It seems that 80 percent news about music or bands in Beijing are about music festivals these days. There are really so many of them. One thing that agitated the whole scene was actually one music festival in another city: Midi Festival announced a while ago that they were forced to cancel the their event in Zhenjiang, despite the ten-year contract they signed with Zhenjiang government. One day after that, Modern Sky Records announced that they are going to organize a Strawberry Festival in Zhenjiang upon invitation from the local government. Earlier this week, Midi sent out a broadcast message stating that they will reveal what actually happened at a press conference on Aug 22 and take legal action against Zhenjiang side afterwards.

Blue Midi Festival just started today in Rizhao, a coastal city near Qingdao; and people are getting wild on the beach while you’re reading this article, all the coolest Beijing bands are gathered at the seaside; and I've heard that bands are a lot crazier at festivals out of Beijing. If you still feel like going, it's not too late to hop on a train or a friend's car or hitchhike to Rizhao right now (or you can take a train to Qingdao and then a bus to Rizhao) and have a weekend that you will never remember. The Blue Midi Festival goes on from today till Sunday.

There must be something magic about the last weekend of July, otherwise how can you explain that there are three Beijing music festivals at the same time. Both InMusic Festival and Goose & Duck Summer Music Fest are returning for their third years and we will also have the city’s first Blues Festival at CD Blues Café.

Are the music maniacs really becoming more and more active in Beijing? Is it just their reaction to a cold winter? It was only midweek, but celebrations started yesterday. Australian metal-core band Parkway Drive and British electro newbie Chad Valley went to Gulou Dongdajie, rocking MAO Livehouse and Temple bar real good. We hope you still have energy left because there’s no time to rest, not even for one night.

Mid Autumn Festival is always so sentimental. It's the time every traveling child wishes they can be home while most of them can’t. Maybe the greatest musicians in Beijing sense this homesickness or they are also among the migrants – China's capital is having the best lineup in a while this long weekend.

Some longtime punks show their sensitive side on Friday: SUBS' Kangmao plays with her melodic folk band Bye Bye, Thanks For The Fish at D-22. Elsewhere, a few ex-Joyside members bring their indie pop tunes to Blue Stream Bar near Gulou. The same night, dance rockers from Queen Sea Big Shark are looking to have a "Neo Party" at Tango. Mako Livehouse hosts talent from Inner Mongolia who are here for the city’s first Mongolian Music Festival (Fri & Sat) with the message that the Grassland is not just about wilderness.