Noise Pollution: The Bottom Line, The Wall Arts and Music Festival, and a Show at a Reptile Theme Park

With each rain storm, we get closer and closer to autumn, and I couldn't be happier. Because that means a lot more gigs will also soon be raining down upon us. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Shaungjing, Wudaokou, or 798 – everyone and their mother has a livehouse these days and you know what? The more the merrier. So no more excuses, no more rain checks – it's time to get out of your comfort zone and shake loose. Here’s your weekend update:


Friday, Aug 18

Die!ChiwawaDie!, Struggle Session, Xiao Wang, The Sino Hearts at School
Beijing-based vinyl label Genjing Records teams up with Guangzhou’s Qiii Snacks Records for a volatile bit of hardcore mayhem – a 12” split between Guangzhou DIY Molotov cocktail sideshow Die!ChiwawaDie! and Beijing multinational fastcore thrill junkies Struggle Session. It’s gonna be epic. And if that wasn’t enough, it’ll be your last chance to see the girl punx kawaiicore group Xiao Wang before their lead singer An Lin heads West to stir up trouble, as well as get another dousing of power pop sweethearts The Sino Hearts. 60 RMB 

Biggaton (Jamaica), Raddam Ras, General Huge, Abrah (Tanzania) at Hot Cat Club
The Jamaican reggae/roots artist Biggaton returns to Beijing. The artist, known for his warm voice and uplifting musical messages, has been bringing dank reggae and dancehall vibes to fans for years. He’ll be joined by Raddam Ras and General Huge of DB Bros Records as well as Tanzanian artist Abrah. Expect a packed house over on Fangjia. 80 RMB

Los Crasher, Elenore, The Flyx, Ramblin’ Roze, Tumour Boy at Yue Space
Summer’s a-calling and they wanna let everybody know it’s time to party. A manic vintage party will be held at Yue Space with four bands bringing you that classic rock-and-roll feeling, including tight-jeaned Los Crasher, hard-hitting Britpop favorites Elenore, the ever reliable punk outfit The Flyx, and more. 100 RMB

The Bottom Line (UK) at Yugong Yishan
UK-based pop punk group The Bottom Line appears at Yugong Yishan in support of their new EP – I Still Hate You (China?). The group has toured with Simple Plan, Bowling for Soup, and You Me at Six, as well played an array of music festivals around the world. Expect hard-hitting cathartic pop punk. 100 RMB

Acid Accident, TOSS, Motorbike Girls at DDC
DDC continues welcoming some of rock-and-roll’s more deviant noisemakers with a killer trifecta of a lineup featuring off-kilter grunge favorites TOSS, psyche garage rockers Motorbike Girls, and up-and-coming indie post-rockers Acid Accident – dangerous new sounds indeed. 60 RMB

Goodbye Sunset, Collision Dreamer, Lost in Space, Soulmate, The Tek Dead at 13 Club
K.O. the summer with this rollicking lineup of hardcore, emocore, techcore, and some other cores that I may or may not be making up – just make sure your calves are in good shape cause you’ll be using them. 80 RMB

Los Amigos at Jianghu Bar
Beijing’s first homegrown band to focus on Latin American jazz – Los Amigos, whose members are all lecturers and professors at the Beijing Conservatory of Modern Music, take the stage at the cozy hutong joint. 80 RMB

Thomas Schoeffler Jr. at La Plantation
Strasbourg native Thomas Schoeffler Jr. is a dynamic one-man band, mixing foot percussion, guitar, and harmonica with a melodious and penetrating voice combining blues, rock, and country for a resulting sound that is both timeless and captivating. 200 RMB

Li Eryang, Wu Gui at Mogu Space
Ramble over to Mogu Space for Bob Dylan covers by Beijing indie artists Li Eryang and Wu Gui, both heavily influenced by the music of the 60s and 70s. FREE

Ember Swift at Modernista
Known for her unique, jazz-influenced guitar playing and elastic vocals, the Canadian-born, Beijing-based singer-songwriter Ember Swift has been a fixture of the Beijing music scene for years, releasing an array of LPs and melding Mandarin, English, and French into one intoxicating package. FREE

Bone-Bone, Heihei, Lucky Roots, Tina Kan, Kora at Soi Baochao
It’s a reggae, jungle, drum & bass, dub, you-name-it party – the latest Dizzy System hoedown hosted by local producer Dizzy Di – where music, visual arts, and modern dance collide in epic fashion for a steamy evening at the Baochao hangout. FREE

Orrin Evans Trio (US) at Blue Note
Pianist/composer Orrin Evans, one of jazz’s fiercest characters, brings his "bold, muscular keyboard style" and "raw soulfulness" with bassist Ben Wolfe and drummer Donald Edwards for two nights at Blue Note. 300-400 RMB

Sui Ji Chen, The Lake, The First Medal, Ma at Laifu Livehouse
The Shuangjing livehouse is livening things up down south. Tonight they host emo-rockers The First Medal as well as indie pop outfit The Lake and more. 60 RMB
 

V89, Lattice, The Big Face at Chen Livehouse
If that wasn’t enough, 798 is throwing their horse into the race as well with an indie-rocking lineup of Beijing regulars including V89, Lattice, and The Big Face. 50 RMB

Half Half, Plateau, ALL Unkown at EA Livehouse
So yeah, everyone and their music is getting into the livehouse racket these days, and EA Livehouse – the little livehouse stuck between Gulou staples Temple and Dada – continue attracting the rock-and-roll fan base with increasingly alluring lineups. Time will tell. FREE

Liang Zi at Rockland
Join singer-songwriter Liang Zi, fresh off the release of his debut Big Scree, at Houhai staple Rockland – expect soulful guitar arrangements and melodic songs of life. 80 RMB

Frédéric Ledroit (FR) at Beijing Concert Hall
French organist Frédéric Ledroit appears at the Beijing Concert Hall for a summer solo concert. The French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Chevalier has been playing since the age of six, is the composer of more than 50 works for piano and organ and is the organist at the Cathédrale d’Angoulême. Expect a concert of original compositions and classical masterworks. 120-150 RMB
 

Saturday, Aug 19

Die!ChiwawaDie!, Underdog, Boss Cuts at Temple
‘A shameless mixed-fruit flavor punky boy/girl group’ out of Guangzhou, Die!ChiwawaDie! continue their reign of terribly fun terror with a set over at Temple where the DIY destructors will be doing high kicks and screaming into the void, while ska punk outfit Underdog (a new favorite) will join surf rock duo Boss Cuts for what will surely be a boozy, entertainment-filled night at Temple. FREE

Yue Xuan x Ren Yuan at Beijing Today Museum
Acclaimed avant-garde pianist Yue Xuan teams up with designer and programmer Ren Yuan for a ‘live-coding piano’ performance – a unique multi-media performance combining live coding with piano playing, visuals and sound, systems and emotions as the two artists play and create off one another. Yeah – have no idea how this one will go down but all the more reason I’m so intrigued. 100 RMB

Pete Chen, Marukaoo, Wootacc, DJ Fake, fakeendy at fRUITYSPACE
fRUITYSPACE continues its Fruity Groove series giving, the hip-hop scene a home away from home. Catch live sets from rapper Wootacc, producers Murukao and Pete Chen plus DJs throughout the evening taking turns spinning their favorite tracks. FREE 

The Beauty, DaWenXi, CuiMei at School
Formed in 2015, The Beauty have been steadily been building up their fanbase and the Britpop indie-rockers are ready to unveil their new EP. Supporting them will be the recently signed indie rockers DaWenXi and CuiMei. 70 RMB

Dan Taylor at 27 Yard
The Yorkshire troubadour, an irreplaceable character of the music scene in Beijing and singer of both rock troupe The Harridans and folk group Phuture Vulture and the Absolute brings his Celtic sensibilities and finger-picked classical guitar work to the lovely hutong courtyard 27 Yard for an intimate early evening performance. 60 RMB (7.30pm start)


 

Fulu, Fatiaokamusuo at Modernsky Lab
Baoding band Fulu embraces a unique range of musical styles, including traditional Chinese music, 20th-century classical music and hip-hop. Join them and Tianjin folk rock outfit Fatiaokamusuo who’ll bring their humor-filled, slice-of-life rock-and-roll (in Tianjin dialect, to boot), for some fun at Modernsky Lab. 100 RMB

Seán Óg McKiernan & Cian Mulligan (Ireland) at Jianghu Bar
Seán Óg McKiernan and Cian Mulligan, who are apart of one of Ireland’s top bluegrass and folk bands, The Oldtown Rounders, give a special guitar and five-string banjo performance at Jianghu Bar as the two hit the road with an array of interpretations and rearrangements of traditional bluegrass and Irish tunes and songs. 60 RMB

CA1XR, 4 Channels Club at DDC
Chengdu electronic producer CA1XR, formerly of psychedelic indie rock band The Ah, joins 8-bit soundscaping 4 Channels Club for an electrifying evening of digital sounds. 50 RMB

Collision Dreamer, Awake Mountains, Stabbing, The Skin I Live In at LaiFu Livehouse
It’s metal’s more melodic cousins as hardcore emo and melodic black metal outfits converge on the Shuangjing livehouse including Collision Dreamer, Awake Mountains and more. 60 RMB

Siberian Cocklebur, Ma, Need A Name, Mixed Theory at MK Reptile Theme Park
This gig wins on concept alone – a reptile theme park with rock-and-roll on the side. Ummm ... yes please. Hit up the Reptile Theme Park out in Shunyi and celebrate those little wide-eyed critters with an array of bands including Ma, Siberian Cocklebur, and more. Can’t make this up. Turtle Power! 70 RMB

Dream Garden at Yue Space
Britpop-infused indie rock outfit fresh off the release of their warmly received LP Atmospheric Pressure swing through Yue Space as a part of their nationwide tour. 100 RMB

Lei Meng, Fofox, Li Eryang, Yu Ji at Mogu Space
An array of unplugged performances from some of the scene’s hardest working folk acts including Li Eryang, Fofox, and more. 66 RMB

Jasmine Monk at Rockland
Indie folk artist Jasmine Monk appears at the intimate Houhai livehouse and distro Rockland. The singer-songwriter has been a fixture of the folk scene and a voice of pure emotion who’ll look to transport audiences. 100 RMB

Alex Yadong at Blue Stream
After a brief stint in Memphis, Tennessee, where he recorded and organized a series of living room concerts, Alex Yadong returns to Beijing with his Dylan-esque folk tunes. 50 RMB
 

Sunday, Aug 20

‘Wall 墙’  Arts and Music Festival at Yue Space
If you have your whole day open this Sunday, then I highly recommend swinging by Yue Space for their ambitious and immense arts celebration of ‘hutong creatives’ – Wall 墙’ - a feast of documentaries, poetry readings, and musical acts of all ilk kicking off at 2.30pm and going into the late evening. Aside from screenings of works from Rong Guangrong (Zajia Lab) and Lance Crayon (Spray Paint Beijing), and poetry readings from Jady, Matias Ruiz-Tagle, and Sintia Amber, there’ll be musical acts from - wait for it - 4 Channels Club, The Peppercorns, Dan Taylor, Pacalolo, Wen Liang, and Anxt (joined by calligraphy artist Jiushang). Best pace yourself kids - it’s gonna be a long one. 100 RMB

Music Power Rock China 30 Festival at Tango
So here’s a heavy night of rock and roll juggernauts. China Rock Power throws down hard with an extensive lineup at Tango featuring a host of well-known bands and artists including such heavy-hitters as Tang Dynasty, Hao Yun, Liquid Oxygen Canned, Zhang Chu, Xinyan Jiang, Huang Shuang, Nuclear Fusion G, Gentle Grapes, and much much more. If you got the dough and wanna mingle with China’s rock elite, look no further. LINK. 250 RMB

Pork, Quick Shot, Shao Jiu Jun Tuan at Temple
Say it ain’t so! Longstanding grunge punk outfit Pork, one of Beijing's best-kept secrets calls it a day with one last farewell gig at Temple. Emotions will be running high, but don’t expect any tears as the alternative punks join Quick Shot and Shao Jiu Jun Tuan for a self-destructive evening of high-octane fun. FREE  

Chaos Kills The Pain, Purgatory, Heavy Duty at Laifu Livehouse
Things get heavy down in Shuangjing as the scrappy hardcore outfit Chaos Kills The Pain joins metalheads Heavy Duty and more for some acrobatic mosh-pitting. 60 RMB

Chenzaikaimen, Fake, Jinbo, shokichi at fRUITYSPACE
Alright – while this should probably fall firmly in the ‘Beijing Beats’ section of weekend highlights, I gotta continue giving love to the DIY Guangzhou label Qiii Snacks Records, who are going three-for-three with events this weekend. They’ll part ways with a final DJ party at fRUITYSPACE with a slew of guest keeping things lively. You can also grab some zines and of course the new split release. FREE

Nian, Madame & the Houseguests, SiSiYuFan at DDC
DDC continues to shine a spotlight on the soaring female talent here in Beijing with their ‘Indie Female Night’ series – folk pop duo Nian, and Madame and the Houseguests is an up-and-coming quintet that blends rock, folk, and psychedlica into a style of their own. 60 RMB

Slaves of the Prison at Modernsky Lab
Slaves of the Prison appears at Modernsky Lab as part of their Being Towards Death Tour. The band plays melodic death metal and released their first official album Being Towards Death in May of this year and, as you may have guessed, looks at themes of death and imprisonment. Right on! 80 RMB

The Lake, Time Capsule, Giant Saint at School
It’s an evening of heart-churning, head-bopping Britpop as a trio of bands with their heads in the clouds of Britpop indie rock get down to business including The Lake, Time Capsule, and Giant Saints. 80 RMB

Xiao Xia at Rockland
Independent singer-songwriter Xiao Xia (who claims Dead Poets Society as her favorite flick) takes the tiny stage at Houhai’s Rockland for some intimate guitar-based storytelling. 80 RMB  

Images courtesy of the organizers