2011 Sep 29 Holiday Live Music Roundup: Modern Sky Festival, Mamer & IZ
Long weeekends always remind me of unpacking. All the people who were nicely packed in giant buildings in big cities are suddenly spread all over the country, creating a big mess before it gets repacked. Maybe not going anywhere would be the best choice, we can just go hide in the dark corners that we are familiar with, and be accompanied by the music nerds.
Helen Feng, the front women of Free The Birds keeps going on her electronic road, her solo project Nova Heart aims to bring a good party to Zhangzizhong Lu tomorrow night. More likely to get over packed on the same night is 2 Kolegas - Converse and Thrasher magazine organized this free event there with Subs, Rustic and two punk bands from the US. Punkheads should not go anywhere else unless they have a very good excuse.
The week in the dark corners can also be very relaxing. You can catch the Beijing Beatles at the V.A bar on Saturday if not tomorrow at MAO Livehouse. Elsewhere, our chill but hardworking jazz musicians keeps our nights easy listening. There’s Mademoiselle et son Orchestre at 2 Kolegas (Oct 5) and V.A bar (Oct 6), Jess Meider with her jazz project (Oct 4) and more.
If you still want to get out of the city, what better chance can you have than Modern Sky Music Festival? The lineup with Mogwai and The Go! Team spearheading it is convincing. On the Chinese side, we surely won’t miss the names like Carsick Cars and Re-Tros. If you couldn’t make it all the way to Huairou District, you will still be able to catch some of the bands who are nice enough to have another show after the festival, like German post-metal guys The Ocean (Oct 6). The one no one should miss is Mamer and his band IZ (Oct 5). Their album is the best thing that happened this year and what experimental music should sound like!
Friday (September 30)
Anna Stamburg Band
Jazz, Blues and Funky Soul. Free. 9pm. Ciro’s Pomodoro (5208 6008)
Blackwater
The most genuine Irish folk you'll find in Beijing. RMB 30. 9.45pm. V.A Bar
Dude, Los Crasher, Residence A, Christmas, The Beijinger Beatles
Punk, hardcore, indie, old school, all available on Gulou Dongdajie. RMB 60, RMB 50 (advance, students). 8.30pm. MAO Livehouse
Lowbow, Yantiao, Mr. Ray, Street Kill Strange Animals
New pioneers explore on the music journey. RMB 40 (include a free drink). 9.30pm. What Bar
Marianne Dissard Live Happening
Marianne rounds up her fabulous China tournée. RMB 30 (include a free beer). 9pm. Tushuguan 98
Nova Heart
Beijing's iconic Helen Feng brings solo electro project. Get ready for some craziness. RMB 90, RMB 70 (advance), RMB 60 (students). 9pm. Yugong Yishan
Psychoney Night
Birdstriking, Chuiwan and more, Beijing’s most fertile underground music collective presents their works to date. RMB 40, RMB 30. 10pm. D-22
Red Pirates, Kill Kills, Time Capsule
Rock out with the rockers and popsters. Free. 9pm. Hot Cat Club
Rustic, Subs, Bad Shit, The Goat & The Occasional Others
Beijing and Californian punk passion encounter. Free. 9pm. 2 Kolegas
Song Yuzhe, Zhao Yiran
Try to understand these folk rock lunatics. RMB 60, RMB 50 (advance). 9pm. Jiang Hu
Saturday (October 1)
13 Club Metal Fest (Day 1)
Four Five leads the sixth metal fest over Wudaokou. RMB 60, RMB 40 (advance). 9pm. 13 Club
Bad Shit, LS Demons, Bedstars
Start the national day celebration with skate punks. Free. 10.30pm. D-22
The Beijing Beatles
Recreating the sounds of the 60’s, The Beijing Beatles perform up to 2 hours of Fab Four songs in authentic outfits. RMB 30. 9.45pm. V.A Bar
Carsick Cars, Chuiwan
Rock out properly in Tongzhou. Price TBD. 8pm. Raying Temple
I Love Beijing Guoan (Hit 1)
Metalheads show their love to the local football team. RMB 80, RMB 60 (advance), RMB 50 (wearing a Guoan jersey). 8.30pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)
Pairs and Their Friends
Shanghai avant-garde punks start their Beijing tour from Fangjia Hutong. Free. 9.30pm. Hot Cat Club
Sunday (October 2)
13 Club Metal Fest (Day 2)
Dream Spirit, Dake Haze and more 13 Club regulars come for a celebration. RMB 60, RMB 40 (advance). 9pm. 13 Club
I Love Beijing Guoan (Hit 2)
The local football team has punk supporters too. RMB 80, RMB 60 (advance), RMB 50 (wearing a Guoan jersey). 8.30pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)
The Grinding Ear Band, 16 mins
Instrumental melodies and some funky tunes. RMB 40. 9.45pm. V.A Bar
Pairs, Wanderlust, Fuzzy Mood, Next Year's Love
Wudaokou’s national day celebration continues with indie noise. RMB 50, RMB 40 (students). 10pm. D-22
Monday (October 3)
Azari & III
A unique blend of moody electronica and dark yet hooky vocal choruses. RMB 100, RMb 80 (advance) 10pm. Haze
Bad Boys' Folk Rock
Local folk rockers gather. Free. 9.30pm. Hot Cat Club
Buyi
Folk rocks. RMB 50, RMB 40 (advance). 9pm. Jiang Hu
Pairs
Update your understanding of punk from this duo from Shanghai. RMB 50, RMB 40 (advance). 9pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)
Toyhead
Come for a night of ska. Free. Time TBD. Temple
Monday - Wednesday (October 3-5)
Modern Sky Music Festival
It’s time to gather all the rockers, indie kids and hipsters again. Post rock Mogwai, pop The Go! Team come to lead this time. RMB 150 (per day), RMB 120 (per day in advance), RMB 300 (three days). Daily 1pm-Late. Huaibei International Ski Resort (8969 6677)
Tuesday (October 4)
Jess Meider
Meet her jazz project. RMB 40. 9.45pm. V.A Bar
Miss Lulu Galore, Sweet Leaf
Swing the jazz. Free. 8.30pm. Temple
Super Made In Ningxia
Folk rock Buyi, ska Skarving, rock Nucleus and more. The Ningxia gang is expanding. RMB 60. 7pm. 2 Kolegas (6436 8998)
Twisted Machine
Beijing’s metal giants have a DVD box to share. RMB 100, RMB 80 (advance). 8.30pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)
Wednesday (October 5)
Mamer & IZ
They made the greatest music of 2011. RMB 70, RMB 50 (advance). MAO Livehouse
Mademoiselle et son Orchestre
Enjoy the jazz. RMB 50. 10pm. 2 Kolegas
Randy Abel Stable
The bluegrass honky tonks hit Nanluoguxiang. Free 10pm. Salud NLGX
Replica, The Gray
Get a little hardcore. RMB 30, RMB 20 (students). 9pm. D-22
WHAI
The "most underground" band from Beijing is back. RMB 50. 10pm. Temple
Thursday (October 6)
Arcane Saints
New rock & roll hope from down under brings garage with blues and classic metal. Price TBD. 9.30pm. D-22 (6265 3177)
Mademoiselle et son Orchestre
Another jazz night. Why not? RMB 40. 9.45pm. V.A Bar
The Ocean
Hardcore beats goes melodic, check out the pioneering post-metal band. RMB 120, RMB 80 (advance). 8pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)
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