My 2010 started with New Pants' absence at the Orange Hall of Sanlitun Village. But over the next 12 months, the music scene thrived in Beijing faster than ever. Though there's still a long way to go for the music industry in China, the music festivals did bring us some great times and albums released by the local bands came across as one surprise after another.

But it's time to move on. Almost all the best of the local acts are out celebrating the New Year during the next two nights: Carsick Cars, Free the Birds, Re-Tros, Hanggai, Long Shen Dao… and the "godfather" of Chinese rock music, Cui Jian.
See a full list of this weekend's lineup at the bottom of the post.

With DJs and VJs trashing the hutongs more and more often, it’s time for the rock bands to take down Sanlitun. Rustic and Residence A are leading the charge into the heart of the club zone on Saturday at Club Le. The bands say: "Beijing is a place where people love to pay a couple of thousand for a woman's body, but they will not pay 50 kuai for a Rock n Roll show." Why not prove them wrong?

You probably just had a long week, but Beijing never gives you a rest – there's always so much happening. Sometimes I feel it's even a waste to sleep on weekends. Maybe I'm greedy. The good news is that Beijing is the right city to be greedy in – even though we just had two back to back music festivals in the suburbs last weekend the city is not getting any quieter.
Metalheads from Germany and Japan are in town. From the German side, the thing that interested me about Heaven Shall Burn is not their political attitude, but the fact they are vegetarians. Can someone explain to me: what is the connection between metal and vegetarians? Because there are many who are both. It will really surprise me if the Japanese Hydrophobia only eats vegetables too, since they are "grinding brutal death."

“Nothing Ever Happened” by Deerhunter. One of my favorite songs. There’s nothing unnecessary in it; the flowing bassline always creates magical feelings.

“Mirrors” by Crocodiles.

Local record label Maybe Mars is a bit obsessed with distinguishing generations lately. Their new release Generation Six just came out recently, twelve songs from four bands (Rustic, Birdstriking, Flyx, Old Fashion) make up this album; left people wondering what the other five generations are. Half of the question is getting answered tonight. Three bands of three different generations gather at Yugong Yishan tonight: Mr. Graceless didn't make their songs to the Generation Six album but got to represent them with Carsick Cars and Post-rock icons P.K. 14 representing two older generations.