Noise Pollution: Blastfemme, Hush, Octopouple, Qi Yi, Cui Jian, and Liquid Oxygen Can

Will Griffith | Dec 6, 2018 2:30 pm | 1 comment | 2008 reads

Looking for a surefire way to heat up your bod and get some blood flowing through those veins? Well, scroll on down boys and girls, cause this is one weekend you don’t want to snooze on – fire-bombing feminist punk out of Brazil, the blackest of black metal from Europe, along with some of Taiwan’s hottest indie acts plus a boatload of rock and roll acts that would make your Grandma blush, there’s no beating around the bush here – this weekend is red hot.

Friday, Dec 7

Blastfemme (Brazil), Lonely Leary, Xiao Wang, thruoutin at DDC
For those looking for something a bit dangerous, then head over to DDC where, in cooperation with the Brazilian embassy in Beijing and Maybe Mars Records, Subtropical Asia will host feminist disco-punk outfit Blastfemme, straight from the daring underground scene of Rio de Janeiro. The band is unlike anything you've heard before qnd will be joined by some of Beijing’s most rambunctiously alluring groups – female punk renegades Xiao Wang, post-punk scrappers Lonely Leary (back from their recent tour in Europe) and the unpredictably intriguing producer and multi-instrumentalist thruoutin. Read our recent interview with the band here. RMB 100

Octopouple, Digou, Struggle Session, SHAS at Temple
A battle for the ages! Seoul-based one-man band Octopouple returns with his unique brand of hardcore all set to projections of himself and a whole cast of characters. He faces off against Wuhan-based Digou, whose angular theatrical and slightly mental antics are really the perfect match. If that wasn’t enough, fastcore terrorizers Struggle Session will be on hand as well as SHAS better known as Stinky Humans Abused to Subsist. Yeah, one of those kinds of nights. Read our interview with Octopouple from earlier in the year here. FREE

Show Hand, War/N/T, Whisk Image, Summer Warz, I Know You're That Type of Girl at School
Volume 2 of "The World Belongs to Us" continues to give the spotlight to up and coming bands brimming with potential – set to take the stage tonight are disco punk dance outfit Show Hand, young indie rock outfit WAR/N/T, pop-punk rockers Summer Warz, psychedelic electro rockers Whisk Image, and offbeat female-fronted shame punks I Know You're That Type of Girl. RMB 80

Super Besse (Belarus) at Omni Space
Influenced by Kraftwerk and Joy Division, Belarusian cold wave punk act Super Besse’s true strength is their rhythm. After a breakout performance at Tallin Music Week in 2014, they’ve attracted international notice and toured around the Baltics and Western Europe, but say their priority is maintaining that ‘underground’ feel to their music. Catch them at Omni Space as a part of their nationwide tour. RMB 120

Guiguisuisui x Beijing TagTool Collective at Mogu Space
Shining Soundscape is taking the scene by storm. It's an artistic performance that combines both digital painting and music, live in a way in which the two mediums feedback to one another, and is makes its way to Mogu Space in Xizhimen. The duo behind the concept, the ambient spiritual punk doom duo Guiguisuisui will be on hand alongside the Beijing TagTool Collective digitally creating out-of-this-world visuals live during the show. RMB 60

Darcy Baylis (AUS), Bloodz Boi at fRUITYSPACE
S!LK – the eccentric electronic platform and label – known for dabbling in everything from trap to ambient music – and one of its masterminds rapper Bloodz Boi hosts Melbourne songwriter, vocalist, and producer Darcy Baylis whose ‘far-away vocals sift through reminders of UK hardcore, vintage house, and techno’. Color me intrigued. RMB 100

Mary See The Future (TW) at Mao Livehouse
Melodic and tender indie rock outfit Mary See the Future return to Beijing with their Britpop-inflicted noise pop as the band rolls through China for the second time this year. The band has garnered quite the fanbase since their formation in 2007 so expect waves of fans soaking in the expertly made pop tunes. RMB 120

Qing Ge & White Wolf and Deer at BSP Livehouse
Mongolian world music band with Qing Ge as the lead singer. In the ancient legend of the Mongolian, the wolf is a male, the white deer is a female, and the Mongolian nationality is a descendant of the white wolf, so the Mongolian has always regarded lightning as a wolf running, and the antler as a flame of eternal life. World music tunes. RMB 100

Shanyi & Band at Yue Space
Shanyi is an indie singer-songwriter who was born in Lanzhou, Gansu, and who grew up in Beijing. They’ll be releasing their new album Children of the City – an album that showcases both the artist’s grasp for traditional sounds while hinting at a more rebellious transformative side – a unique fusion of different musical inspirations. RMB 80

The Peking Floyd at Modernista
Beijing's Premier Pink Floyd tribute band bring their vast and ever-increasing collection of cuts from Pink Floyd's most creative years including Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety, whilst priding itself on emulating the live performances of the legends during the 1970s when their improvisation and psychedelic jamming were at their best. RMB 60

Qi Yi at Tango
Raised in Changchun and now based out of Beijing, folk singer-songwriter Qi Yi is the latest young indie folk star to rise through the ranks in a short amount of time, releaseing over a hundred tracks in the past two years, eventually signing with Warner Music. Catch him as kicks off his nationwide tour. RMB 150

Forbidden City Horse, Ma Xiaoye, Nine at Laifu Livehouse
An evening of hard rock and folk-laced tunes as the female-fronted Ma Xiaoye – a uniquely charming and throwback indie rock outfit that's made with craft and keen pop sensibility that's pleasantly disarming, joining up with long-standing hard rockers Forbidden City Horse and more. RMB 60

Zhang Sikun, Lei Fengmao at FM Live
An evening of acoustic wonders at FM Live as two aspiring singer-songwriters take the stage – female indie pop artist Lei Fengmao who cites Beach House and Tama Impala as influences and Sichuan artist Zhang Sikun. RMB 66

Du Tian Kai, Zhang Li Fu, Cheng Tianyi at Jianghu Bar
Three well-regarded independent singer-songwriters from various parts of China take the stage at the cozy Jianghu Bar. RMB

Jamie, Reese, Chris at Caravan
It's singer-songwriter night with Jamie from Bang Bang Mary, Reese of Clustercuss fame, and Chris who will each tell stories through their music. RMB 50

Van Plein Trio at The Bricks
Van Plein’ is a jazz trio from South Korea, consisting of guitarist Dr. Han (Dongil Han), bassist Wonseok Oh, drummer Jonghyun Kim. The trio music combines elements of contemporary jazz with modern rock and pop in influence. FREE

Cui Jian at Blue Note
The one and only Chinese godfather of rock 'n' roll gives a very special performance with his bandmates at Blue Note this Friday. Unlike his shows at stadiums, theaters and outdoor music festivals across the country, Cui will offer an intimate live performance experience for his fans and perform his songs, and some of them with new jazz arrangements. That’s quite the price tag. RMB 1280

Saturday, Dec 8

Residence A, Wasted Laika, Boss Cuts, Diago‎n Alley, Ghetto Blaster at School
Local promoters "One Year" celebrate their one year anniversary with a hell of a bash featuring a stacked lineup of bands with one goal in mind – getting you moving – including indie superstars Residence A, up-and-coming artsy punk dudes Wasted Laika, surf rockers Boss Cuts, Britpop outfit Diagon Alley, and bluesy blasting indie rockers Ghetto Blaster. RMB 80

Pale (JP), December (JP), Asthenia, Torn Shore (Poland), Heretoir (Germany) at Mao Livehouse
Mao Livehouse strikes a unique temperament tonight with this spellbinding lineup that touches upon blackgaze, hardcore, post-rock and post-black metal. On the bill are Toyko three-piece post-rock group December, screamo post-metal outfit Pale from Japan, renowned German blackgaze act Heretoir, math hardcore kids Torn Shore from Poland, and Beijing’s own black metal soundscapers Asthenia. Gripping stuff and one of the best excuses to head over to Wukesong. RMB 180

GUAN, Punx, Guibog at fRUITYSPACE
When the end of year approaches, the best way to celebrate is hit a party like we've got it this Saturday. One of the most unique Chinese and legendary metal bands Liquid Oxygen Can will feature Dungeon Beijing and guests to present to you one hell of a party before 2018 ends.

Liquid Oxygen Can, Dungeon Beijing at Temple
The legendary metal band Liquid Oxygen Can, whose music has evolved over the years from melodic nu metal to more acoustic-based hard rock will feature rap collective Dungeon Beijing and special guests for one hell of a party before 2018 ends. This is going to be one of the shows people will be talking about for a long, long time. FREE

Scare the Children, Goodbye Sunset, Eternal Power, The Dark Prison Massacre, Xue Chen at 13 Club
Keep it heavy, keep it steady, and let’s blow this baby out of the water – it’s metal night in Wudaokou as 13 Clubs turns it up to 11 with a killer lineup of Beijing favorites from horror-metal outfit Scare the Children, Eternal Power and more. 7.30pm start. RMB 130

Hush (TW) at Tango
Taiwanese indie-pop singer-songwriter Hush, known for his husky voice and melancholic songs, brings his chart-topping tunes to Tango to hordes of screaming fans for two consecutive nights. RMB 240

Time Street at Yue Space
Rock n roll chiptune outfit continues their streak of bubbly J-pop-laced pop rock, full of 8-bit quirkiness and upbeat riffs – the band who has been around since 2011 release their new LP Parallel World tonight at Yue Space. RMB 120

Sleeping Dogs at fRUITYSHOP
Instrumental mischief makers Sleeping Dogs – both made up of the underground scene’s most prolific characters (including ex-members of Chui Wan and Boiled Hippo) bring their groovy afro-beat sound to the new fRUITYSHOP out by Shilipu for a special after session that'll be followed by some rad DJ sets. 3pm start. FREE

Tavey Lean and The Solid Gold Dream Machine at DDC
Audience favorites Tavey Lean and The Solid Gold Dream Machine bring their impressive repertoire of classic soul, RnB, three-piece horn section, rock and roll to DDC for an evening of knee-slapping good tunes. RMB 60

Bastion, No Name, Youth Fever, Emotional Recycling at Laifu Livehouse
Rock out with these young scrappers as Shuangjing puts the spotlight on these young, impassioned bands and musicians looking to cut their stuff on the circuit, including Bastion, Youth Fever and more. RMB

The Larry Willis Trio at Blue Note
Born in 1942 in Harlem, Larry Willis has had jazz in his blood since he was a child – growing up around the vibrant jazz scene and eventually partaking with some of the greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Shaw, Cannonball Adderley, and Stan Getz, as well as being a keyboardist for the fusion group Blood Sweat and Tears and a crucial part of the Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban jazz group Fort Apache. RMB 200-400

Nancy & The Fantastic at Modernista
The multi-national foot-stomping musical delights Nancy & The Fantastic – festival favorites all around Asia – bring their intoxicating blend of rock, pop, dance, and R&B, and classics, old and new, to Modernista. A class act in talent and style. FREE

Flamenco Sin Fronteras at La Plantation
Gypsy guitar duo of Ivan Dorzhiev and George Margiev dive into the genre’s huge diversity that spans Spain, Russia, and Eastern Europe – exploring the range of emotion that gypsy flamenco provides in its music, from lyrical ballads to playful rumbas to the deepest of laments. RMB 200

Chen Fei at Jianghu Bar
Independent musician and producer Chen Fei (formerly Haozi), founder of Pine Cone Music Studio, brings a new take on Chinese folk music – making somber folk driven melodies that sink deep. RMB 100

Stevie Mac & the Mac Daddies at The Bricks
The ever-expanding (ten members deep at the moment) jazz-pop troop Stevie Mac and The Mac Daddies bring their vintage approach to contemporary music to The Bricks for some good times. FREE

Zhang Qianqian at Pink Moon
Veteran sing-songwriter Zhang Qianqian, a staple of the folk scene since her debut in 1996, gives a special showcase courtesy at Pink Moon. RMB 99

Bang Bang Mary, Survivors at Blue Stream Bar
Aiming to shoot up dance floors with tunes that will have the audience sweaty and exhausted, the four-piece rock outfit, made up of one Brit and three South Africans draw influence from artists such as Arctic Monkeys, Fokofpolisiekar, and Pretty Viscous. They join Survivors tonight. FREE

More Feel, Dear City Deer at Mogu Space
Indie synth-pop duo More Feel share (as you can imagine) their feelings over in Xizhimen alongside urban folk outfit Dear City Deer. RMB 60

Van Plein Trio at DDC
Van Plein’ is a jazz trio from South Korea, consisting of guitarist Dr. Han (Dongil Han), bassist Wonseok Oh, drummer Jonghyun Kim – the trio music combines elements of contemporary jazz with modern rock and pop in influence. 3pm start. RMB 60

Sunday, Dec 9

Polyphia (US) at Mao Livehouse
Guitar-bending instrumental group Polyphia formed in the quiet suburban landscape of Plano, Texas falls somewhere between blisteringly fast metal guitar god territory and pure pop – a sound that was technically brilliant but still managed to include catchy pop hooks with its face-melting guitar soloing. They close out their nationwide tour tonight in Wukesong. RMB 280

Ready To Die, Anduril, Three-Quarters Dead, Kang Maomao at Yue Space
Ready to Die brings that old-school Florida death metal sound to Yue Space alongside a batch of other metal seekers including Three-Quarters Dead, Kang Maomao and Anduril formed in 2016 by drummer Lei Zhenhao and guitarist Fei Fei and yes, named after The Lord of the Rings. RMB 100

Black Bone, Left-Behind Children, Hz, Bad Clutch at School
Hard hitting metal, knee-slapping hard rock blues, and more bone-crushing sounds down in School Bar this evening with this mish-mash of bands including Black Bone, Left-Behind Children and more. RMB 60

YuZiJun x ZhangZiWei, Wireless Puppet, Grey Silence at Temple
Folk rock, punk, and pop core join forces for an evening dedicated to tearing off the mask and letting yourself go – titled "Fragments of the Mask" this manic night will help you explore the inner depths of your soul. Or something. FREE

J Kyle's Leap of Faith Quintet at DDC
The avant-garde jazz wranglers led by trumpet maestro J Kyle who has performed with numerous internationally-known jazz and commercial artists, including Paul Motian, Bob Mintzer, JJ Johnson, Dianne Reeves, Liza Minelli, and The Temptations teams up with some of Beijing’s finest tonight. RMB 80

Husband Killer, Wedge Cut, Hermit & Cookies at Mogu Space
Punk Quyi rockers Husband Killers get intimate alongside reggae outfit Wedge Cut and Hermit and Cookies – not sure about that last name there but expect a folksy rocking good time at Mogu Space. RMB 60

Liang Xiaoxue at Omni Space
Veteran indie folk singer-songwriter Liang Xiaoxue is back with his fourth studio album – chock full of tender pop songs laced with folksy warmth and a dash of bad boy charisma. RMB 150

Victor Bastidas Quartet at Modernista
Columbian Percussionist Victor Bastidas is known to some as ‘one of the best drummers live in Beijing’ will be hitting up Modernista this Sunday with his band. FREE

Zhang Qianqian at Snail Club
Veteran sing-songwriter Zhang Qianqian, a staple of the folk scene since her debut in 1996, gives a special showcase at the new and improved Snail Club off of Jiaodaokou – wait, what? 5pm start. RMB 80