Pop is their outfit, dancing is in their veins. Montée offers hit tunes for the dance floor, and presents them with a twist. Furthermore, in 2010 they won the title of “Best Pop Group” at Spellemann (the Norwegian Grammys), beating out bands like Kings of Convenience.

Remember two weeks ago I mentioned that Avril Lavigne will come in May? Nobody from the Pinggu Music Festival bothered to make anything official, but it's getting surprisingly serious all of a sudden. First, there's Ladytron listing the festival in their tour schedule. Then we've been told that musicians you might occasionally see on British TV shows like Little Boots, KT Tunstall and Editors are confirmed. So far, we've also got names including Canadian band Hot Hot Heat and Finnish Negative. But Pinggu is HERE! The Tangshanese must be thrilled.

Looking for details on 2011 New Year parties? You've come to the wrong place - this is the 2010 post. For details of what's happening on December 31, 2011, click here.

The new year is almost upon us, but there's still time for one more drink, one more dance, one more band before the sun sets on another year in the capital. Here's your one-stop guide to what Beijing has to offer this New Year's Eve.

We've had a music festival explosion in 2010. In the old days we would be lucky to have one music festival per holiday – this year we've had several to choose from almost every break.
Then again, history has taught be to be wary of everything: Midi Music Festival 2008 - cancelled; Modern Sky Music Festival 2009 – All foreign bands cancelled; The Killers Concert 2010, cancelled; etc. Foreign bands still have to go through a complex procedure to get approved to play in China. Besides providing information such as passport numbers, they have to send the government mp3s and lyrics of 5 songs. I think the officers just want free mp3s.

I feel like I’m still recovering from last weekend, and the next is already coming again. Anyway, when you have a few free days ahead of you, I suggest you start with music. For those of you who are too lazy to go out to the FunHill Music Festival, my suggestion is to go heavy with the metal heads. Painkiller Magazine is having their 10th birthday parties – literally 2 parties – at MAO Livehouse. Dying Fetus and Exodus are here to make sure that you will have sour necks on the “real weekend.”