The Beijinger Blog - Music Roundup

Weekend Live Music Roundup: Mongolian Hip-Hoppers and Rustic Glam

danedwards — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0800

We’ve all heard of traditional Mongolian music involving throat singing, but like the rest of China, Inner Mongolia is diving into he modern world. This weekend, we have an invasion of Mongolian hip-hoppers, with PTS, MNT, TST at Mako Livehouse. On the rock front, after winning the Global Battle of the Bands back in April, Rustic are the latest “stars about town,” and they’ll be rocking the stage up at D-22 on Saturday.

Weekend Live Music Roundup: Beyoncé comes to town, Arch Enemy headbanging and Midi turns 10

thebeijinger — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0800

The weekend feels shorter after the week-long holiday, but here are three shows worth checking out (or to miss) over the coming weekend.

Dark Nights For Beijing Metal Heads - Monthly Music Roundup

thebeijinger — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:00:00 +0800

Good music is in the ear of the listener. And this month, to each his own.

Metal enjoys a fruitful month, with visits from Urban Decay (Los Angeles), Stratovarius (Finland), Kreator (Germany) and Exodus (San Francisco). Plus, Demerit’s on the scene (Sep 23), and two nights dedicated to Metallica (Sep 11-12) goes down at 13 Club – which is also where the two-day Darknight Enchantment concert (Sep 30-Oct 1) will end the month on a bang. Probably from an instrument being broken over somebody’s head.

Music Roundup: August 2009

thebeijinger — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 +0800

When it rains, it pours. Nothing else quite explains the music storm you’re about to head into.

First, fasten your seatbelt and return your tray table to its upright position, because Pilot Records is about to take you on a month-long ride. If you’re lucky enough to read this before the end of the month, you still have a chance to catch the first day of Summer Pilot 2009, which kicks off with local legend Xie Tianxiao (aka XTX; see photo, above) on July 31. The five-week concert series takes place at the Olympic Sports Center Stadium (not to be confused with the National “Bird’s Nest” Stadium just across the road).

Music Roundup: July 2009

thebeijinger — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:00:00 +0800

What is it about summer that says to musicians, “Now is the time to release an album?” We’re not sure. We’re not complaining, either. Just show us the record.

Let’s begin with Sand, since it goes oh-so-well with the season. The blues rockers will finally release their sophomore album, The World Has Become a Fairytale, on July 25 at Jiangjinjiu Bar. To say this record has been long-awaited would be an understatement – eight years have passed since the band’s debut.

Music Roundup: June 2009

thebeijinger — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0800

After a hectic month of festival-hopping, it seems local bands are taking something of a break in June. And can you blame them? All that traveling around the country (Modern Sky’s Strawberry Festival in Beijing, the Midi Festival in Zhenjiang, the Zebra Festival in Chengdu and all the one-off shows in between) would wear anyone down. Carsick Cars has been especially busy, being one among few select local bands – if not the only one – to participate in a festival outside of China, playing at this year’s Estrella Damm Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona alongside the likes of Aphex Twin, Ghostface Killah, Sonic Youth and Bloc Party. Perhaps this was why the release of their second album was pushed back a month. (You Can Listen, You Can Talk will finally be out June 26.)

Music Roundup

thebeijinger — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:00:58 +0800

If the early bird were ever to catch a worm, it would be in May. Nine music festivals start on or before the first of the month, and if you haven’t kept abreast of things here at www.thebeijinger.com, you may have snoozed and lost.

But perhaps you’d heard news of these goings-on before the holiday weekend: transmitChina/2009 Midi Nights at The Star Live, metal festivals at 13 Club and New Get Lucky, D-22’s third anniversary party, the Ditan Park Music Festival, Modern Sky’s Strawberry Festival and the Zebra Festival in Chengdu.

Music Roundup: April 2009

thebeijinger — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:50 +0800

The original plan was to spend a substantial amount of space hyping up Oasis, who were slated to hold their first China shows on April 3 & 5. But now those concerts have been cancelled, and in light of this tragedy, the world will gather in our fair city throughout April to mourn our loss.

Well, not really. It only seems that way. But yes, musicians from around the world will be descending upon Beijing in April.