Noise Pollution: Berlin Psycho Nurses, Spice, Jajatao, Nerve Passenger, WHAI, The White Paper
November is whisking past us and there’s nothing we can do about it folks! Roasting in the brisk afternoon sun is just a reminder of the autumn that left us behind all too soon, the remnants of a season that hasn’t returned my Wechat messages yet. Hence why I take comfort when the temperature dips in the evening and winter awaits me with frank truths and a fistful of live gigs to tear into. And what a treasure trove this weekend brings forth – from psycho nurses from dusty Changsha to youthful angst from windy Dalian.
Friday, Nov 8
Berlin Psycho Nurses, Happy Wheel, Wasted Laika at School
A one-two punch combo of two Chinese bands on the up and coming as Changsha’s Berlin Psycho Nurses, whose deliciously deviant take on the post-punk genre embedded with mischievous wit and art-rock mayhem, joins Wuhan’s own post-punk outfit Happy Wheel, whose shape-shifting sound isn’t afraid to pile on layers of old-school psychedelic rock, baroque progressive rock, and even head-swerving psytrance, calls to mind everyone from Pink Floyd to Frank Zappa. The two bands have been traveling across the nation together and tonight will be joined by Beijing’s own fire-starters Wasted Laika. RMB 120
Spice at Omni Space
Hangzhou’s Spice, led by artist Chenchenchen and American producer Eli Levi, returns once again with a bold new LP (after just one year), and it finds the band playing on a wider sonic stage, layering effects, and harmonies with melodies that’ll immediately hook you, whilst dovetailing into full-on electronica. It’s a strange new world the Hangzhou outfit has outfitted for themselves, yet still full of irresistible dance grooves and dynamic lyrics. RMB 150
Agoraphobia, Bayan Dalai x Deng Boyu, Rydeen Wong at fRUITYSPACE
‘Voice of the West Sea’ celebrates another fruitful year of long-form radio programs and events with some of their favorite guests over the past year including Inner Mongolian grassland musician and vocalist Bayan Dalai alongside percussionist Deng Boyu, indie rock outfit Agoraphobia, and makeshift electronic producer and artist Rydeen Wong. RMB 50
Old Tea, Sailor’s Grape, Windsor Forest at Temple
All-star reggae-inflected ska outfit The Sailor's Grape (featuring members of PK14 and Bedstars among others), joins instrumental fire starters Old Tea, and Britpop outfit Windsor Forest for an eclectic evening of high-octane Grade-A rock 'n’ roll. FREE
Sand, Landlord’s Son vs. Anxt at DDC
Sand, the alt-rock group headed by Liu Donghong, whose dusty blues ‘cold rock’ has graced stages across Beijing for over twenty years gives a rare full-band performance at DDC alongside The Landlord’s Son vs. Anxt, the former a British alternative musician with an affinity with bringing together hip hop, trip-hop, post-rock, who’ll join forces with the latter’s moody electronic soundscapes. RMB 80
Zhang Wei, Lu Jingzhou, Hang Tian, Mojo Han at Yue Space
Yue Space brings plenty of rustic charm and unplugged delights this evening with Zhang Wei, an independent folk musician from northwestern China, folk singer Lu Jingzhou, Chinese blues pioneer Hang Tian and Beijing’s premier blues supergroup, Mojo Hand. RMB 150
Nekroma, 4U, Hibernia, Mandala, Forest of Memories at 13 Club
A rambunctious evening over at Wudaokou’s 13 Club as Hebei nu-metal rap outfit Debut Hunter, black-clad Gothic metal group Hibernia, and post doom art troupe Nekroma, pop-rock outfit Forest of Memories, Gu Feng-style rockers Mandala, and more take to the stage. RMB 70
Noumena (Finland) at Mao Livehouse
Noumena, a prominent Finnish melodic death metal band, whose sound is "woven from catchy and melancholic melodies, aggressive and tranquil moments and both natural and groovy sounds" makes it rain pain over in Wukesong. RMB 350
The Kennedy Administration at Blue Note
Residents of the Groove nightclub in Greenwich Village, the Kennedy Administration is made up of a talented core group of jazz artists – including vocalist Latoya Kennedy, who has worked with everyone from Prince to Dave Matthews, pro drummer Nathaniel Townsley, who records with Mariah Carey and Public Enemy, and more. RMB 220-320
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 – tonight she’s bringing folk vibes to Modernista along with her band of talented musicians. FREE
Great Buffalo Blues, SJ Benne at Soi Baochao
Long-standing electric blues outfit Great Buffalo Blues joins SJ Benne – a one-woman project that fuses deep, poetic with multi-instrumental looping, jazz, soul, and funky grooves to create a wholly unique sound. FREE
Yumu at Jianghu Bar
Indie folk act Yumu, known for his compassionate, tender-voiced story-telling that echoes with a weary traveler’s heart, performs with his band over at Jianghu Bar. RMB 80
Humbert Humbert (JP) at Tango
Japanese folk duo consisting Ryousei Sato and Yuho Sano, whose simple yet infectious arrangements and harmonic voices have garnered them fans all across Asia, return to Beijing. RMB 280
Esther Park, Tang Chao at La Plantation
With Esther Park on violin and Tang Chao on piano, expect nothing less than an exquisite recital that touches on Cesar Frank, Eugene Ysaye, Claude Debussy, and Camille Saint-Saens. RMB 200
Heidi Li Quartet at The Bricks
Heidi Li is a Hong Kong-born jazz/neo-soul singer-composer who grew up with a Cantonese opera background. With plenty of accolades and credits under her belt, she swings through Sanlitun for some fun. FREE
Steve Blaque at 69 Cafe
American artist and producer Steve Blaque, who played formerly in the genre-bending rock band The Radiance, joins friends tonight. FREE
Saturday, Nov 9
Jajatao, Floating in the Mist, The Beauty at DDC
Live Beijing Music is looking to turn on central heating early this season with a scorcher of a lineup featuring a trio of acts that’ll have you swaying and shaking loose on the dance floor. Headlining are Jajatao – the genre-bending art-rock troupe whose brazen, abrasive melding of grunge music and Chinese opera has captivated audiences for years. They’re joined by Dalian dream-pop outfit Floating In The Mist, whose music is rooted in atmospheric beauty and blanketed in melancholic, and up and comers The Beauty, who have been serving up a dizzying brew of dirty blues rock, surf rock charm, and old school swagger – vintage in its framework but modern in its instrumental and lyrical heft. RMB 80
Nerve Passenger, Later Islands at School
The Shanghai indie rock band Nerve Passenger, whose moody slow-burning tracks dip their toes in post-rock and shoegaze, take their atmospheric palette to full fruition tonight at School band as they present their debut. Support from Beijing post-rock up and comers Later Islands. RMB 110
Oldy Baby, Whistling Chambers, Boss Cuts at Temple
Get ready for a wild evening of rock n' roll with some of Beijing's most unhinged characters – gracing the stage are the always riotously reliable Americana garage punk trio Oldy Baby, fresh off their delightfully mischievous debut, as well as indie rockers Whistling Chambers and surf rock party animal Boss Cuts. FREE
Sixi at Mao Livehouse
Formed in 2014 in Nanjing, the four-piece female-fronted indie rockers Sixi has been making waves for years, returning to speakers this past summer with their latest LP Handbook. Blending Britpop, funk, psychedelia, new wave, garage, and other progressive elements, the band combines retro and modern sensibilities. RMB 120
Sourtower, Polly Don’t Drink at fRUITYSPACE
Cold wave, psychedelic, and post-punk project Sour Tower, which nows includes a producer and DJ Another Van, joins from off the boat newbies Polly Don’t Drink, who haven’t quite landed on a genre yet. Nevertheless, we're digging that fRUITYSPACE is getting its groove back. RMB 50
Ding Wei at Yue Space
Born in Nanjing, indie-pop singer-songwriter Ding Wei has long attracted audiences with her infectious pop songs that dabble in everything from trip-hop to electro-folk. She has performed at just about everywhere – from television shows to New Year’s Eve countdowns. RMB 230
Bang Bang Mary, Sons of Thunder at Caravan
Alternative rockers Bang Bang Mary, who draw their influences from artists such as Arctic Monkeys, Fokofpolisiekar, and Pretty Vicious joins Sons of Thunder, a new explosive cover band who look to indulge in their love for '90s and '00s rock, for a special acoustic evening at Caravan. FREE
Yin Wenyi, Jiji, Doudou, Dirty J, Tsong, Coola, Zeng Xueya, Qian Nanyou at MTA Space
NOSOK, the young newly minted rap music label, throws down over at MTA Space with a party full of the scene’s hottest items including Yin Wenyi, Jiji, Doudou, Dirty J, Tsong, Coola, Zeng Xueya, and Qian Nanyou. RMB 150
WHAI, Spirit Rebellious, Led Barons, Bastion at Soi Baochao
Some of the scene’s loudest acts get the unplugged treatment this Saturday at Soi Baochao including veteran psych prog-rock group WHAI, Led Zeppelin cover outfit Led Barons, reggae outfit Spirit Rebellious and more. RMB 80
Liu Shang at Tango
Liu Shuang is an independent musician. He graduated from the Chinese People's Public Security University, and his experiences there and elsewhere make their way into his intimate and emotional vulnerable folk music. He’ll be swinging through Tango as a part of his nationwide tour. RMB 150
Mademoiselle et Son Orchestre at Modernista
The premier gypsy jazz outfit Mademoiselle et son Orchestre return to Modernista, where they've been igniting crowds left and right for years – a true joy to behold. FREE
Yang Ming & The J-Plan at Jianghu Bar
Jazz trombonist Yang Ming brings his J-Plan band together for an evening of original tracks that touch on everything from jazz-funk to contemporary big band. RMB 100
Rebecca Binnendyk Quartet at The Bricks
Adult contemporary/pop singer-songwriter, Rebecca Binnendyk, who hails from Ontario, Canada swings through Sanlitun with her newest red-hot album I Don't Belong To You – centered around themes of love, loss, and "fighting back." FREE
Anna Maria Jopek at Blue Note
Born into an artistic family and a recording artist since the age of three, the visionary improviser, vocalist, and songwriter Anna Maria Jopek blends traditional Polish stylings with European classical music. RMB 220-300
Nancy J Brown at Tango by Ala House
Join bandleader, singer, and songwriter Nancy J Brown, who has worked with top names in dance, jazz, pop, and more. She brings a stellar band including Michal Ciesielski on piano, Ryan Bradetich on double bass and Alex Morris on drums, for an evening of jazz. FREE
Cui Longyang at Mogu Space
Acoustic offerings in Xizhimen, courtesy of guitar slinger and tender singer Cui Longyang. FREE
Sunday, Nov 10
The White Paper, Wasted Laika, Boss Cuts at School
Post-punk outfit The White Paper are having a hell of a year. After debuting their album, the band has been hitting the road all the while stripping back their sound, giving their robust sound more of a jagged edge and leaning into the energy of their musicianship. They close out their tour of China with a homecoming at School alongside surf rock ruffians Boss Cuts and art-punk quintet Wasted Laika. RMB 80
Ajinai at DDC
Dwelling in the intersection of different music genres, long-standing Inner-Mongolian outfit Ajinai reveals their new lineup, featuring veteran horse-head fiddle player and singer Hugejiletu, bassist Jonathan Heeter, keyboardist/synthesizer Edoardo Gagliardi, and drummer Wen Long. Fusing their diverse and rich backgrounds and styles to create something fresh and unique – transcendent grassland music with an electronic edge and a psychedelic gloss. RMB 100
Aero Boat, Sourtower at fRUITYSPACE
A second serving of cold wave, psychedelic, and post-punk project Sour Tower (which now is a duo featuring producer Another Van) – as they join another ‘fresh on the scene’ band – Aero Boat – who float between electronic and rock and features Zhan Pan from The Gar, Li Nan from Da Bang, and Wang Jinghan from Queen Sea Big Shark. RMB 50
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
Yin Wu x Luo Chunyang at Yue Space
Old soul rockers and sing-songwriter Yin Wu, known for his 2000 breakout song "Everyone’s Life Is A Journey" joins Guangzi counterpart Luo Chunyang tonight. RMB 120
Anna Maria Jopek at Blue Note
Born into an artistic family and a recording artist since the age of three, the visionary improviser, vocalist and songwriter Anna Maria Jopek blends Polish traditional styling with European classical music. RMB 220-300
Nancy J Brown Quartet at La Plantation
Nancy Jenkinson Brown alongside her ever-skillful band of troops presents a delicious cocktail of music and playful renditions of songs you know and love, providing listeners a new sense of joy for jazz. RMB 200
Swing Holiday, Wild Reggae Guide, Sichun at 69 Café
Rock out this Sunday in Changping as electro-infused reggae outfit Wild Reggae Guide joins the righteous Swing Holiday and more. FREE
Navana Jazz Quartet at Modernista
Modernista shows that their Latin heart is still beating strong as they let Cuban rhythms of the Navana Jazz Quartet fill every corner of the space. FREE
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Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of organizers
