesn’t get enough coverage though being quite monumental in the Big Red. Plenty of dirty rock n’ roll to go around – Wang Wei & The Rock Rhino bring bluesy rock to the Hot Cat Club with VHR; close by the Red Pirates and The New Band (really?) play at VA Bar, and Pork, Planet, The Syringe, and Fangu play at the Old What? Bar. If you wanna get funky then Temple has you covered with The New Vibe, or better yet, head to Liangmaqiao for Dos Kolegas’s famous Meiwenti parties with One Drop. Finally, Jianghu Bar gets intimate with folk guitarist Zhou Chao and if you really need to see a Russian Eric Clapton Tribute Band, because they is one, then head to Mako Livehouse to catch D’Black.

JVK still in town…the man invented that thing

SUNDAY

Mao Livehouse is pulling double duty today – in the afternoon indie post-hardcore rockers (what that even entail I’m not sure) from Hong Kong, Ignite The Hope play an afternoon show while in the evening a super secretive Kurt Cobain show is taking place with only God knows (though Nucleus could pull it off effortlessly). And to wrap up the weekend, check out Taiwanese guitarist Lu Jiahong, dubbed ‘The Big Tsunami’ at Jianghu Bar.