Quiet. Loud. Quiet again. Not the most accurate description of Mogwai's music, but not bad for a four-word introduction to one of the most influential bands ever to have come out of Scotland. We spoke to the band's resident multi-instrumentalist, Barry Burns, as Mogwai prepared for their slot closing out the last night of this week's Modern Sky Festival (Oct 3-5: For details on the festival lineup and ticket information, see our Live Music Roundup). We started by asking Barry about the band's Gremlins-inspired name ...

For once, we’re aiming to spend the entire long weekend in Beijing. Why, you ask? See here, here, here and here – need we say more?

Our Music Editor has been doing a fine job prepping us on what to expect from the music festivals. This year we can choose from Midi, Strawberry or Music Valley – or hit up all three, since they each take place over the span of three days (April 30-May 2).

Once you've settled on the lineups of your liking, however, you still face another dilemma: finding the perfect outfit.

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.

Detroit minimal techno pioneer Daniel Bell is the man behind the influential Accelerate, Elevate and Seventh City record labels. After a brief hiatus from producing, and a move to Germany, he’s resumed a busy DJing schedule. Originally set to play at Alpha, his performance in Beijing has just been moved to Yugong Yishan on Friday, July 23. Bell sat down with us for 60 seconds of interrogation.

Known for his eclectic musical pairings, Dimitri from Paris has worked with everyone from Madonna to fashion houses Yves Saint-Laurent and Chanel. His latest project unearths the 70’s disco music of Philadelphia.