Punk Rock Tribes Festival Brings Together the Country's Finest Punks, Jun 16

Ask anyone where to find punk within Beijing and the first place they’ll point you toward is School Bar, the Wudaoying establishment that has become a haven for pogoing, mohawks, tattoos, mosh pits, femme fatales, smashed beer bottles – you know, the good things in life. It was there in a haze of cigarettes and cold beer one fateful night in 2011, the Beijing punk label D.O.G. was born and with it the seed of their annual punk festival Punk Rock Tribes which will see its fourth incarnation this Saturday, Jun 16, simultaneously at Yugong Yishan and School Bar.  

The label, which features Xu Chen, Dan, and Tong Tong among others, and which has taken such bands as Steely Heart, Pacalolo, and The Twenties under its wing, has seen its presence around China flourish in recent years with a string of shows not only in Beijing but in smaller second-tier cities like Wuhan and Zhengzhou. Just last month, over the May holiday at the Midi Festival in Suzhou, they curated the first ever punk stage at a major music festival in China – the "Punk Rock Tribes" stage.

Rising from the vast networks that D.O.G. helped unite was the gang's first Punk It Spring in 2014 – an annual festival featuring bands not only in Beijing holding the punk torch, but across the entire country. It proved an eclectic bunch – from ska kids, to hardcore ruffians, to pop punk loudmouths – of all manners and graces, and an ideal opportunity to hear how deep punk’s roots go in China. 

The festival has transformed over the years – venues have changed and the name is now Punk Rock Tribes – but the underlying spirit remains: holding "punk rock" gatherings for all the different punk tribes across China. Their latest outing this weekend looks bigger than ever.

Kicking off at a bright and early three o' clock in the afternoon, they’ll host a slew of big hitters over at Yugong Yishan including the easy-going rockers Casino Demon (pictured at top), anti-establishment veterans Gum Bleed, red-blooded J-pop punk favorites Finger Family, as well as punk legends Underbaby and special guests Kawa, a reggae rock outfit making the trek up from Yunnan. Across town, at ground zero for all things punk – School Bar – they’ve wrangled up a feisty crew of homegrown talent to keep things hot and sweaty as well as special guests Pinboard, a ska punk band from Guangzhou in town with their new (and damn good) release. Joining them is Xiao Wang in their new double-trouble frontwoman lineup, as well as such underrated bands like The Flyx, Unregenerate Blood, and Early Bus. 

There’s really no better opportunity than this Saturday to dig deep and explore the nooks and crannies of China’s punk scene, so saddle up and brace yourself for what will surely be one of the year’s finest rock and roll outings.

Punk Rock Tribes takes place this Saturday, Jun 16, at Yugong Yishan (RMB 180/RMB 150), 3pm, and School Bar (RMB 100), 6pm.

Photos courtesy of School Bar and D.O.G.