The snow on Monday, I don’t know what’s that all about, it’s March already. Don't know how it's been affecting the festival season (which is spring, in case you haven't seen it's coming), but the Beijing leg of JUE Festival is well under its way. Presented by Split Works, the festival consists of art, cinema and music events across Beijing and Shanghai (see our interview with the organizers here and full event schedule here). On Friday night, JUE sees the appearances of American indie singer/instrumentalist St. Vincent at Yugong Yishan and Danish rockabilly group Dead Elvis & His One Man Grave at D-22. On the local side, things get more hardcore at Mao Livehouse, where TOOKOO, Bigger Bang! and The Reason rock on the northern end of Nanluogu Xiang - maybe you can hear them in YGYS, since St. Vincent's music is relatively quiet, maybe.

This week we've got some visitors: AV Okubo (www.douban.com/artist/avokubo) are in town on Saturday (Mar 6) at Yugong Yishan. Coming with their debut album The Greed of Man (大时代), these disco punk heads from Wuhan will share the stage with P.K.14, Carsick Cars, Xiao He and White. After that, the gang of hipsters are leaving Beijing for South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, followed by another Maybe Mars US tour. Look at them (pictured above), they are obviously ready for the cold weather and street noise in Beijing.

So, we are back from the holiday, and it’s the same old faces on the stage. But that’s why live music in Beijing is exciting - it beats the sound of firecrackers and CCTV's Spring Festival Gala. I watched the entire four-hour show with my family and kept thinking about what would happen if Manchester United played against The Los Angeles Lakers in a curling game - and the winner turned out to be Maria Sharapova. Happy time.

Anyway, the important thing is musicians are back in town. On Friday, Afrokoko (probably the one and only Afrobeat group in Beijing) bring live beats with the DJ crew of funksters at Yugong Yishan. An alternative is available at Mao Livehouse where Acid Live put on their monthly jazz session of dynamite.

As we all know, the city will be empty during the Spring Festival holiday - bands are leaving Beijing for home, organizers are taking breaks, and groupies will have to wake up with someone else...this would be the last weekend for live music before everything goes wrong. Hard rockers Misandao, Gum Bleed and Hell City make noises at Mao Livehouse on February 5 before firecrackers burn down the city; For Saturday night, Ourself Beside Me and The Molds make their return at Obiwan, Beijing rap group In3'er swear on Bob Marley's Day (hold me...), while Wu Fei plays guzheng and creates her version of the mysterious east with Taiwanese American singer Jen Shyu.

Go out, have fun - you might be married after the holiday, then who knows what's gonna happen...

We've reported on some big actions in April. Since yesterday, we've been spending some time talking to the organizers about the possible Bob Dylan show on April 4. Despite the Beijing tour date being anounced here, they haven't decided on a venue yet, so stay tune at our site for updates.

Before Dylan arrives with his, you know, wind, local scene is rocking with a full schedule over this weekend. Of course the big one is The Killers on Jan 26 (Tuesday, Workers' Gymnasium. See our interview here) - evidence: a student battle of bands called Rock AM is taking place at Vics (yes, a place for what is called again?...right, rock, and roll) on Jan 23, and the winning band get free tickets. Another breath of fresh air comes from the visiting Qingdao rockers The Dama LIamas (Jan 23, 2 Kolegas), let's see if we capital snobs can make peace with other fishes in the ocean. Also on Saturday, world music esemble Beijing Talking (Jan 23, The Star Live) return to stage after a long absence. To finish the week, Californian emo rockers Saosin (Jan 24, Mao Livehouse) shakes Gulou (like it's not being shaken enough).