Weekend Live Music Roundup: Twisted Machine, Hedgehog, Shanren
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.
What a subtle relationship between the organizers. Maybe jazz concerts will be less complicated, and the Beijing Jazz Festival will be hold in two weeks followed by the annual NineGates Jazz Festival in September, keep an eye on this website for updates. Going more pioneer, experimental label Subjam is going to hold a monthly Miji Concert. There will be more international avant-garde mavericks in addition to the current "noise scene." If you are enough of a nerd or a hipster to be interested in the musical experiments, send emails to: subjam@gmail.com to follow their events, Though you might "be swallowed by useless information which is reducing your attention and sexual ability via the email subjects."
Back to more timely issues. We of course have a music festival this weekend: Rock Aid Festival, though it's more like three rock gigs in a roll at Tango. local nu-metal leaders Twisted Machine headlines the first night; French punks The Shapers and local metal giant Yaksa make the second day shine, following by the grand ending leading by reggae Longshendao and metalheads Spring & Autumn. Twisted Machine will have a busy weekend, as they will headline at Saturday's Tiger Translate Battle of The Bands, the event's headliner on Friday will be noisy indie kids: Hedgehog. After getting jumping around with Hedgehog and you are out of MAO Livehouse, Shanren's funky folk set at 2 Kolegas absolutely worth it to fight for a taxi.
Enjoy the weekend!
Thursday (August 11)
Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard
NYC’s lyric genius brings folk, anti-folk, folk rock, etc. with an avant-garde Chinese improviser as guest. We anticipate sparks. RMB 60. 9pm. Yugong Yishan
(6404 2711)
Friday (August 12)
The Ah-Q Jazz Arkestra
An eclectic mix of straight-ahead, modern, funk and Latin jazz compositions. RMB 40. 9.45pm. V.A. Cafe & Bar (5844 3638)
Hoochie Coochie Gentleman
Rock that blues in Chinese folk style. RMB 40, RMB 30 (advance). 9pm. Jiang Hu Liveshow Bar (6401 4611)
Love’s Tourettes
Get some funky indie rock. RMB 50, RMB 30 (advance). 9pm. Yugong Yishan
Skarving
Yes, it's ska night. Free. 9.30pm. What Bar
Shanren
Farmer metal? Punk from the fields? No, it’s just Shanren’s unique happy folk music. RMB 60, RMB 50 (advance, students). 9.30pm. 2 Kolegas (6436 8998)
Tiger Translate Battle Of Bands (Hedgehog)
Noise boys and girl cheer for the ambitious young bands. RMB 70, RMB 60 (students). 7.30pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)
Metal Night
Wudaokou's Metal Routine continues. RMB 50. 9.30pm. 13 Club (8261 9267)
Saturday (August 13)
CAssette, Fuzzy Mood, LifeTest, Corepotatos, Nightingale
Rock, punk, pop, hardcore. It's girl vocals' night! RMB 70, RMB 50 (advance).
Dolan
Pure Mongolian folk brings you to the grassland. RMB 40, RMB 30 (advance). 9pm. Gulou 121 (8404 3430)
The Heavenly Stems
A rock session with Jess Meider on guitar and singing, bass player Gao Feng and Zac Courtney on the drums. RMB 40. 9.45pm. V.A. Cafe & Bar (5844 3638)
Sambasia
Shake with the beats, you know you want to. RMB 60. 9.30pm. 2 Kolegas (6436 8998)
Singer Sen
New Chinese siren makes the high pitches dance. RMB 100, RMB 80 (advance). 9.30pm. Yugong Yishan (6404 2711)
Tiger Translate Battle Of Bands (Twisted Machine)
Twisted Machine teaches the youngsters how to merge metal and hip-pop. RMB 70, RMB 60 (students). 7.30pm. Mako Live House (5205 1112/3)
Sunday (August 14)
Kamila
A night of bossanova and funk. RMB 40, RMB 30 (advance). 9pm. Jiang Hu Liveshow Bar (6401 4611)
Friday - Sunday
Rock Aid Festival
Charity event to raise funds to build a small library in Xinjiang. Lineup includes top local bands like Yaksa, Spring & Autumn and French pop punks The Shapers. Price per day: RMB 100, RMB 80 (advance). Time TBD. Tango (6551 9988)
