Spring Festival Live Music Roundup: Who's Open And Closed, Albums of the Year

Maybe when tons of fireworks make the streets sound like a war zone, live music isn’t needed so much. Like it or not, there’s not much going on in Beijing around Chinese New Year. In the Gulou area, while most of the bars and restaurants will take a break, Jiangjinjiu and Temple will stay open. Too bad that the former one doesn’t have any shows scheduled and will be shut down forever soon after the Spring Festival. They said that last year too.

Temple might be the only choice for live music during the holidays: Devils at the Crossroad bring their bluesy grunge on Saturday, rockabilly Rolling Bowling will take the stage from Sunday to Tuesday, then there will be Uyghur bossa nova band Bluewolf, ska band Toyhead and the Beijing Beatles there on 25th, 27th and 28th respectively.

The following venues will be holidaying:

13 Club: closed from Jan 20 to 31, reopens on Feb 1
2 Kolegas: reopens in March
Blue Stream Bar: closed between Jan 22 to 26, no shows between Jan 16 - Feb 2
East Shore Live Jazz Cafe: closed from Jan 23 - 25
Gulou 121: closed from Jan 20 to 31, reopens on Feb 1
Jiang Hu Liveshow Bar: reopens on Feb 1
Mako Live House: reopens on Feb 4
MAO Livehouse: reopens on Feb 5
VA Cafe and Bar: reopens on Jan 29
Yugong Yishan: reopens on Jan 27

If you have more information about where will be closing, feel free to leave a comment.

As we won’t have our usual long list of events here, I feel like I should give you something else to get through Spring Festival. So here are seven albums/EPs of China’s best from 2011 for the seven-day holiday (click on the links to have a listen):

Experimental Sunday: Kolengke by Mamer & IZ
THE album that embraces everything, words are too weak to compliment it.

Reggae Monday: Tai Chi Reggae by Longshendao
You know you need to relax your nerves, but Bob Marley just bores you.

Mongolian folk Tuesday: Ajinai by Ajinai
Keep the relaxation going with a fresh breath from the grassland.

Indie rock Wednesday: Honey And Killed by Hedgehog
Feel the process of growing up. (see below music video of the song "Sparklehorse")

Metal Thursday: Becoming A Citizenby Ordnance
An album with balls.

Folk Friday: Yishi is a Good Band by Yishi
China is not just Beijing, get a taste of the south westerns.

Indie rock Saturday: Sports by Duck Fight Goose
A bright new star rose in China’s rock scene, their glow shall expand if they keep innovating.

Happy New Year!

Photos: courtesy of Dsicomedytheater.com and the Beijing Beatles