the Beijinger 7 Days in Beijing
the Beijinger 7 Days in Beijing: Friday, October 10 to Thursday, October 16
 Today's Alarming Statistic 230,000 Number of people in Beijing living on less than RMB 390 a month Beijing Evening News Trivia -Back to top-  Congrats to Carlos-Hugo Ramirez who answered correctly the question: The president of which foreign country passed through Beijing this week? The correct answer was E: Venezuela Carlos-Hugo won 4 tickets to Acupuncture Records 1st anniversary party at Star Live on Sep 30.This Week's Trivia Challenge This Sunday CCTV 1 will start screening a 50-episode TV series based on the life of which martial arts icon?
the Beijinger's Bar of the Week -Back to top-  Jumping back into the saddle where Rev fell out, MGM bounds into Chaoyang this month as the latest in the influx of resplendent “superclubs” to converge on the city. MGM, however, seems to have come from nowhere – not for them the massive promotional campaigns that anticipated Bling and ChinaDoll. After a look around MGM, it’s clear that what was saved in marketing budgets paid directly for the stylish Hong Kong-designed decor. An alluring mixture of mind-bending neon and metallic mirrors is attractive but potentially dangerous after a few games of dice with the locals at one of the sofa enclaves surrounding the dance floor. The second-level lounge area is comfortable with nifty ice-cooled drink dispensers at each table. MGM can be especially proud of the dazzling VIP area on the third floor: 13 rooms, each individually decorated, furnished and pimped out with widescreen plasmas, KTV and decadent respite areas. Some of these rooms provide for up to 50 people, while all of them cater to the extravagant. The VIP-only menu includes such delights as Hennessey Richard (RMB 51,300 per bottle). On our visit, the predominantly Chinese crowd was ripping up some typically bassy hip-hop. But on another night we could have been getting down to house or the big-name international DJs scheduled for the coming months. The menu reads well, with a wide range of vintage premium liquors at the top end to reasonably priced bottled beers (RMB 40) and cocktails (RMB 50) at the other, all served up by flaring barmen impressing the barflies at the central bar. And with a bar snack section in the menu, you can admire the smattering of beautiful young hipsters whilst enjoying a chicken wing and a chilled mojito. The VIP area aside, MGM is an affordably glamorous way to crunk away your night. Paul Ryding MGM the Beijinger's Restaurant of the Week -Back to top-  This Spanish eatery displays charm from the moment you first step inside the hutong hideaway. It’s an intimate setting with a muted palette, handwritten menus, and collections of antiques. The cheery smiles of the staff outshine the sunlight that cascades into the dining room. However, the chef’s background includes no formal Spanish culinary training; instead, his inspirations are Anthony Bourdain and Japanese cooking shows. The pumpkin soup (RMB 38) was velvety rich, but needed the boost of fresh-cracked pepper. The peach, Parma ham and mozzarella salad (RMB 46) used fresh and light ingredients, but tasted lackluster. The chicken in garlic oil tapas (RMB 48) was tasty but not substantial enough for a standalone dish. The restaurant’s showcase – the Spanish paella (RMB 160 for a two-person pan) – was sadly more like seafood fried rice; although the smoothness of saffron enveloped the dish, the seafood was rubbery. While Saffron masters charm and warmth, it slightly misses the mark on the zesty charisma of Spanish cuisine. Megan Zaroda Saffron Best Reader Review -Back to top- Badr reviews Peter's Tex-Mex Grill When I need a pick-me-up meal or want a place to restore my faith in Beijing's dining establishments, this is where I go! Badr has won RMB 300 worth of vouchers to spend at Luce Cafe & Bar. Share your verdict on a bar or restaurant by adding a user review to the site and you too could win a RMB 300 voucher to spend at Luce. The Beijinger Podcast -Back to top-  Editors from Beijing’s biggest English magazine give you the lowdown on the best events going on in the capital this weekend. Best of the the Beijinger blog-Back to top-  Three songs in to the 70-minute performance, things became a little chaotic with barriers in front of the stage being bent out of shape by crazed fans. The stage lighting was turned off and the concert was forced to pause for eight minutes as staff standing on the stage asked the crowd to return to their seats. Over in Tiananmen Square, new security measures seem to have had a positive effect on the number of people getting lost, on the first day of the holidays only 73 people got lost down from last year's 1576.
Beijing has been awash with top class sport for the last couple of months and it hasn’t stopped. It‘s just got a little more cerebral with the arrival of the inaugural World Mind Games (Oct 3-18).
Car owners in Beijing are once again being allowed to decide (with a few restrictions) which numbers will appear on their registration plates. Early yesterday morning the first personalized license plate processed under the new system was 京NV8888. the Beijinger Classifieds of the Week -Back to top- Quality Control Engineer Cheap Home Furnishings MTV Style China Travel Writer Find who and what you're looking for in our free classifieds at www.thebeijinger.com Work for True Run -Back to top- City and Travel Editor the Beijinger is looking for a qualified City & Travel editor. Applicants should have extensive knowledge of Beijing, a proficient grasp of written Chinese, 1-2 years experience in a management position, and strong writing skills. Send your CV and writing samples to editor@thebeijinger.com. Immersion Guides Editor Immersion Guides, Beijing’s leading publisher of English language maps and guidebooks, seeks an outstanding editor. Qualified candidates will be native English speakers with excellent writing and editing skills, several years of relevant editorial experience, mid- to high-level Mandarin proficiency and strong familiarity with Beijing. Creativity, humor and collegiality are also highly valued. Challenging and rewarding, the job involves conceiving and producing books, maps and other products, as well as expanding the brand’s reach outside of China. Please send a CV, personal statement and writing samples to editor@immersionguides.com True Run Media is looking for professional photographers to help expand our photography team. Qualified applicants should be PRC Nationals, have at least one year of professional experience (magazine experience preferred), have a good command of spoken English and possess adequate professional photographic equipment. Send your CV and samples of your work to joeyguo@truerun.com. the Beijinger is looking for interns Contribute to features, carry out interviews, compile events, and contribute ideas for content. Interns will gain valuable experience working in a dynamic, fast-paced publishing environment and will benefit from the opportunity to be part of a strong editorial team with an established publication. Ideal candidates will have previous experience in journalism/writing, and should be energetic, organized and full of ideas. In-depth knowledge of Beijing and Chinese-language skills are a bonus, but not essential. Candidates of all nationalities are welcome to apply, but candidates require excellent English-speaking and writing skills. If you're interested, please e-mail your resume to editor@thebeijinger.com. True Run Media’s newest magazine, agenda, is looking for interns Successful candidates will help contribute to features, carry out interviews, compile and format event listings, and contribute ideas for content. Interns will gain valuable experience working in a dynamic, fast-paced publishing environment and will benefit from the opportunity to be part of a small editorial team shaping a new publication. Ideal candidates will have previous experience in journalism/writing, and should be energetic, organized and full of ideas. In-depth knowledge of Beijing and Chinese language skills are a bonus, but not essential. Candidates of all nationalities are welcome to apply, but candidates require excellent English speaking and writing skills. If you’re interested, please e-mail your resume to iainshaw@truerun.com For more opportunities to join the True Run team, visit our new recruitment page. Things You Should Know -Back to top-  Linkin Park have announced that they've cancelled all five dates of their Asia tour. This includes the concert that was to have taken place in Beijing on Oct 19.At midnight on Monday the price of the regular #93 fuel went up by about 3%. It now sells for RMB 6.37 a liter and a liter of #97 will set you back RMB 6.78. The price hike was announced by the Beijing National Development and Reform Commission, who put it down to the higher cost of producing the superior quality Euro IV standard gasoline which is now required to be used in all of Beijing’s vehicles. This measure was adopted in March this year to help the city achieve its air quality goals. The Beijng News quotes energy experts as saying that the price adjustment will not be nationwide at present. This is the first price rise since petrol went up 16% in June this year. As of last Sunday, 1/3 of the police force patrolling Beijing will be doing it from the seat of their bikes and electric bikes. The police claim that by increasing their reliance on foot, bicycle and electric bike patrols, they’re not only making themselves more approachable but it's easier for them to spot and question suspects. It also has the added benefit of allowing them to avoid getting stuck in traffic. The bicycle police will mainly patrol downtown areas, tourist sites, and narrow streets and alleys. They’re equipped with truncheons, handcuffs and spray. We’re not sure how happy the local constabulary is going to be about downgrading from the warmth of a patrol car (especially all those nice new models they bought for the Games) or the big grunt of the police motorbikes to a small electric scooter, especially now that winter is just around the corner. Links of the Week -Back to top- Are you a vegetarian or vegan living in Beijing? Don't suffer the slings and arrows of some unenlightened Chinese restaurants alone - team up with the Vegan Social Club of Beijing or the International Vegetarian Club of Beijing. Our blog of the week is Eye of Modok. Though posts are not added that often, it provides a more personal view of life in the capital as evidenced in this recent Top 10 signs that the Beijing Olympics are really over post. It's been around for a while, but we only just came across the Sleeping Chinese site. Nothing to it really, simply a collection of images of Chinese people sleeping in a variety of weird and wonderful positions For dozens of other links to all things Beijing, see our thebeijinger.com links page Last Week's Events of Note -Back to top-
After so many twists and turns, Midi eventually struggled to its feet and returned to its birthplace, the Midi School. Despite the remote location, limited space and lack of toilet facilities, Midi kids still embraced China's No. 1 alternative music festival with whole-hearted enthusiasm - the 5 kuai beer and reasonablt priced chuan'r and other nearby street food certainly helped to win them over. Compared to the 5 stages and 23 foreign bands of last year, this year offered a more limited selection. But there was still plenty of good bands taking part including, Monokino, Lord of Mushrooms, Useless ID (Israel), CMCB, 液氧罐头 (Oxygen Can), The Verse and Brain Failure. The dilapidated grounds of the school were actually a great setting for this year's festival which really catered to the True Believers. Maybe it wasn’t as magnificent as in previous years, but it was more hardcore than the corporaized event that's been taking place in Haidian Park for the past few years. Hats off to Midi organizers for managing to scramble together against the odds and managing to find a venue to host one of Beijing's iconic events. Shots from Beijing Boyce -Back to top- Massive German beer pub Drei Kronen 1308 officially opens on Friday, at 6 PM, just in time for Octoberfest. Room 101 closed last Friday and will reopen in November with a new name, a restaurant upstairs, and a bar/cafe downstairs. Heat, across from Nanjie, has also closed. Rickshaw has added some new burgers, including the tasty "Oz", and wing flavors. For more, visit Beijing Boyce's blog at www.beijingboyce.com or get the latest Beijing Boyce newsletter hot off the press by e-mailing beijingboyce@yahoo.com with "Eat, Drink and Be Merry" in the subject line. Listen to 7 Days on the Radio -Back to top-  Listen to CRI’s China Drive program from 5-7pm every Friday to hear the pick of the events taking place over the next 7 days. If you want to catch the 7 Days entertainment report as it first goes to air, tune in to CRI at 91.5 FM between 5-7pm on Friday night or click on this link to hear an online broadcast. (May require Windows Media Player). The Indispensable Immersion Guides -Back to top- Beijing by Foot  "Beijing By Foot is quite possibly the most illuminating guide to the Chinese capital this year" This collection of 40 walks around Beijing will take you through hutongs and high-rises, into the history and stories that still reside amidst the cement and construction. Beijing by Foot has mapped the city like never before. We've walked every hutong and every street, in search of the forgotten gems and hidden details. And now the result is here, presented on stylish, easy-to-carry cards, each of which features a walk on one side and a map on the other, marked with sites of interest and a route, as well as the city’s best restaurants, bars and shops. Readers can also get taste of what to expect over at the Beijing by Foot blog, which features, among other things, photos and reflections on the author's adventures exploring the web of bomb-shelter tunnels 30 meters under Nanluogu Xiang. For more information click here. The Beijing Taxi Guide  The Beijing Taxi Guide features addresses, descriptions and phone numbers of over 400 of Beijing’s best hotels, eateries, nightclubs, shops, sightseeing spots, hospitals and more – in an attractive, durable booklet that fits in your pocket. For more information, visit the Taxi Guide page. The Insider's Guide to Beijing 2008  Updated, sassy, and informative: The 2008 edition of the Insider's Guide to Beijing is better than ever and is out now. The new guidebook includes everything you need to know about living in Beijing, from learning which songs will melt hearts in a Beijing karaoke bar, how to take your landlord to court, and where top bartenders go to wet their whistles. The new edition also comes with a pull-out bilingual map of Beijing and its Olympic venues, so you'll know exactly how agonizingly close the Bird's Nest is when you're stuck in one of Beijing's traffic jams. See this site for details of which stores stock The Immersion Guides Mandarin Phrasebook, The Excursion Guide and The Insider's Guide to Beijing 2008. Call our Distribution Manager Zoe Wang at 5820 7101 or e-mail for more details. Urbanatomy -Back to top-  Urbanatomy Shanghai 2008 Shanghai is opened up as never before in this lavishly illustrated 600-page book. Combining the advantages of a practical guidebook with that of a trusted reference work, Urbanatomy Shanghai 2008 presents a comprehensive portrait of Shanghai by experts from the city and abroad, and from over 25 of Shanghai’s most respected locally based photographers and illustrators. For more information call Urbanatomy Marketing at 021 5238 5403 or e-mail marketing@urbanatomy.com. | Friday, October 10 to Thursday, October 16  As the temperature starts to drop and Beijingers begin to ruffle through their closets to pull out the long johns, start asking when the nuanqi will come on and once again warm their hands on nice little bags of roasted chestnuts, a bunch of great events offer plenty of incentive to brave those frigid autumn winds. Friday night has Mr. C of Shamen fame return to town, Ten celebrate their third anniversary over at Mao and Australian electronic duo Hermitude twiddle the knobs over at White Rabbit.One of the highlights of the ongoing Beijing Music Festival takes place on Saturday as Jamie Bernstein takes to the stage of the Beijing Music Hall to narrate a program of her father’s biggest Broadway hits and some of Beijing's best bands will also be out and about with PK 14 getting the kids all worked up at Mao while Ourselves Beside Me support Carsick Cars over at Yugong Yishan. It's also a great week for booklovers, with the Beijing Book Festival kicking off on Friday, a Book Swap and Board Games gathering taking place at Sequoia Cafe on Saturday, the Bookworm's Trivia Night on Monday and it rounds out with a talk from Beijing by Foot author and researcher Eric Abrahamsen at the China Cultural Center on Wednesday. Other great events worth noting down include the Diana Krall concert at the Beijing Exhibition Center on Sunday, the family-friendly Green Cow Harvest Festival and the Omega Championship. Friday, October 10 -Back to top-  » Mr. CBritish clubbing pioneer and ex-Shamen frontman Mr. C returns to the city to throw some new tunes and classics. RMB 50. 9pm. Cargo Club (6551 6898/78)  » 10, Vavabond + Li Jianhong, Opra Hashimo, Li Tieqiao, Xiao HeExperimental noise duo 10 celebrates their third anniversary and album release party with a host of other bands from China and Japan. See the music feature in the October issue of the Beijinger magazine for more details. RMB 80/50 (if you dress in red). 8.30pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)  » HermitudeAussie mash-up DJ duo cook up a hip-hop, funk, drum & bass and electro soup to get the kids dancing. Free the Wax will be handing out free CDs and posters to the first 15 people through the door. RMB 50. 10pm. White Rabbit (133 2112 3678)  » New Photon Trio + One Frenchman Christophe Lier invites a fourth to realize another dimension of his compositions. Expect sensitive group interaction and pronounced tongue-in-cheek melodies. Free. 10pm. OT Lounge (6502 5722)  » TannhauserYet another fully staged opera import by the Deutche Oper hits the stage at Poly. One of Wagner’s more famous pieces, it stars Scott MacAllister as Tannhauser, Manuela Uhl as Elisabeth, Lioba Braun as Venus and Markus Bruck as Wolfram. Philippe Auguin conducts and Gotz Friedrich directs. RMB 100-980. 6.30pm. Poly Theatre (6500 1188 ext 5126)  » Our Future: The Guy and Myriam Ullens CollectionThe owners of UCCA show their collection of more than 60 works by Chinese contemporary artists. All the big names are included: Chen Zhen, Gu Wenda, Huang Yong Ping, Wang Du, Wang Guangyi, Zhang Xiaogang, Cao Fei, Chu Yun, Qiu Zhijie, Shen Yuan and Wu Jicong. For those not so familiar with the history of Chinese contemporary art, this show, curated by Jerome Sans and Guo Xiaoyan, is a perfect introduction. Until Oct 12. Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (6438 6576)  » Yang Shaobin: Blind Spot XUnlike many Chinese artists, Yang Shaobin resists the temptation of mass-producing Cynical Realistic images. Instead he opens a path between the figurative and the abstract, which liberates his images from any form of narrative. His last series, “800 Meters Under,”took on the subject of coal miners; in Yang’s new show, these laborers appear again, depicted in different media. Look for the paintings in cold colors that are uncanny ringers for photographic negatives. Until Oct 18. Long March (6438 7107)  » Beijing Book Festival Now in its eighth year, the Beijing Book Festival brings bibliophiles to Ditan Park to peruse thousands of tomes on sale by Beijing’s bookselling community. While books being sold are mostly in Chinese, a small selection of English-language publications will also be available. Until Oct 20. 8am-4pm. Ditan Park (6421 4657) Other Events Beijing Calling at Obiwan Musicology 0.2 at Tango Ma Tiao Yu at Jiangjinjiu Bar Gypsy Jazz at Salud and more ...  Win Tickets to the NBA China GameWant to see the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Golden State Warriors at the Wukesong Olympic Basketball Stadium? The Beijinger is offering you the chance to win 4 tickets to the Beijing leg of the 2008 NBA China games. To win the tickets all you have to do is send us an image of you with a basketball in Beijing. We’ll narrow the field down to our favorite eight to ten images - we’ll be looking for creativity and originality people! After that we’ll invite the public to vote for their favorite image. The picture with the most votes as of 2pm on Friday, Oct 17 will be our winner and we’ll send the winner four tickets to the big game. You’ll need to send us the image before 6pm on Wednesday, Oct 16. Click here for all the details. Send your images to blog@thebeijinger.com Saturday, October 11 -Back to top-  » BernsteinSurely making history in more ways than one, this program will be simulcast on Times Square’s big screen (in case you’re in New York, that’s 7.30am on a Sunday). Jamie Bernstein, Leonard’s daughter, narrates a program of her father’s biggest Broadway pieces, conducted by Yu Long with his China Philharmonic. See the Beijing Music Festival site for more details. RMB 50-480. 7.30pm. Beijing Concert Hall (6605 7006)  » Carsick Cars, Ourselves Beside Me, The Gar, 24 HoursSome Beijing favorites play at a Beijing favorite. RMB 60/50 (students). 9.30pm. Yugong Yishan (6404 2711)  » PK 14One of China's best punk bands plays for the hometown crowd. RMB 60/50 (presale). 9pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)  » One Step Forward PLUS African Dancehall and AfrosoulIt's two floors of conscious dancehall; deep, cultured roots; and heavy, heavy dub. Plus, free BBQ at 8pm.Free. 9pm. Obiwan (6617 3231)  » BaiCai Welcomes AdultnapperPost-modern electronic music mixed together by the hotly-tipped Brooklyn/Las Vegas DJ and producer. RMB 70, 40 (with BaiCai Card). 10pm. Tango (6428 2288)  » DJ VertigoMixing elements of punk, techno and tribal music to gain a cult following across the world, Vertigo comes to rock Beijing. Price TBD. 10pm. Song Music Bar & Kitchen (6587 1311)  » Shakespeare FestivalChina’s National Theatre Company is holding a festival celebrating the works of the famed British Bard. It will start at NCPA with Ming, a Chinese version of King Lear, which depicts a story set in the Ming dynasty with a plot parallel to the Shakespearean classic. Other plays include Taming of the Shrew from British TNT Theatre on Oct 16-18 and Romeo and Juliet, performed by Vilnius City Theater from the Republic of Lithuania, on Nov 2. Chinese director Lin Zhaohua's Hamlet 1990 will be performed on Oct 21-25. The festival includes several other productions from the Republic of Korea, Australia and Kazakhstan. For more information, visit www.emma.cn or www.piao.com.cn. National Theatre Company of China (6404 3653) » Book Swap and Board Games At this monthly gathering, expatriates and locals alike come to swap English-language titles and play board games. Bring your unwanted books and exchange them for new ones. Free. 2pm-6pm. Sequoia Cafe (6501 5503)  » Chen Fei: Visual Desire and ViolenceThe color-saturated, manga-esque works of this Guangdong-born artist comment on and amplify social tension. Until Oct 26. Beijing Tokyo Art Projects (8457 3245)  » Omega ChampionshipThis event will decide the Order of Merit for the 2008 Omega Tour. Zhang Lianwei, Liao Guiming and Li Chao are all still in the running to finish top. Until Oct 12. Price TBD. Beijing Longxi Hotspring Golf Club (6517 9641) Prize: We're offering readers 2 free tickets to the Omega Championship if you can tell us the answer to the following question: Who won the 2007 Omega Championship? Send the correct answer to 7days@thebeijinger.com before Tuesday Oct 7 and you could win. Other Events: Xia Jia Organ Quartet at OT Lounge Happy Endings at White Rabbit Pimp My Club at Bling Scotch Whisky Swing Around at Aria Tibetan Contemporary Art Exhibition at Red Gate Understanding Self seminar at BICF Chapel inside the 21st Century Hotel Beijing Rugby Cup at Dulwich College Legend Gardens Jiankou to Mutianyu Hike with Beijing Hikers Sunday, October 12 -Back to top-  » Diana KrallCanadian multi-Grammy award-winning jazz artist Diana Krall brings her world tour to China. RMB 300-2,000. 7.30pm. Beijing Exhibition Center Theater (6835 4455)  » Green Cow Harvest FestivalUsher in the autumn season by spending a Sunday afternoon playing in the crisp weather. Families can participate in potato sack races, corn maze, pumpkin painting, and scarecrow dressing. For more information email thelovelygreencow@gmail.com. For directions and rain date, call 139 1088 3775. RMB 50. 11am-5pm. Green Cow Organic Farm. Donggezhuang Village(village north). Houshayuzhen, Shunyi Prize: We're offering readers 4 free tickets to the Green Cow Harvest Festival if you can tell us the answer to the question at the question at the top of the sidebar. Send the correct answer to 7days@thebeijinger.com before Tuesday Oct 7 and you could win.  » No Opinion, SKO, Larry's Pizza, RecycleGood clean mosh pitting and thrashing. You need to be there like a punk needs to dress like his friends. RMB 60/40 (presale). 9pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)  » HanggaiWhen all else fails, these Mongolian throat yodelers hit the spot. RMB 40. 9pm. Jiangjinjiu Bar (8405 0124)  » PucciniIn honor of the 150th anniversary of Puccini’s birth, the Shanghai Opera puts on a production of his three one-acts (known together in the trade as Il Trittico). Individually, they are “Il Tabarro” (the dark), “Suor Angelica” (the moving), and “Gianni Schicchi” (the raucous). The three one-acts will be performed at 4pm, 7pm and 8.30pm (with long breaks in between). China's top opera conductor, Zhang Guoyong, conducts, with Kingman Lo directing. RMB 50-480. Forbidden City Concert Hall (6559 8285)  » 798 Art Festival This year’s art fair at 798 is curated by Wang Lin, an art critic and professor at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, and Victoria Yung-Chih Lu, an accomplished curator. The feature show revolves around the topic “What is not art?” - a braintwister of a question, sure to inspire heated debates. Certainly, the Loft Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition is designed to spark discourse between viewers about art and public space in 798. Expect screenings of ‘90s independent Chinese films and art-related symposiums. More information at http://www.798-art.com Monday, October 13 -Back to top-  » Quiz Night at The BookwormPit your wits against Beijing's cleverest pub quizzing punters in The Bookworm's all new weekly pub quiz! Each week Paul conjures up six terrific rounds of trivia for you to work your magic on. Rewards and prizes include tickets to parties and events at the 'worm, as well as beer from the bar, and fine wines from The Wine Republic. Come on over if you think you're smart enough!  » KrotoberfestAll three Kro’s Nest restaurants will feature five days of Craft microbrew fueled Bavarian themed debauchery.They'll also be rolling out a new chicken wing menu. RMB 80 for five bottled Craft microbrews all week. Things come to a head at the Gongti branch on Friday the 17th with a special Kro’s Beer Tasting. Kro's Nest  » Moving Horizons: the UBS Art Collection, 1960s to the present dayLondon-based curator Joanne Bernstein takes a chronological approach to the UBS collection, dividing the show into eight categories representing distinct art styles from the past 60 years. Everything from the Pop Art of the '50s to the Yong British Artists represented by Damien Hirst. Includes works by Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Xu Zhen, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg (yes, it’s him again), Edward Ruscha, Robert Mangold, Alighiero e Boetti, Chuck Close, Lucian Freud, Andreas Gursky and more. See this blog post for more info. Until Nov 4. RMB 20, students RMB 10. Daily 9am-5pm (last ticket sold at 4pm). National Art Museum of China (6401 2252/7076)  » SubtletyA new group show curated by Karen Smith. The little house built with folded jun dayi (military jackets) is engrossing. See a review on p45 of the October issue of the Beijinger or another review over at Sino-Pop. Platform China (6432 0169/0091)  » Young Hae-chang Heavy Industries Based in Seoul, this web-art group founded by Korean artist Young Hae-chang and American artist Marc Voge. Famous for producing internet art with texts which are synchronized with music. The exhibition is the duo ‘s first attempt to make a Chinese version which involves issues including first generation of Chinese immigrants moving to America to the recent Chinese art fad. Until Nov 2. The show is in doArt, the Caochangdi gallery owned by Hyundai.  » Lush Movie NightSit back and relax with dinner or drinks and take in a flick. Buy dinner between 7pm and 9pm and receive dessert absolutely free. Free. 8pm. Lush (8286 3566) Tuesday, October 14 -Back to top-  » Dance: Nederlands Dans Theater IFounded in 1959, the Nederlands Dans Theater impresses with incomparable performances all over the world. Consisting of three groups, the dancers have classical ballet education but also perform experimental and modern pieces. They have been guests at different events such as state visits and regularly accompany Queen Beatrix. Compared to II, Nederlands Dans Theater I is a bigger ensemble, consisting of 30 dancers varying in age from 23 to 42 - all of exceptional soloists. Repeat performance on Oct 15. RMB 180-1,080. 7.30pm. NCPA Opera House (6655 0000)  » MessiahThe Academy of Ancient Music performs Handel’s wildly famous work in its entirety. Soloists include Lorna Anderson (soprano), Wilke te Brummelstroete (alto), Mark Tucker (tenor), and Giles Underwood (bass), with Richard Egarr conducting from the harpsichord. RMB 50-400. 7.30pm. Eastern Church (also known as the Wangfujing Catholic Church) (6593 0250)  » Breakdance ContestCome and watch the b-boys and b-girls pop, lock and bodyrock to the funky beats. RMB 35. 9pm. Yugong Yishan (6404 2711)  » BJ Green DrinksDiscuss all things green at this monthly event, which brings environmentally conscious folks together. Free. 7pm. Stone Boat (6501 9986) » Hanover Women's Chorus A well-known youth chorus from Germany comes to Beijing to give a two-day performance. Repeat performance on Oct 15. RMB 80-480. 7.30pm. NCPA (6655 0000)  » Chen Jiagang: The Great Third FrontUsing large-format cameras, Chen records the existence of ghost cities - industrial zones that were abandoned after their operation in the ‘60s and ‘70s as a result of the changes being made to China’s socio-political structure. Until Oct 30. Paris Beijing Photo Gallery (8459 9263)  » WantedAngelina Jolie, or Fox as she’s called in this silly romp, saves James McAvoy from mediocrity by teaching him how to kill people. Bad people, so it doesn’t matter. See the Beijinger blog's regular Tuesday film post for screening times and more info. Wednesday, October 15 -Back to top-  » Vienna Boys ChoirPerhaps the most famous children's choir in the world, the history of the Vienna Boys Choir stretches back nearly 500 years. Divided in two parts, the first program includes a “History of the Vienna Boys Choir” - Orff, Viadana, Lotti, Bach, Herbeck and Wirth will be performed. The second segment (“Masters of Viennese Classical Music”) includes M. Haydn, Mozart, Schubert and J. Strauss. After intermission, the choir will perform an assortment of world tunes, including Broadway musical works and Chinese pieces. RMB 180-680. 7.30pm. Poly Theatre (6500 1188 ext 5126)  » SambAsiaBeijing’s foot stomping dance-inducing samba drummers are back to put a dip in your hip and make your backbone slip. RMB 50/40 (presale). 9pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)  » Book Talk: Beijing by FootBeijing by Foot author and researcher Eric Abrahamsen discusses the history of the south Dongsi area. The pack of walking cards was recently decribed as being "quite possibly the most illuminating guide to the Chinese capital this year." To RSVP e-mail kathyzheng@immersionguides.com. Free (with refreshments). 7.30pm. China Culture Center (6432 9341)  » Mellow Bad ApplesRock, reggae and blues by a duo from California. Free. 9pm. Salud (6402 5086)  » Dido and AenaesThe Academy of Ancient Music also presents Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, with nearly all the same soloists as in Messiah (see Oct 14 listing), but with Maarten Koningsberger as Aeneas. RMB 50-680. 7.30pm. Beijing Concert Hall (6605 7006)  » Metropolis Fritz Lang’s visionary spectacle is an epic projection of a futuristic city divided in two: the workers and the elite. In the 21st century, a dehumanized proletariat labors non-stop in a miserable subterranean city beneath a luxurious city of mile-high skyscrapers, flying automobiles, palatial architectural idylls, tubes and tunnels. Silent film with limited German and English title cards. Free popcorn. Free. 8pm. Obiwan (6617 3231)  » Ancient Chinese Paintings and CalligraphyThe Forbidden City parades its treasures in the Wu Ying Dian (Hall of Martial Valor). A number of ancient calligraphy and paintings from the Jin (265-420) to the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties will be shown, among them ten of the most famous ancient Chinese paintings. Especially worth seeing is Night Revels of Han Xizai, by Gu Hongzhong, a Southern Tang (937-975) court painter who was ordered by the emperor to record the sumptuous lifestyle of the government official Han Xizai. Though questions still swirl as to whether the work can genuinely be attributed to Gu or whether it’s a Song dynasty (960-1279) replica, it is nonetheless a masterful work. Gems from Chinese calligrapher Wang Xizhi (303-361) will also be exhibited. At Meridian Gate Tower (Wu Men), an exhibition of Qing dynasty court costumes, will interest fans of historical textiles. Until Oct 31. The Palace Museum (6513 2255/8511 7099) Other events include: China Culture Center's Book Club discuss Binu and the Great Wall by Su Tong Beijing Hikers tackle the Spring Valley Loop Thursday, October 16 -Back to top-  » US Presidential Debate at The RickshawNo, Obama and McCain have not decided to relocate the debate to the home of the 3am burrito, but the 24-hour bar will be screening the last of the three presidential debates live. A steady following has built up over the past two debates, so expect a hefty crowd to turn out for breakfast with a bit of political oratory on the side. Free. 9am. The Rickshaw (6500 4330)  » Girassol: Celebrating 50 Years of Bossa NovaThis spin-off ensemble of Samb Asia Beijing makes its premiere at OT Lounge in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the birth of bossa nova in Rio de Janeiro. Girassol (“sunflower” in Portuguese) will perform a repertoire reflective of the bossa nova tradition and the contemporary extension thereof. Free. 10pm. OT Lounge (6502 5722)  » Drama: Taming of the ShrewAfter last year’s performance of The Tempest, another of Shakespeareís comedies will be brought on stage by one of the world’s most famous touring companies. Don’t miss this piece about protagonist Petruchio’s fate, love and life as depicted by the TNT Theatre of Britain. The performance will be in English with Chinese subtitles. Until Oct 18. RMB 80-480. 7.30pm. NCPA Theatre (6655 0000) » Piano Recital The wildly famous Murray Perahia plays Bach (Partita No. 2 in C minor), Beethoven (Sonata No. 23: Appassionata), Chopin (Ballade No. 3 and Ballade No. 4; mazurkas, nocturne and etudes TBA). RMB 100-980. 7.30pm. Forbidden City Concert Hall (6559 8285)  » Picasso's CeramicsThe master’s most down-to-earth show. During his visit to the pottery workshops of Vallauris, France, the Spanish artist was so impressed that he started making his own ceramics - and singlehandedly saved the local ceramics industry. Among the 2,000-odd ceramic pieces displayed at this exhibition are his 28 clay-plays, made between 1947-1969. Although the familiar icons still remind us of the pedestal upon which he is placed, the plebeian nature of these ceramic wares allows viewers to get a closer look at the legendary icon. Instituto Cervantes (5879 9666) Upcoming & Ongoing -Back to top-  » Batman: The Dark KnightIf it’s not too scary for the folks at SARFT, then the second installment of Christopher Nolan’s hugely popular superhero franchise should hit the big screens this month. Sterling performances from Christian Bale as Batman and the late Heath Ledger as the Joker. At cinemas around town  » Nov 1Kanye West Rapper/producer and multi-Grammy-award winner Kanye West comes to Beijing to perform for the first time as part of his Glow in the Dark tour. Accompanying him will be an eight-man backing band, DJ Craze (the DMC World Champion from 1998-2000, the first DJ to win the title three years in a row), and special guest star Will Pan of Taiwan. RMB 280-2,000. 7.30pm. Workers' Gymnasium (6501 6655 ext 5033) |
