Noise Pollution: Brain Failure and China Grrrl at School, SNOS at Temple, Yugong Yishan Fest

Did Beijing all the sudden turn into a sauna? Did we just hurdle over spring and fall face first into summer? Cause my blue jeans are soaking through and my boxer briefs, well, let’s not get into it – it’s bad, really bad. Guess it’s time to bust out the cargo shorts, call up my Teva connection, and dress down like it’s 1999 – the year I gave up trying to update my fashion sense. And while we’re at it – why not indulge in the many wonders the music scene has left us this week – including our first true (officially approved) festival. Yahoo!

Friday, Apr 20

Brain Failure, Shave N’ Shut, The Demonstrators at School
Punk rock legends Brain Failure, who have been holding the punk torch high since their formation in the late 90s (though it’s arguably a different beast now) give a special performance at School alongside Oi! and street punk regulars Shave N’ Shut and The Demonstrators. RMB 100

DaBozz, Diamond Lil at Omni Space
Taking inspiration fantasy worlds the female rapper based out of Nanjing ‘works to subvert preconceived notions with her uniquely muted lyrics and jazzy instrumentals’ bring her dream daze hip-hop to audiences. Catch her alongside fellow Nanjing cohorts DJ Diamond Lil and VJ Silver Salt Studio. RMB 120

SNSOS, Tydi Knots, Husband Killer at Temple
Not quite emo! Four piece instrumental rockers SNSOS bring their jangly soulful tunes to Temple alongside indie rockers Tydi Knots and punk rockers with Chinese characteristics Husband Killers. Three solid, diverse bands, stirring up ruckus at Temple Bar - my kind of night. FREE

Scary Honey, He Dazhao at 69 Café
The J-pop rock outfit Scary Honey mixes pop, rock, and emo, singing in English, Chinese and Japanese. See the five-woman act live in Wudaokou alongside guitarist He Dazhao and his band. RMB 66

Not Single Break! (RU), Swarrm at DDC
Youthful Moscow alt-rockers Not Single Break! Are part of the new wave of Russian indie rockers that are starting to make some noise outside of their country – catch them as they hit up DDC with support from technical profuse prog rockers Swarm. RMB 60

Su & The Paramecia at Yue Space
Su returns to the big stage with his latest material blending impromptu instrumental and world music - taking the best of Eastern and Western musical concepts, using guitars, vocals, flute, cello accompaniment, and Indian musical instruments to create a unique experience for all. RMB 129

D-$auce, Ghetto Beijing, L-Force, Z-rader, ContimuE, CAT, ShuangBang, Unnamed Road, Da WuTong, CerShouchang, BlackSun, SLAN.G at 13 Club
Catch the new breed in hip-hop at 13 Club in Wudaokou – it’s packed with goofy ass names like Z-rader, D-$auce, and SLAN.G, cause if you don’t have a punctuation mark in your name, you just ain’t fly. Hence why my rap name is Fan’CEE Hoboz. RMB 100

John Robison (UK) at Post Mountain Space
Renowned lutist John Robison appears at the Post Mountain Art Space where he’ll be playing archlute music spanning the Renaissance to the late Baroque period. Diehard lute fans – this one's for you! RMB 100

Li BaiNing, Li Zhi, Brickleberry, Peng Jun, Three Dimensional Fish, QingWa at LaiFu Livehouse
Folk-pop, indie pop, and slang for ugly guys – it’s an eclectic offering of bands down in Shuangjing this evening including electro-pop favorites Brickleberry, folk singer-songwriter Li Zhi and much more. RMB 60

Daowuji, WHAI, Kingdom of Rain at Soi Baochao
Soak in the psychedelic rock sounds of these three mischievous soundscapers including the always reliable WHAI, art rock trio Daowuji aka Endless Square, and Taiwanese electro psych-rock troupe Kingdom of Rain. RMB 85

Lao Meng, V89, Wang Yufeng, Zou Xinli at Hot Cat Club
Back to promoting their shows, Hot Cat Club on Fangjia stands strong with a solid lineup of acoustic folk tunes and Britpop jams as V89 joins three singer-songwriters for some fun. RMB 80

The Sator Duo at the Temple Hotel
Italy’s Sator Duo is Francesco Di Giandomenico on guitar and Paolo Castellani on violin. The tango duo has won many competitions around the world and performed for audiences including Pope Francis. Damn. RMB 200

Carmen Lundy (US) at Blue Note
As a composer, Ms. Lundy’s catalog numbers over 100 published songs, one of the few jazz vocalists in history to accomplish such a distinction. Her compositions have been recorded by such artists as Kenny Barron, Ernie Watts, Terri Lyne Carrington, Straight Ahead and Regina Carter. She’s the real deal and her work as a vocalist has been awarded countless times including most recently this year when she received the Round Glass Music Award for her ‘Kumbaya’. Catch her this weekend at Blue Note. RMB 400

Frank at Ala House
The well-known and diverse singer, Nancy Brown joins the talented Moreno Donadel Trio at the ultimate NYC style jazz venue. Expect more swingin’ out than experimental bebop in this lovely, lively spot slap bang in the CBD. FREE

Canzilians, Great Buffalo Blues at Blue Stream
Great Buffalo Blues is a three-man ensemble who just want to write and play electric guitar blues group bring their story-telling grooves and funk to Blue Stream Bar alongside duo Canzilians – who play a blend of Canadian tones and Brazilian rhythms combined with pop covers. FREE

The Peking Floyd at Modernista
China’s first Pink Floyd tribute band The Peking Floyd bring you the Dark Side of the Moon and many other cuts from the famous psychedelic rock band The Pink Floyd. FREE

Mademoiselle et son Orchestre at Jianghu Bar
Mademoiselle et son Orchestre return to Jianghu Bar to help with their six-year anniversary celebrations. The premier gypsy jazz outfit has been igniting crowds left and right for endless years – a true joy to behold. RMB 60

Tsering at Snail Club
Tibetan folk artist Tsering Norbu returns to Snail Hostel with his music that’s rooted in the traditional Tibetan folk traditions from Lhasa, as well as world music from around the globe. RMB 60

Jamie Mcilroy, Sid Silwal, Li Er Yang at Caravan
Caravan’s 19th edition of their singer-songwriter series kicks off with amazing artists bringing you their unique compositions including the 70s evoking guitarist Li Er Yang, Redundant Seconds singer Sid Silwal, and Bang Bang Mary singer Jamie Mcilroy. RMB 60

Saturday, Apr 21

Die Toten Hosen (Germany), Re-TROS, The Notwist (Germany), Mouse on the Keys (Japan), Tortoise (USA) at New Great Wall Valley
Despite being shuttered form the first few months of the year Yugong Yishan came back stronger than ever presenting to the world their Yugong Yishan Music Festival being held out by Badaling’s Great Wall Valley (which has seriously the best setting out of all the great wall festivals I recall) – and lots like their called in some massive favors with a stellar day one lineup – featuring Chicago post rock godfathers Tortoise, Japanese jazz-infused instrumental rockers Mouse on the Keys, German indietronica heroes The Notwist, China’s very own post punk powerhouse Re-TROS and legendary German punk rock band Die Toten Hosen – which will even bring out the most reluctant German residents. If you can front the steep price, then this is the best lineup you'll see all year. Check out our interview with Mouse on the Keys here. RMB 680

Dummy Toys, Ugly Girls, Free Sex Shop, Quick Shot at School
TomTom Magazine and the Blackout Queen of Beijing join forces in celebration of all the riotous female drummers out there with a rollicking feminist outing showcasing the ladies of rock and roll. Things get turned up a notch as legendary all-female Qingdao punk outfit Dummy Toys join righteous and brutally honest (did I mention hilarious) Shanghai outfit Ugly Girls, and Beijing’s own Free Sex Shop and Quick Shot. Check out our interview with the brilliant minds behind this gig here. RMB 80

Man Jiang at Yue Space
Singer-songwriter Man Jiang is a maverick and a musical poet – a one-two punch combo of Mando pop and electronic folk. In his newest album, Winter Days, he fuses western-style electronic music and Chinese poetry. Catch his ever-evolving sound this evening at Yue Space. RMB 120

Nekorma, Rhonda, Aberrated Star at DDC
Experimental art-rock quartet Nekroma, made up of members of Beijing groups Nekoma and Guiguisuisui – a atmospheric carnival of sounds that blends vocals, skateboard guitar, drums, bass, electronic samples, and synths across an array of mystifying characters – a theatrically prophecy of doom ‘akin to a silent horror film with digital paintings created in real time, creating a feedback loop of sight and sound. Bring your own cloaks. Support from instrumental rockers Rhonda, and neo-psychedelic outfit Aberrated Star. RMB 60

Not A Single Break (RU), Boss Cuts, Ghetto Blaster at Temple
Moscow guitar rockers, Not A Single Break, just one of the many bands riding the new wave of indie rock in Russia look to have some fun at Temple Bar alongside surf rock favorites Boss cuts and blues-ridden rock mainstays Ghetto Blaster. FREE

Planet & Tree, The Diagon Alley, Self-Portrait, Diving Elephant at Omni Space
Britpop, indie pop, and folk-pop? Not sure what’s going on here but it’s a solid lineup nevertheless – one that finds dusty folk rockers Planet & Tree, headed by the esteemed and infamous Cui Xudong – a prominent musician from Shijiazhuang – join the newly rebranded Diving elephant (previously Locomotive Gentlemen) and more.

S.A.W, Purgatory, Scare The Children, Chuo Yuan, Eternal Wings at 13 Club
Keep it heavy, keep it steady, and let’s blow this baby out of the world – it’s metal night in Wudaokou as 13 Clubs turns it up to 11 with a killer lineup of Beijing favorites from horror-metal outfit Scare the Children, S.A.W and more. RMB 90

Tulegur at BSP Livehouse
Tulegur, the veteran Inner Mongolian folk-rock duo whose grungy revisionist take on throat- singing and the rich Inner Mongolian musical tradition, mixed with modern acoustic rock influences, has won acclaim both here and aboard, performs tonight at the new cozy yet spacious livehouse between Chaoyangmen and Dongsishitiao. 7:30pm start. RMB 80

Johnson & Brothers, Lucky Roots x Dizzy Di at Kirin Place
It’s a reggae, jungle, drum & bass, dub, you name it, party – the latest Dizzy System hoedown hosted by local producer Dizzy Di – going down in the Kirin Place basement. FREE

Carmen Lundy (US) at Blue Note
As a composer, Ms. Lundy’s catalog numbers over 100 published songs, one of the few jazz vocalists in history to accomplish such a distinction. Her compositions have been recorded by such artists as Kenny Barron, Ernie Watts, Terri Lyne Carrington, Straight Ahead and Regina Carter. She’s the real deal and her work as a vocalist has been awarded countless times including most recently this year when she received the Round Glass Music Award for her ‘Kumbaya’. Catch her this weekend at Blue Note. RMB 400

Hutong Rap Battle Vol.4  at Soi Baochao
For the New Rappers and the Young Money! For the Love of Music & Creativity! For all the contradictory phrases out there – head to Soi Baochao and lay down your best rhymes for a chance to win 1000 RMB in prizes. FREE

Sejin Bae Quartet (KR) at DDC
Sejin Bae is a Korean based jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who received her bachelor's degree in jazz performance at one of the most famous and competitive colleges in Seoul, The Dongduk Women's University. She’s performed all over the world and has even had her work featured on the Hong Kong film ‘Our Time Will Come’. Catch her this afternoon. 3pm start. RMB 60

Mr. Freeman at Caravan
Mr. Freeman, veterans of the local music scene, descend on Caravan to launch their new China tour. The pop-rock rockers will be performing their entire catalog – a fusion of pop, punk, hip-hop, and blues. RMB 80

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

WHAI at Jianghu Bar
Everyone’s favorite prog-rock group WHAI, who have been together since 2012 have committed themselves to their heavy, offbeat brand of psychedelic rock and roll find refuge in the cozy hutong spot. RMB 80

Tydi Knots, Li Er Yang at 69 Café
Alt-rock renegade trio Tydi Knots, whose music draws from emo, indie pop, to down and out experimental rock, get jiggy with it over in Wudaokou alongside Li Er Yang. RMB 60

Juan Ni at Mogu Space
Singer-songwriter and ukulele player Juan Ni, a NYU graduate and founder of Kojima Studios, stops by Mogu Space in Xizhimen. RMB 66

Siberia Cocklebur at Blue Stream Bar
Indie pop outfit Siberia Cocklebur, who have been grinding away at the scene for nearly a decade bring their smooth, melodic tunes to Blue Stream Bar this evening. RMB 50

Stevie Mac & the Mac Daddies at E&A Livehouse
The ever-expanding (ten members deep at the moment) jazz-pop trope Stevie Mac and the Mac Daddies bring their vintage approach to contemporary music to E&A for some good times. FREE

Nancy Jenkinson Brown and Band at Bricks
Nancy Jenkinson Brown alongside with her ever skillful band of troops presents “Jazz, No Ice” – a delicious cocktail of music and playful renditions of songs you know and love all led by the wonderful vocalist and entertainer, NJB as she provides listeners a new sense of joy for jazz. FREE

Sunday, Apr 22

Blue Foundation (Denmark), Morcheeba (UK), Nova Heart, Leah Dou, Song Jia, Tulegur, Radio Mars at New Great Wall Valley
Day two of Yugong Yishan’s epic Great Wall Festival spins off with modern nomad grassroots rockers Tulegur trailed by electro sovereign Nova Heart, synth pop duo Radio Mars, Chinese actress/singer Song Jia, singer-songwriter Leah Dou, British trip-hop pioneers Morcheeba and Grammy Award nominees Blue Foundation from Denmark. RMB 680

Anti-Tune, Husband Killers, Bang Bang Mary, Glasses Man of Song Dynasty at School
Dig into the diverse offerings on display this evening at School with musical entertainment provided by Brit pop rock n' rollers Anti Tune, punk rockers with Chinese characteristics Husband Killers, the genre-bouncing pop-rock dancey vibes of Bang Bang Mary, and the experimental comedy rock of Glasses Man of Song Dynasty. RMB 60

0190, Bomb Golf, Early Bus, Labor Glory, Hang Nail, Shochu Legion at LaiFu Livehouse
Shuangjing tosses together a hell of a rowdy lineup this Sunday with some of the punk scene’s finest veterans including ska legends Early Bus, Shochu Legion, as well as Tianjin pop rockers Bomb Golf, and the new talk of the town Hang Nail. RMB 60

The Fooloo at DDC
The Fooloo from Baoding mix Chinese Quyi and indie rock into an intoxicating view of ancient Chinese opera told through the perspective of rock and roll – the boisterous band will be swinging through DDC as part of their nationwide tour. 9pm start. RMB 80

Monesque & the White Russian, Redunant Seconds, Eric Allen at Temple
One half Dutch-Australian and the other half Russian, Monesque & the White Russian is a new original indie pop guitar duo. They join indie rocker vets Redunant Seconds and blues veteran Eric Allen for some tunes in Temple Bar. FREE

Uncle Hu, Yan Baizhou at Mogu Space
Lo-fi folk rockers Uncle Hu, originally from Chengdu joins fingerstyle guitarist and singer Yan Baizhou. RMB 60

Fake Taxi, Weizi at 69 Café
Bruce Springsteen riffing, student rockers Fake Taxi bring their youthful demeanor to 69 Café alongside singer-songwriter Wei Zi. RMB 60

The Fuse, DianMu, Zhang Ziwei, Wu Gan at DDC
An early afternoon outing for rock and roll as these fresh-faced indie poppers and folk ballad makers claim DDC for a few hours including The Fuse, Zhang Ziwei and more. 2pm start. RMB 40

Hao, Lil Akin, BigdaErmEa at Yue Space
Retro synth and hip pop singer Hao, brings his boyish looks and indie Mandopop hits to Yue Space alongside hip-hop soul-pop star Lil Akin and more. RMB 80

Nancy Jenkinson Brown and Band at Modernista
Nancy Jenkinson Brown alongside with her ever skillful band of troops presents “Jazz, No Ice” – a delicious cocktail of music and playful renditions of songs you know and love all led by the wonderful vocalist and entertainer, NJB as she provides listeners a new sense of joy for jazz. FREE

Photos: Will Griffith, courtesy of the organizers