Noise Pollution: Sound of the Xity, Anthony B, Caspian, Belanova, The Best Pessimist
Mayday! Mayday! That’s the sound of yours truly jumping ship and heading out of town for a lil musical excursion – with stops in Ningbo, Shanghai, and Wuhan to get my fix of new tunes. However, that doesn't deter from the fact that there’ll be plenty brewing here in Beijing. Besides the omnipresent Sound of the Xity Festival wrapping its tentacles around the Gulou area, School Bar celebrates another year on its belt, while plenty of international acts (spillover from the various festivals around the country and the now deceased Strawberry Festival) bring their all during this transitional weekend into summer (ha!). Have at it!
Friday, April 28
Wood Pushing Melon. JaJaTao, Meat Sucks, Moland, XianTong at Yugong Yishan
Beijing record label Cold Neo teams up with Sound of the Xity for a wicked Chinese only showcase featuring Chinese freak rock veterans Wood Pushing Melon (led by the wonderful Song Yuzhe), alternative grunge band JaJaTao, Wuhan female-fronted hardcore outfit Meat Sucks, trippy pop-rock foursome Moland and ambient post-rockers Xian Tong. RMB 150
Dream Can, Ambient Intelligence, Streams of Life at Temple
The all female psychedelic indie rockers Dream Can, out of Shanghai, make the trek up to Beijing to rock out Temple Bar with the support of psychedelic modular synth duo Ambient Intelligence and post metal outfit Streams of Life. Some wild new sounds to sink your teeth in – there’s your sleeper gig of the week. Free
Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg (US), The Animen (CH), Casino Demon, The Diders at School
Sound of the Xity brings punk legend Marky Ramone and his band Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, indie rockers and Modern Sky heavyweights Casino Demon, Johnny Thunders loving jet punk worshipers The Diders, and Swiss indie rockers The Animen. Considering much of School worships the Ramones expect a packed house full of Beijing’s punk scene. RMB 160, RMB 120 (advance)
DJ Krush (JP), Shtuby (IL), Bass Guo, Oligarkh (RU), Jiang Liang Sound, Echo&Tito (IL), KillASon (FR) at Modernsky Lab
Sound of the Xity 2017 goes in style this evening, finishing with a massive lineup of local and international DJs playing sets at Modernsky Lab – including Japanese hip-hop pioneer DJ Krush, Israeli avant-garde performers Shtuby, local acid house DJ Bass Guo, Russian electronic outfit Oligarkh, Chinese reggae musician/DJ Jiang Liang Sound, and much more.
Trentemøller (Denmark), 777 at Tango
Danish producer and multi-instrumentalist Anders Trentemøller brings his latest release, the brooding, pulsating Joy Division-esque Fixion to Tango as part of the Sound of the Xity showcase. ‘Atmospheric soundscapes and sonic darkness’ to bask in. RMB 200
JFI, VU, iimmune, Yamashiva, Senders Chen, Fencha at Yue Space
Melt off your face with this electronic virtual reality mindf**k of a show as dank dense techno label Prajnasonic throws a electronic showcase featuring iimmune, VU, JFI, Senders Chen, and Yamashiva who’ll team up with visual artist and designer Fencha for a ‘Audio Visual Virtual Reality’ experience. RMB 60
Horse Feather, Disaster Chat, Paper Tigers, Zhege at DDC
It’s an expatriate standoff at DDC as some of the town’s wildest expat bands bring down the house including alt rock funksters Horse Feather, Bloc Party-esque indie rockers Paper Tigers, upbeat indie swooners Disaster Chat, and pop rock troupe Zhege. Nice range of sounds there to soak in. RMB 60
Early Bus, DJ Red Shift at Hot Cat Club
Hot Cat Club gets in on the ska love train with a special performance from ska veterans Early Bus, who have been around just about forever and recently changed up their lineup. Free
Xue Ting, Wang Yuguang at Jianghu Bar
Take two for some awesome shadow puppetry as musician Xue Ting joins shadow puppet artist Wang Yuguang on stage at Jianghu Bar for a concert that combines a new take on the traditional Chinese art of shadow puppetry, with a new take on traditional Chinese music, blending traditional instruments from home with new ones from abroad, like the digeridoo. RMB 60
The Mescaline, Beacon Tower, New Youth at Mars Club
New blood look to cause a ruckus at the university central Mars Club in Gaobeidian including New Youth, The Mescaline, and more. RMB 50
Liu Donghong, Xi Jie, Nick Parsons, Hu Hao, Yánjiùyuán at Mogu Space
Folk heavyweight Liu Donghong brings his weary and dignified grace to the Xizhimen space. RMB 66
Wu Gui, Jin Yuhang, Scott, Gaoge at 69 Café
The petite and homey 69 Café, off of the strip of hell that is Nanluogu Xiang, kicks off its holiday series with acoustic performances from some of the folk scene regulars. RMB 66
The M’zyk Band at Modernista
Focusing on pop, jazz, R&B, and lots, lots of soul, the M’zyk Band are unique to say the least – their performances and their music assure that every sound, note, and words will bring more than groove into the audience: it will bring up emotions. Free
Saturday, April 29
Three Kings, Candy Monster, Bye Bye Noise at School
School Bar and Converse Rubber Tracks celebrate seven years of the venue churning out one rockful evening after another with another free showcase. For the special occasion Taiyuan ‘alt rockers with Chinese characters’ Three Kings who’ll join doo-wop veterans Candy Monster and the catchy punch drunk love letter to The Strokes, Bye Bye Noise. Bring the present of inebriation and give a seven-year woorah to School Bar! Free
Anthony B (Jamaica) at Modernsky Lab
DB Bros Records, the first record label from China dedicated to reggae and dancehall, throw an opening party and they’ve invited reggae legend Anthony B – ‘steadfast in his mission to represent the poor and oppressed, the Jamaican DJ and reggae sensation has been setting the reggae scene on fire since 1996’. RMB 150
M.E.T.A (Denmark), BPM at DDC
Dramatic, electronic pop from Demark – M.E.T.A fuse trip-hop, soul, rock, and punk into something truly original and has been described as ‘Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales but with a modern twist。’ They’re joined by Beijing’s own French electro jazz punk trio BPM who I’ve only heard good things about. RMB 60
The Best Pessimist (UKR) at Yugong Yishan (also pictured top)
Ukrainian post rock outfit The Best Pessimist is described as the ‘lovechild of genres like post-rock, ambient, IDM – piano driven atmospheric musical landscapes’ reminiscent of Mono, French Teen Idol, and more. RMB 100
White +, Nick Parsons at Mogu Space
The Xizhimen space get their freak on as they invite pioneering live electronic duo white+, headed by Carsick Cars frontman Zhang Shouwang and former The Gar drummer Wang Xu. Dive into their dense layered soundscapes and don’t look back. Support from Nick Parsons. RMB 80
The Jungle Fever, Silt & Lotus, Recycle, Hind Brain, Need a Name, The First Medal at Mao Livehouse
Angsty screamo rock, grunge-flavored ballads, and plenty of others of hard rock’s cousin converge upon Mao Livehouse including The First Medal, Hind Brain, and more, for some mischievous fun. RMB 100, RMB 80 (advance)
The Hunters, Stevie Mac and The Mac Daddies, Zhege, 4 Channels Club at Yue Space
A trio of Beijing’s most sought after expat outfits bring the fun to Yue Space including the female-fronted Hunters, the vintage spinners Stevie Mac and The Mac daddies, and the humor-filled, pop rockers Zhege. Plus, a late night afterparty set from 8-bit electronic renegade 4 Channels Club. RMB 60
Zheng Luoyu, Liu Jiale, Yan Wei, Lu Yiren, Dai Rui, Zhang Chao at Jianghu Bar
Head back to the heydays of Chinese jazz with this 1940s themed night courtesy of local label Cold Neo as a host of finely tuned singers and musicians take the decked out stage and evoke the golden era of jazz in China. Dress code is silk and vintage all the way. RMB 80, RMB 60 (advance)
Been A Girl, Ramblin’ Roze at Temple
Grunge faces off with hard rock as Nirvana tributers Been A Girl go head to head with 70s hard rock fanatics Ramblin Roze for some long haired fun. Free
Nian, Three Ten Mile, My Friend at Mars Club
Ambient post rock, offbeat folk, and more at Mars Club as they play host to a trio of new bands – can’t say it enough but these cats are really killing it over in Gaobeidian. RMB 50
Stella & Hideaki at DDC
Brazlian songstress Stella Sabbatini joins guitarist Hideaki Tokunaga for some sultry numbers and hip thrusting tunes. RMB 50 (3pm start)
Nathan Borofka, Jordan Darling, 旦增卓嘎 at 69 Café
The petite and homey 69 Café, off of the strip of hell that is Nanluogu Xiang, continues its holiday series with acoustic performances from some of the folk scene regulars. RMB 66
Sophia’s Garden, Xue Feng Che at Hot Cat Club
Indie pop night as these Britpop-inflicted outfits bring their charm and catchy chords to Fangjia Hutong. Free
The Basement at Modernista
“Remember that New Years Eve at Modernista? Well, they proved themselves quite well!” That’s the tagline for The Basement or for that creepy person you’ve been trying to forget ever since that fateful night. You decide Saturday night! Free
Sunday, April 30
Lescop (FR), Manceau (FR), Metro Tokyo at Yugong Yishan
Jim Morrison rock meshed with French New Wave electronica with a tint of Joy Division’s moody angst – therein lies the beauty of Lescop’s sensibilities, the artist who has been riding a wave of success since his 2012 self-titled debut. Catch the ‘new French icon’ alongside French indie quartet Manceau this evening at Yugong Yishan. RMB 120
AV Okubo, Human Centipede, Quick Shot at School
Celebrate year seven of School Bar with a glorious alcohol-soaked two-day celebration. Making the trek up from Wuhan are Maybe Mars' own electro-punks and Chinese underground heroes, the much loved AV Okubo, who’ll be joining School Bar owner Liu Fei’s Human Centipede, one of the scene’s most unhinged hardcore outfits. Rounding out the line-up are girl punk rockers Quick Shot. RMB 100
Rhonda, Swinging Barbarellas, Lonely Leary at DDC
The instrumental three-piece, Rhonda, bring their bombardment of noise and rhythm to DDC alongside post punk breakout successes Lonely Leary, fresh off of recording their debut, as well as The Swinging Barbarellas – the scrappy garage rock ruffians. Good dirty fun galore. RMB 50
Scare The Children, Risky Joy, Los Crasher, Tumour Boy, The Loser, Ancestor, Dark Haze, Ramblin Roze at Mao Livehouse
Label and promoters Vigor throw a whirlwind two day hard rock festival at Mao Livehouse – jam-packed with some of the scene’s most energetic performers. Night one bring horror metal outfit Scare the Children, tight jeans wearing 70s rockers Los Crasher, hardcore scrapper Tumour Boy, and much more. RMB 120
Peppercorns, Brickleberry, Sardine is Back and the Wheel is Broken at Temple
Get acidic with these hard to describe rockers who dabble in everything from punk, indie pop, to full of psychedelic including Peppercorns, Brickleberry, and more. Free
D.Cortisol, Horse Feather, ISA LTD., The Guzzlers, KJY, Lefty & The Spaniard at Yue Space
Musicians from over eight countries including Australia, Burundi, France, Germany, Morocco, Spain, USA, England, and China joins forces for a world music extravaganza at Yue Space – featured bands include D.Cortisol, Horse Feather, ISA LTD., and others. RMB 60
Liu Hao Lin at Modernsky Lab
Classical folk, Nordic music, and the sounds of psychedelic England – the Qingdao-rasied singer-songwriter Liu Hao Lin has embedded his latest album Fish Shop with a variety of genres. Catch him on his China wide tour at Modernsky Lab. RMB 100
Zhang Yang at La Plantation
Currently a piano lecturer in the Department of Music at the Northeastern University, piano maestro Zhang Yang gives a special recital at La Plantation entitled ‘A French Touch of Modernity.’ RMB 150
Bupishu, Nick Parsons, Seven Ming at 69 Café
The petite and homey 69 Café, off of the strip of hell that is Nanluogu Xiang, continues its holiday series with acoustic performances from some of the folk scene regulars. RMB 66
Wang Wu at Snail Hostel
Northeastern Chinese singer-songwriters, Wang Wu, whose loose hair and vibrant voice made him one of the finalists on one of the country’s top-rated American Idol clones performs. RMB 60
Monday, May 1
Caspian (USA) at Modernsky Lab
After their successful 2016 tour, American post rock juggernauts Caspian return to Beijing in support of their latest release Castles High, Marble Bright. The Massachusetts post-rockers ‘blur genre boundaries, and have been described as post-metal and shoegaze.’ Expect heavy-ass soundscapes. Read more via our blog here. RMB 150
Mr. Irish Bastard (Germany), The Diders, Gum Bleed at Temple
German Celtic punk legends Mr. Irish Bastard cap off their whirlwind China tour with a special free-for-all showcase at the one and only Temple alongside some of Beijing punk royalty including anti-establishment punks Gum Bleed, and the scrappy and thrilling Diders. Free
Belanova (Mexico) at Yugong Yishan
One of the most sensational Mexican pop acts of the mid-2000s, catch the Latin Grammy winning trio Belanova as they bring their high-spirited, intoxicating bubblegum synthpop to the big stage as part of their Asia tour. RMB 150
Car Car Cars, The Black Hipster, Steal, Prelude of Oblivion, Hard Candy Revolution, Drugdock, Wonder Sea at Mao Livehouse
Label and promoters Vigor throw a whirlwind two-day hard rock festival at Mao Livehouse – jam-packed with some of the scene’s most energetic performers – evening two brings garage rock duo Car Car Car’s, who’ll also be debuting their newest release, as well as glam rockers Hard Candy Revolution, Wonder Sea, and more. 100 RMB
Bloody Daisy, Gentle Grapes, Panda Eyes, The Losers at School
Monday’s the new Sunday so head over to School to check out the new blood – wide-eyed kids ready to leave their mark on Beijing with a little rock and roll. RMB 60
Marmot at DDC
Born out of Atlai Mountains check out the Mongolian troupe Marmot has they unveil their newest album. RMB 80
Yu Zeyang, Wen Zhaojie, Nian, Hu Shushu at 69 Café
The petite and homey 69 Café, off of the strip of hell that is Nanluogu Xiang, finishes its holiday series with acoustic performances from some of the folk scene regulars. RMB 66
Nick Parsons at Mogu Space
The solo artist, whose love for the sounds and textures of the sixties and seventies rock and roll era brings his youthful muddy sound to the Xizhimen space. RMB 60
Phew! Still hungry for more? For events, videos, and photos from Beijing's thriving music scene, head over to Live Beijing Music or check out all of our live music listings here.
Images: cdn-az.allevents.in, courtesy of the organizers
