Noise Pollution: Hedgehog at Omni Space, Dungeon Beijing at Yue Space, Slow Pulse Two Year Anniversary at Fruity Space

Will Griffith | Dec 28, 2018 11:00 am | Add a comment | 2037 reads

Final stretch of 2018! Time to indulge yourself one last time before your New Year’s Resolutions must be half-heartedly carried out. So sin away! Go out too late! And plunge into the riotous live music scene with reckless abandon.

Friday, Dec 28

Rarson Chou, a Jiao, Li Ping, Alessssss, Wang Ziheng, He Xiaoyu at School
School’s getting down and dirty this Friday with a good ol’ fashioned noise night - taking the stage tonight are experimental artists Rarson Chou, A Jiao, Li Ping, alessssss, Wang Ziheng, and He Xiaoyu. Expect some ear-shattering sounds and rambunctiously offbeat sets. RMB 80

Dawanggang at Yue Space
Avant-garde world music collective Dawanggang, led by Song Yuzhe, gives a special ensemble performance at the Beixinqiao venue after a series of workshops as well as the launch of the soundtrack Old Beast. Their brand of world fusion music which mixes everything from of Tibetan, Mongolian, and classical Chinese music to create soundscapes ripe with wonder and beauty is always a treat to hear. RMB 150

Zi Huan, V89, Li Bo, Zou Xinli, Valley of the Winds, Sheng Yichen at Mao Livehouse
An evening of acoustic wonders as Mao Livehouse throws a special unplugged themed showcase featuring folk singer-songwriters, indie rockers, and even metal-tinged acts who’ll each perform without the benefit of amps and modifiers. RMB 100

Bang Bang Mary, By Dream at DDC
Aiming to shoot up dance floors with tunes that will have the audience sweaty and exhausted, the four-piece rock outfit, made up of one Brit and three South Africans draw influence from artists such as Arctic Monkeys, Fokofpolisiekar, and Pretty Viscous. Joining them are post-rock soundscapers By Dream. RMB 50

Blackwater, Better Off Alive at Temple
For a true Irish experience catch Blackwater, whose music draws from the rich traditional Irish repertoire. From beautiful ballads to frenzied reels, Blackwater may just be the most authentic Irish punk rock band in Beijing and they'll have you flailing into the evening alongside Better Off Alive. FREE

Ice, G.Boss, Gibb-Z, Swimming, 3Bangz, B3Rich at Tango
Rap label Seven Gurus throws a riotous hip-hop party over at Tango with a sizzling lineup of the rap scene’s hottest contenders who dabble in all the trend-leading genres, most notably trap music. RMB 280

Dynamic Duo, Heretic at Soi Baochao
Made up of Fabrice on both guitar and piano and Tarusha on vocals, the Dynamic Duo’s eclectic sound has been stirring up good fun for the past six months in Beijing. Tonight they join progressive alt-rockers Hecetic led by Chris Hopkins. FREE

Pierre Pradat Jazz Trio at The Bricks
Pierre Pradat is a French jazz piano and keyboard player, bandleader, composer, sound designer, producer, teacher, and actor. Catch him and his highly skilled mates bring some jazzy fun to Sanlitun. FREE

Saturday, Dec 29

Curry 3000, Underdog, Dirty Moon at School
Hardcore outfit Curry 3000 hold their first ever Beijing headline show! A supergroup to end all supergroups! Curry 3000 is composed of members of New Pants, Mr. Chelonian, Reflector, and Human Centipede. The "studio warriors" have been composing new tunes that touch on hardcore, pop, dance, and more. Joining them are fellow ska/punk/reggae supergroup Underdog and Dirty Moon, a dream pop outfit composed of past and present members of Steely Heart. RMB 120

SiXi at Omni Space
Formed in 2014 in Nanjing – the four-piece female fronted indie rock trope has been making waves for years and hitting the country with their debut release TV Watch TV. Blending brit-pop, funk, psychedelia, new wave, garage, and other progressive elements the band combines retro and modern sensibilities. RMB 120

Mojo Hand at Yue Space
Blues supergroup Mojo Hand, made up of some of the skilled rockers of the Beijing scene, including OOC frontman Cheng Chen, bassist Wang Zheng, and guitarist Wei Wei, bring their richly flavored Chicago blues to Yue Space. RMB 120

The Claptraps, Later Islands, anxt at DDC
Claptraps, the newly formed shoegaze and noise band that inherits ‘the noise of the 80s and the psychedelic and retro synthesizer styles from then, join post-rock outfit Later Islands and electronic producer anxt. RMB 60

Necronoumena, Bloodrainbow, Stabbing, EmptyEyes, S.A.W, Black Bone at 13 Club
Hard hitting metal, knee-slapping hard rock blues, and more bone-crushing sounds down in Wudaokou as China Rock Camps host a metal festival that’ll have your grandma in the mosh pit Necronoumena, Black Bone, and more. RMB 80

Flower Wall, Zhang Ziwei, Hz, Screaming Kong, Showhand, Yu Zi Jun at BSP Livehouse
Chaoyangmen’s BSP Livehouse is looking to cut loose with a scrappy, rambunctious offering of bands tonight – including Britpop rascals Hz, pop-punks Show Hand and much more. RMB 80

Li Qin Zhan, Lang Tian Yi at FM Live
Li Qin Zhan, the former singer of indie pop outfit Children’s Cinema, goes solo tonight at FM Live alongside fellow singer-songwriter Lang Tian Yi. RMB 66

Paulette McWilliams at Blue Note
With a long and varied musical history (her voice has graced hits from Michae Jackson, Quincy Jones, and Aretha Franklin), Paulette McWilliams is best known for her deep, sultry, and velvety tones, as well as her wide vocal range. RMB 220-320

Hutong Rap Battle Vol.12 at Soi Baochao
Head to Soi Baochao and lay down your best rhymes as an array of rappers compete and jam to their heart's content. Let host L-Force and Dojo Shaolin get the good times rolling. FREE

Blackwater at The Bricks
For a true Irish experience catch Blackwater, whose music draws from the rich traditional Irish repertoire. From beautiful ballads to frenzied reels, Blackwater may just be the most authentic Irish punk rock band in Beijing and they'll have you flailing into the evening. FREE

Ajiao, ake, alessssss at fRUITYSPACE
Hardware noise, field recordings, guitar feedback, and sax improv find refuge in the basement hangout of fRUITYSPACE with Ajiao, Ake, and alessssss. RMB 40

Chu Yibing at La Plantation
Beethoven, Bach, Rachmaninov, and all your favorites this evening at La Plantation with a special New Year recital from renowned cellist Chu Yibing. 7:30 pm start. RMB 200

Sunday, Dec 30

LST, Rolling Bowling, The Big Wave, Big Dreamer, Hao at Tango
Another slam dunk lineup at Tango this weekend as some of the best of China’s indie converge on Lama Temple including electronic producer LST, rockabilly overlords Rolling Bowling, electro-rock trailblazers The Big Wave, and indie pop singer-songwriter Hao and his band Big Dreamer. Expect a packed house. RMB 180

Larry's Pizza, Grey Silence, Er Hao GongJu, Shi Jiao, Lao FeiWu GongYuan at School
Peek at the graduating class of new school punk this evening at School Bar as an array of young and hungry bands take the stage - including long-time skate punk outfit Larry's Pizza, rocking punk dudes Grey Silence, punk guys with a hardcore twist Er Hao GongJu, folky pop-punk band Shi Jiao, and rounding out the evening, Lao FeiWu GongYuan. RMB 60

Low Wormwood at Omni Space
Lanzhou folk rock heroes Low Wormwood return to Beijing as apart of their nationwide tour – brooding and rich and full of a rugged cowboy spirit, this is a band that knows how to put meaning in just about everything. Expect a packed house for these veterans. RMB 180

Yan, Solent, Toby Mak, AnZhiHua at fRUITYSPACE
Offbeat electro-jazz fusion label Slow Pulse celebrates two years with producer and composer Yan, Shanghai-based guitarist and synthesizer Solent, jazz trumpet player Toby Mak, and An Zhihua, the leading Indian Tabla player in the country – they’ll give an impromptu live performance, an innovative experimental fusion of electronics and jazz. RMB 40

Dawei & Social Poetry, Rhonda, Brickleberry at Temple Hip-hop with a big band jazz flavor, post-rock with razor sharp edges, and indie rock with an infectious synth-pop attitude, there's a lot to get excited about this evening at Temple as three diverse acts take the stage and whip the crowd into shape. FREE

Su Yang at Mao Livehouse
Known for his mesmerizing lyrics, beautiful melodies, and great delivery, Su Yang is one of the folk scene’s most beloved characters – a true blue folk singer-songwriter who preserves the rural songs found along the Yellow River and injecting them with Western rock and roll sensibilities. RMB 230

Underbaby at Yue Space
Formed in 1998, Underbaby are punk legends through and through. Apart of the yaogun rock revolution in the nineties, the band has performed just about everywhere and with everyone. They’ve even been immortalized in documentary. The long-standing band brings the team together for a special showcase at Yue Space tonight. RMB 150

WHAI, Hind Brain, Eluvia at DDC
Everyone’s favorite prog-rock group WHAI, fresh off their new EP, who have been together since 2012, bring their heavy, offbeat brand of psychedelic rock and roll to DDC alongside grunge rockers Hind Brain and upbeat indie-pop troupe Eluvia. RMB 80

Qianchuan Pharmacy, Dreaming Julie, Day x Day, SHEKHINAH at Temple
Cold Neo gets their freak on with a diverse set of characters tonight at Temple Bar where they’ll host free jazz experimental supergroup Dreaming J, made up of renowned experimental and jazz figures Feng Hao, Liu Ping, and Yang Tao, mixes up traditional instrumental with postmodern sounds along with post-punk alt-rockers Qianchuan Pharmacy, j-rock metalcore kids Day x Day and offbeat folk-rock outfit Shekhinah, which features the singer of neofolk band Bloody Woods. FREE

Monday, Dec 31

The ROMP, Sourtower, Gatsby in a Daze, Bayan Dalai at fRUITYSPACE
fRUITYSPACE once again pulls out a magnificent bill for the New Year – hosting two of the indie rock’s scene most sought-after acts – Hangzhou jangly noise rockers Gatsby in a Daze and Fuzhou’s The ROMP whose surf rock-inflicted city pop has made them overnight sensations. They join Inner Mongolian singer-songwriter Bayan Dalai, former frontman for Horse Radio and december3am. Plus the debut performance of Sourtower, an all-girl rock trio. RMB 120

Hedgehog, The Sino Hearts, Caffe-In, Underdog at Omni Space
What better way to ring in the New Year than with a fabulous rock and roll showcase featuring bands known for their show-stopping songs and unfurled energy – indie rock legends Hedgehog (pictured in the lead image above) headline alongside ska punk supergroup Underdog, power pop favorites Sino Hearts and indie poppers Caffe-In. RMB 220

Acid Accident, No Trace, The Peppercorns, INXU, 4 Channels Club at DDC
DDC invites their favorite bands – bands that have found their voice over the years at the venue – and bands with a knack for captivating audiences with their larger than life sounds including post-rock groovers Acid Accident, offbeat psychedelic art rock group No Trace, 8-bit soundtrackers 4 Channels Club and more. RMB 100

Future Orients, Ouch, Wasted Laika, Labor Glory, Muzzy Mom, Parallel Effect at School
Ring in the new year at School Bar with D.O.G, who in conjunction with Zhengzhou Label So Nice will hold NYE celebrations in five cities tonight - taking the stage here at D.O.G.'s home base are Maybe Mars heavyweights Future Orients, ska punk legends Ouch, 2018 breakout band artsy punks Wasted Laika, ultras punk outfit Labor Glory, and tow bands out of Zhengzhou - indie post-punk kids Muzzy Mom, and alt-rockers Parallel Effect. RMB 120

Dungeon Beijing, Bye Bye Noise, Panda Eyes, FaTiaoKaMuSuo, Perpetual Motion Machine at Yue Space
An eclectic batch of bands and acts with rousing fanbases take the stage at Yue Space including Beijing’s premier hip-hop collective Dungeon Beijing (featuring the hip-hop stylings of N-Bomb, Drop Science, C-Jam, Odd Couple and more), The Strokes-esque indie rockers Bye Bye Noise, Tianjin crosstalk ruffians FaTiaoKaMuSuo and more. RMB 180

Monster KaR at Cloud Nine
Guangzhou-based ‘hallucinogenic pop’ outfit bring their popular sprawling sound that touches on everything from retro 90s R&B to crackling noise rock over to Wangjing’s new swanky jazz club Cloud Nine for a special New Year’s Eve performance. RMB 280

Death Penalty, The Tek, Xu Ji, Purgatory, Zi Ming at 13 Club
This New Year’s Eve - five metal bands gather for a feast that’ll fill you right up – an onslaught of heavy riffs, blood curling screams, and headbanging courtesy of melodic death metal outfit Purgatory, black metal kids Xu Ji and much more. RMB 100

Kris Davis x Blue Note Master Series at Blue Note
Ring in the New Year with the Blue Note Beijing Jazz Orchestra, who will be joined by virtuoso pianist-composer Kris Davis. With ten albums under her name and appearances on over two dozen albums as a sideperson, Davis has been among the most in-demand improvisers on the New York scene over the past decade and a half. Tonight’s program will include tributes to jazz icon Thelonious Monk, jazz classics, and modern big band works by Maria Schneider, Bob Brookmeyer, and others. RMB 200-320

Yanchi at Laifu Livehouse
Raised in Wuhan, the composer, singer, instrumentalist Yanchi has been putting out quite the catalog of work this past decade, led by her breathtakingly delicate voice and her neoclassical take on pop music. RMB 150

Stevie Mac and the Mac Daddies at Modernista
The jazz-pop trope Stevie Mac and the Mac Daddies bring their vintage approach to contemporary hits and will bring you the glamorous New Years event you've been waiting for. FREE

Kingdom of Rain, Dan Zengga a Mogu Space
Taiwanese post-rockers Kingdom of Rain joins Tibetan folk-rocker Dan Zengga in Xizhimen this evening. RMB 77

Eric Allen Woodshed, Soft Sound Bank at Blue Stream
Singer-songwriter Eric Allen brings the soulful sounds of America's heartland to the Beijing stage tonight at Blue Stream with indie poppers Soft Sound Bank. FREE

Liu Donghong, Guozhi Ming, Lang Tianyi at Pink Moon
Liu Donghong, dusty blues singer of Sand, China’s first ‘cold rock’ band, and a scene player for over twenty years gives an intimate performance in Xizhimen with Guozhi Ming and Lang Tianyi. RMB 77

Saso, L-Force, DJ Dice Twice, Jah Samurai at Soi Baochao
Uganda singer-songwriter Saso joins regular host and rapper L-Force plus DJ Dice Twice and Jah Samurai for a New Year party that’ll surely be festive. FREE

Macondo, Scare The Children, Boss Cuts at Temple
Go big; go proud this New Year’s Eve with three of Temple’s most magnetic bands including mathcore post-rock mammoths Macondo, horror metal favorites Scare The Children, and surf rocking groovers Boss Cuts. The show will be followed by a special edition of Mish Mash Soul, Beijing’s premier vinyl party, featuring an array of guests. FREE

Photos: Courtesy of Hedgehog, the promoters