Noise Pollution, Jan 13-16: Mr. Miss, Jeff Lorber Fusion, Vieux Farka Touré

Another week put to rest. Another weekend of no rest. Cause when there’s this much musical mayhem corrupting the streets and venues of Beijing you know you’re in good hands. So indulge in those dark desires, tell you mom you’re sorry, and don’t wait up for anyone – here’s your weekend update (as of this week titled here as Noise Pollution) courtesy of Live Beijing Music.   

Friday, January 13

China Music House presents Beijing Opera Remix at Tianqiao Theater
Alright – here’s something different. China Music House – a platform and label that specializes in reconceptualizing traditional Chinese music is presenting their latest crossover project – a Chinese opera show crossed with EDM. Under music producer Chen Weilun, opera stars Peng Qinghua, Li Jiayi, and Gong Yinlei will perform alongside EDM producers Wang Lu, DJ Crane, and Leopard Piqi. I’ve been fascinated with the output of China Music House and this might just be the opportunity to see what they’ve been cooking. RMB 180-plus

Steely Heart, Laisee, Penicillin, The Hotline, Day Dream, Duff Beer at School
Screw the Golden Globes! To hell with the Nobel Peace Prize! The School Bar Awards are where it’s at – voted by fans over the past month – find out which bands made the biggest impression at School Bar! Performances during the ceremony will be duly handed by some of the venue’s hottest bands including electro rock vets Steely Heart, as well as some of the fresher talent last year brought forth including hardcore ruffians Laisee and punks Day Dream and Duff Beer. Should get pretty messy pretty quick. RMB 50

Mr. Miss at Yue Space
Retrofitted adorably cute ukulele-led indie pop duo whose old school jazzy tunes has garnered them quite the fanbase present their debut release tonight at Yue Space. RMB 100

Jaruco Punk, The Sino Hearts, Oldy Baby at Hot Cat Club
It’s a new year for punk so let’s tap into some of the latest storm brewers to hit the scene including Jaruco Punk, Oldy Baby, and the Sino Hearts. Looks like some good mischief to be had. Free

Ember Swift at DDC
Indie singer-songwriter Ember Swift brings her swag and stylish indie rock to DDC as the longstanding Beijing-based artist presents material from her upcoming album Sticks and Stones, which promises to echo ‘childhood joys while living in an adult world’. RMB 50

Jurat, Rudra’s Sage at Mogu Space
Dig the closing statement in the events page: ‘If your favourite Beatles album is the White Album, this is the show for you.’ Nice. Xinjiang raised singer songwriter Jurat whose mix of Urumqi and psychedelic rock has haunted venues in Beijing for years joins sitar maestro Rudra’s Sage for some an evening of otherworldly sounds.

Jeff Lorder at Blue Note
Grammy-nominated keyboard player, composer and producer Jeff Lorber heads to Beijing’s Blue Note jazz club for two nights with veteran bassist Jimmy Haslip, who has worked with him since 2010. Lorber has been nominated for three Grammys since 2005 – the first for his album Flipside nominated for best pop instrumental album, and then in 2007 for his album He Had A Hat and in 2014 for album Hacienda. His music is a fusion of multiple styles of jazz. RMB 280

White Feather at Jianghu Bar
Grunge singer goes solo as the Xiaomen Robot releases his blues-tinted somber debut “My Hope on the Road’ – he’ll be joined guitarist Mo Ran for some tunes. RMB 80

Disaster Chat, Hard Candy Revolution, Not Madonna at Temple
Temple is bringing you some good ol fashion rock and roll tonight with female-led glam rockers Hard Candy Revolution, melodic indie rockers Disaster Chat, and what I can only hope is an all-dude Madonna cover band. Free

Jasmine Monk at 69 Café
Folk musician Jasmine Monk whose ‘complex and textural acoustic guitar, harmonica, and own mellow voice’ has made hit a favorite returns to the petit 69 Café for a special New Year showcase. RMB 60

Tsering at Snail Hostel
Tibetan folk artist Tsering Norbu returns to Snail Hostel with his music that’s rooted in the traditional Tibetan folk traditions from Lhasa, as well as world music from around the globe. RMB 50

D5 Element, Untea, Night Walk and Adelaide at Chen Livehouse
Chen Livehouse in the south end of 798 art district throws a pre-holiday bash that crosses multiple genres – from the rap group D5 Element, Japanese rockers Untea and Night Walk, and folk reggae artist Adelaide. RMB 50

Heaven, Purgatory, Windsor Forest, Aimu, Big Sound, Dongzi at 13 Club
Metal and hardcore together again! Wudaokou’s number spot to let your hair loose and throw back questionable shots down your throat – 13 Club – looks to rally up the troops with this roaring lineup. RMB 80

Saturday, January 14

MDC (USA), The Elected Officials (USA), Round Eye, Dr. Liu & The Human Centipede at School
Adored hardcore cult figures MDC (which stands for whatever you please thank you) whose politically charged blunt musical nature has made them one of the scene’s leading bands invade China alongside southwest outfit The Elected Officials – they’re in town thanks to those wild Shanghai boys – Round Eye – who’ll be joining for the occasion as well as Beijing’s own Dr. Liu & The Human Centipede – a treat on its own. This one’s gonna be lean and mean. RMB 100

Poshangcun, New Cake, Mr. Miss, Gemini at Modernsky Lab
Big names at in the Chinese music mainstream – indie folk pop darlings Poshangcun, jazz pop duo Mr. Miss, trip hop veterans Gemini and more – expect hordes of screaming fans if you can make it out this afternoon. 1.30pm start. Free

Longjin, Self Portrait, Yixia, Lake, Tan Hua at Mars Livehouse
A variety of bands appear for an afternoon show at Mars Club to celebrate the first anniversary of Bei Qing including long standing reggae pop group Longjin, indie rock swooners Lake, trip hop dream pop singer Yixia and more. 3pm start 100 RMB

Mountain High, Manhu, Paul Meredith at Jianghu Bar
Pockets of America and China still have living folk traditions, songs that are part of daily life and passed down through the generations. The Mountain High (formerly the former Hutong Yellow Weasels) and Yunnan Shilin's ethnic Sani band Manhu - met for a week in the mountains of Yunnan to trade ideas and learn each other's songs. Fresh from a show at the National Center of the Performing Arts, and just ahead of a three-show stint at the Shanghai Concert Hall, they will perform together in this one-of-a-kind intimate collaboration at Jianghu. Sleeper gig right there. 60 RMB

C-drik, Liu Xinyu + Li Jianhong, Ding Chenchen + Zhu Wenbo at Fruityspace
Berlin-based composer and musician C-drik will be presenting his book Not Your World Music at this showcase before proceeding to play a the experimental safe haven alongside some of the scene’s most prominent characters. The book charts the history noise and experimental music in Southeast Asia and its relations to art, politics, identity, gender, and global capitalism. RMB 40

Djang San at Temple
East-meets-West fusionist and veteran show stopper Djang San, self-proclaimed ‘re-inventor of Chinese classical instrument zhongruan, philosopher, poet, composer, guitar hero, DJ, one man orchestra, music pioneer, and explorer of new sounds’ bring his hypnotic buck wild music to the one and only Temple. Free

China 2017 5th Folk Festival at Yue Space
Join a host of great bands including the Frogs, Robella, Dimo, Tea Season and Via for a multi-city folk festival, stopping in Beijing on January 14th. The theme of the festival is “Spring Ballads” and the festival will feature tons of great folk performers working in a variety of styles. Check back often as the line-up is still being finalized but will definitely include Tibetan folk artist Tsering Ren, Tea Season and the Frogs. RMB 120

OOC, OKSA, Endless Square at Hot Cat Club
Hard rock screamers OOC, whose frontman needs to be seen to be believed, joins art rock trio Endless Square and Mongolian rock band Oksa for some fun tonight at the Fangjia Hutong hotspot. Free

An Gang at Yugong Yishan
Crowdfunded national sensation An Gang returns to Yugong Yishan with his third album – a one man band with just a guitar, Loop and numerous pedals, catch him this evening at Yugong Yishan for the last stop of his tour. RMB 120

Hot Club of Beijing at DDC
Multi-national gypsy jazz ensemble bring their 1930s swinging jazz, hot latin rhythms, and gypsy waltzes to DDC so best bring your dancing shoes. RMB 50

Solaris at Mogu Space
The genre-bendng five piece ensemble who dip their toes into everything from neo-psychedelia to shoegaze bring their expansive sound to the Xizhimen space. RMB 60

ANI, Nathan Borofka, Scott at 69 Café
Brit rock, American rhythm, folk influences, and blues country – is a ragtag team of singer songwrtiers who’ll grace the stage tonight at 69 Café including Swiss-born ANI, and the American-raised Nathan Borofka and Scott. RMB 60

Jeff Lorder at Blue Note
The second night at Blue Note for Grammy-nominated keyboard player, composer, and producer Jeff Lorber who plays alongside veteran bassist Jimmy Haslip. His music is a fusion of multiple styles of jazz. RMB 280

Wang Yi, Zhang Yanfeng, Liu Haolin at Snail Hostel
Soulful singing and finger-picking guitars – artists Wang Yi, Zhang Yanfeng and Liu Haolin appear at Snail Hostel for a concert to wrap up the twelfth lunar month and start the new year off right. RMB 80

Hog Dovers, Manhu, Mountain High at La Plantation
Early in the day at La Plantation – ‘the music of Yunnan's Stone Forest meets the American Blue Ridge Mountains, in this unprecedented meeting of folk traditions as visiting North Carolina-based traditional Appalachian music band Jenny and the Hog Drovers and the ethnic Sani traditional band Manhu (Ferocious Tigers) from Shilin in Yunnan join hands alongside fellow roots music explorers Mountain High (formerly the Hutong Yellow Weasels). 4pm start. RMB 200, RMB 150 (advance)

Zhao Xu Yang at La Planation
Master cellist Zhao Xuyang, who completed his master degree in Central Conservatory of Music, and is now working there as a cello teacher as well as the principal cello in EOS Repertoire Orchestra – goes solo this evening with his take on Beethoven. RMB 200, RMB 150 (advance)

Sunday, January 15

Vieux Farka Touré (Mali) at Yugong Yishan
Dubbed the ‘Hendrix of the Sahara’, Malian guitarist and songwriter Vieux Farka Touré has been on the world music map for sometime – despite being the son of legendary Malian guitar star Ali Farka Touré the artist has forged his own path, collaborating with heavy weights across the world all the while honing his electrifying, mesmerizing take on ‘desert blues’. Catch him for a special Split Works showcase tonight and prepared to have your mind blown. RMB 200, RMB 150 (advance)

Jenny and the Hog Dovers at Yue Space
An authentic barn dance from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Fresh from exclusive performances at the National Center of the Performing Arts and the US Embassy, caller Phil Jamison from Asheville, North Carolina, will teach the audience how to do contra, square and big circle dances. Old time Appalachian music will be provided by Phil’s band Jenny and the Hog Drovers, with twin fiddles, guitar, double bass and banjo. Special musical guests will also teach some indigenous Chinese ethnic minority dances from their hometown in Yunnan province. Chris Hawke of the Hutong Yellow Weasels, recently renamed Mountain High, will be on hand to help Phil translate to Chinese audiences. RMB 60

Wen Liang, Wang Shengnan, thruoutin, CPA at Mogu Space
It’s an electronic winter mushroom night in Xizhimen as the new space gets ‘interesting’ with an array of offbeat soundscapes including indie pop singer-songwriter Wang Shengnan, electronic producer (and pipa spokesperson) thruoutin, ambient musician Wen Liang, and CPA. Good mellow tunes to ease out of your hangover and into next week. RMB 50

The Sino Hearts, The Beauty, Them Wayfarers at School
Beijing Power Pop into your brainnnnn!! The first in a new series from man about town Mick Marshall and he’s tapped so pure fun with this one – The Sino Hearts, first founded in Vienna, now plowing away in Beijing will join The Beauty and Them Wayfarers, a new band featuring members of Macondo among others. Free

Ma Tiao at Tango
Renowned rustic Xinjiang singer-songwriter Ma Tiao, fresh off the release of his latest folk rock hit gives an intimate pre New Year performance at Tango. RMB 150

The Plum Trees, Willow, BPM at DDC
Gothic indie rock, folk rock tunes galore, and ‘french jazz punk’ – it’s gonna be one of those Sundays as DDC presents a unique trifecta of bands. RMB 50

Phew! Still hungry for more? For events, videos, and photos from Beijing's thriving music scene, head over to Live Beijing Music or check out all of our live music listings here.

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the organizers