Noise Pollution: The Wedding Present, Womb, Crocodelia, Theory of Convergence, Nancy Harms

Summer continues to bring out the most delicious musical treats – from Taiwanese spiced psychedelic music to rustic power rock from Shanghai; ethereal no-wave dream pop from New Zealand to on edge slacker rockers from Shenzhen – there’s no genre left unturned this weekend. So venture forth music junkies of Beijing and get your fix! 

Friday, Jul 12 

The Wedding Present (UK), Atta Girl at Omni Space
The Wedding Present were one of the UK's biggest indie bands of the late '80s and '90s, and one who the late, great John Peel proclaimed had "written some of the best love songs of the rock 'n' roll era." With 18 UK Top 40 hit singles under their belt, the Leeds-hailing band, led by frontman David Gedge (read our recent interview with him here), were also hugely influential within the C86 scene, the specific genre of rock characterized by jangling guitars and power pop song structures. Closer to home, the band has had a huge impact on the music scene in China, particularly Boring Productions down in Shenzhen, whose roster of bands evoke C86’s glory days. They roll through Beijing tonight alongside Shenzhen indie-pop outfit Atta Girl. RMB 280

Crocodelia (TW), Underdog at Yue Space
Taiwan retro psychedelic band Crocodelia return to Beijing with their dangerously sexy psychedelic music often described as the perfect blend of The Electric Prunes, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, and Black Sabbath in the 1960s. Chock-full of vivid Middle Eastern psychedelic colors they also are able to capture the traditional cultural music of India, Turkey, Egypt, and other regions all the while keeping the mood as lively and deviant as a Tarantino flick. Support from ska-punk favorites Underdog, who’ll drop their new album in the coming weeks. RMB 120

Theory of Convergence, Swarrm at DDC 
Shanghai power rock group Theory of Convergence seemingly popped out of nowhere last month with their debut Default Beings on newly formed label Merrier Records. The heavy rock throwbacks, who have been around since 2014, relish in furious guitar riffs, airtight rhythm sections, and bewitching vocal melodies, equally comfortable tearing into a spine-tingling breakdown or injecting a dusty country twang into their diverse sound palette. Catch the band leave it all on stage as they swing through DDC with support from our own post-metal instrumental monsters Swarrm. FREE

Twinkle Star, Finger Family, Laisee at School
Over the past few summers, School Bar has taken a handful of bands to Japan's Summer Sonic Festival to play to the masses. In honor of next month's festival, tonight three veterans from Summer Sonic will gather for an explosive night of rock 'n' roll including female-fronted pop-punkers (fresh off a sold-out spring tour) Finger Family, freestyle hardcore kids Laisee, and emo powerpop outfit Twinkle Star, who are fronted by New Pants bassist Zhao Meng. RMB 120

Flowers of Fire at Jianghu Bar
Dwelling in the intersection of different music genres, Flowers of Fire is a new band with an old history. The supergroup, consisting of four veterans musicians from three continents including Ajinai horse-head fiddle player Hugejiletu, fuses together their diverse and rich backgrounds and styles to create something fresh and unique – transcendent grassland music with an electronic edge and a psychedelic gloss. RMB 70

Mimik Banka, Hu Xiao Chun at Mogu Space
Mimik Banka (formerly 16 mins), the shape-shifting alternative rock quartet whose genre-bending contemporary style has made them one of the scenes most unique groups, unplug for the evening over in Xizhimen alongside up and coming indie rock outfit Hu Xiao Chun. FREE 

Ephemerality, Dengel, Polarize, Nightingale at Temple
The 330 Metal Fest returns to Temple to stir up trouble and warm those idle bones as four local metal bands wreak havoc and unleash their brutal power and riffs upon hungry audiences including melodic death metal band Ephemerality, goth metallers Dengel, J-metal renegades Polarize, and more. FREE

Luka, Li Eryang, YU at Caravan 
Ethnic music crossed with reggae and electronica, catch Hong Kong didgeridoo musician Luka join local psychedelic-infused guitarist and singer Li Eryang and fellow instrumentalist YU for an evening of mind-expanding soundscapes. FREE

Nancy Harms at Blue Note 
East Coast jazz vocalist Nancy Harms discovered jazz while attending Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. After returning home and teaching elementary music, she decided that jazz was her passion and has been pursuing it ever since, first in the Twin Cities and then with albums that have received accolades from NPR, the New York Times, and other major jazz publications. RMB 100-260

Djang San at Modernista 
East-meets-West fusionist and veteran show stopper Djang San – a jack of trades including ‘zhongruan player, philosopher, poet, composer, guitar hero, DJ, one-man orchestra, and explorer of new sounds’ – gets the band together for some buck wild fun at Modernista as they release their latest album Straight Lines and Circles. FREE 

WHAI at Soi Baochao
Everyone’s favorite prog-rock group WHAI, who have been going strong since 2012, and who have committed themselves to their heavy, offbeat brand of psychedelic rock and roll find refuge in the cozy hutong spot. FREE

Xiao Bing Chih (TW), Guai Shou at Mao Livehouse
Taiwanese Mandopop singer Xiao Bing Chih brings his reassuring pop sensibilities and radio-friendly voice to the masses this evening at Mao Livehouse alongside supporting guest Mayday guitarist and singer Guai Shou. RMB 290

BUA Seven at Pink Moon
The BUA Seven guitar club, whose motto is “we are abstract singers in the sense that we abstract,” get down and jiggy at Pink Moon this evening. FREE 

Bai Yuxin, Sun Fanya, Li Yiran, Zhao Yinfei at 69 Café 
Changping’s 69 Café kicks off a three-day festival of unplugged folk sets from an array of aspiring singer-songwriters. FREE 

Saturday, Jul 13

Womb (NZ), Strange Stains (NZ), Guiguisuisui at DDC 
Wellington, New Zealand’s finest stroll through Beijing, giving audiences a taste of their robust underground music scene. On the bill are Womb - a three-piece ethereal-wave band made up of three siblings who gracefully toe the line between dream pop and grounded alt-folk, capturing listeners with swirling synthesizers, tenderly plucked guitars, otherworldly singing, a lo-fi sensitivity, and a psychedelic undertow. Joining them is producer, singer, visual artist, and designer Strange Stains AKA the “Bogan Madonna of New Zealand,” whose luscious industrial-pop soundscapes are a thing to behold. Local support from the genre-bending gothic art-punk duo Guiguisuisui. Read our recent interview with Womb's lead singer Charlotte Forrester here. RMB 100

Funky, Buyi, Li Huizhen, Luan Shu, Zhang Zhang, Tianduan Xiang at Omni Space
Get funky at Omni Space with the veteran Japanese madman drummer Funky. The legendary percussionist turns 60 this year and instead of putting down the sticks, he’s throwing a grand ol’ bash inviting tons of friends and special guests to help him celebrate, including Ningxia folk-rock favorites Buyi (whom Funky has been drumming for quite some time), pop singer-songwriter Li Huizhen, Luan Shu, Zhang Zhang, Tianduan Xiang, Yang Yang, and more. RMB 160 

UNIT, Pizza Face, m0tt at Temple
Saturday gets downright combustible with this napalm strike of rock and roll featuring noise-punk firecrackers UNIT, whose swift, sharp, and devilishly electrifying mayhem is sure to have the crowd jumping around with infectious glee. In on the fun are Pizza Face, a Molotov cocktail of delectable attitude and nasty charm who'll keep the pogoing going, as well as Shenzhen’s m0tt, who take the ethos of post-hardcore oddballs like the Minutemen mixed with a dash of grunge godfather Neil Young and his slacker rock successors. FREE 

Oldy Baby, Led Baron, SHAS, DJ Boss Cuts at School 
Get ready for a wild evening of rock 'n' roll with some of Beijing's unhinged characters. Gracing the stage are the always riotously reliable Americana garage punk trio Oldy Baby, loopy sludge rock renegades SHAS (aka Stinky Humans Abuse To Subsist), and Led Zeppelin tribute act Led Baron. If that wasn’t enough, DJ Boss Cuts is set to take you late into the evening. RMB 50

Tamashi Gumi, Fresh Jah, DiDi, 11, lee at Mao Livehouse
Soul hip-hop collective Tamashi Gumi, consisting of six young Beijingers with an affinity for soulful old school hip-hop (its members include Zensoul, AlphaSoul, Fresh Jah, Stan PB, iChaz, eZ Yang Fizz) throw down in Wukesong as the impassioned gang release their debut album with the help of special guests 11, lee, Fresh Jah, DiDi, and more. RMB 150

Dio, Rawhx van Marley, Swavy, DJ Sowl, DJ Shoo at Caravan
On Saturday, the ‘Pens Down’ party looks to turn Caravan loose with an evening of righteous hip-hop and afrobeat galore from Tanzanian singer Dio, Zambian dancehall reggae hip-hop artist Rawhx van Marley, and East Londoner Swavy. FREE

Arian at fRUITYSPACE
The Syrian-taught oud player Arian has performed all around the world and now heads to the basement hangout fRUITYSPACE, bringing with him a set of Kurdish, Persian, and Arabic folk songs. RMB 60

Tavey Lean and The Solid Gold Dream Machine at AC Life (Solona)
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 the Solona lakeside for a breezy evening of knee-slapping good tunes. FREE

Spirit Rebellious, DJ Bullot at Soi Baochao
Soi Baochao continues its lively elastic evenings of riotous fun in check as they host Spirit Rebellious, led by Ugandan singer Saso and afrobeat dancehall renegade DJ Bullot. FREE

Flow Fluence at Jianghu Bar 
Founded in 2018 and conducted by Yang Ming, Flow Fluence’s is big band done right with 21 highly skilled jazz musicians who dive into swing, Latin, funk, pop, and smooth jazz with precision and confidence. RMB 120 

The Jimmy Bruno Trio at Blue Note 
The Philadelphia master jazz guitarist and jazz educator, one of the most critically acclaimed jazz guitarists performing today, has had a storied career as a sought-after commercial guitarist and session musician. RMB 90-260

V89 at Mogu Space
Melodic hard rock outfit V89 who have been kicking around for some time now, bring their charm and chops to Xizhimen for a special showcase. FREE

Bye Bye Kitty at Modernista
Beijing's most "clutch" '90s grunge rock cover band with a setlist right off the cover of your high school Trapper Keeper, featuring your favorite rock, punk, and grunge tunage from the likes of Nirvana, Blink 182, Red Hot Chili Peppers, No Doubt, and more. FREE

EXCUSE ME at Tango
Mammoth pop-rock duo EXCUSE ME whose slogan is ‘Dreaming Money Music Lives’ are as cookie-cutter as they come – an electronic-backing power rock band with little bite but legions of fans. So if that’s up your alley head on over to Tango. RMB 180

Ivan Dorzhiev at La Plantation 
A top flamenco guitarist and exceptional musician who is redefining what is possible on and for the instrument, the prize winner currently performs all around concert halls of Russia and abroad. RMB 200

Steve Blaque, John at Pink Moon
American artist and producer Steve Blaque, who played formerly in the genre-bending rock band The Radiance, joins friends tonight. FREE

Sunday, Jul 14

M0tt, The Playcat, Sardine is Back and the Wheel is Broken at DDC
Shenzhen’s m0tt takes the ethos of post-hardcore oddballs like the Minutemen and puts a new spin on it with a distorted dash of grunge godfather Neil Young and his slacker rock successors. The band is a rock and roll atom splintered into countless jaded parts – from ramshackle Pixies to the snappy jitteriness of the B-52s – crafting a sound that’s scrappy and endearing in the best possible way. Before the band calls it quits, they’re looking to tear Beijing a new one with a farewell set at DDC alongside Baoding noise rock ruffians The Playcat and improv rock scoundrels Sardine is Back. RMB 80

Pure, Drunkard, Polarize, Mind Walker in Rye at School
Local promoters Rock Bros are back with Volume 5 of their Sunday night "Late Night Study" series at School Bar. On the bill are female-fronted grungy rock 'n' rollers Pure, fellow grunge outfit Drunkard, metal dudes Polarize, and rounding out the diverse line-up pop-punkers Mind Walker in Rye. RMB 60

Madame and the Houseguests at Yue Space
Madame and the Houseguests, an outfit that blends rock, folk, and psychedelia with bushes of flamenco, world music, and tender traditional sounds swing through Yue Space as part of their nationwide tour. RMB 120

Liao Juntao at Tango 
Indie pop singer-songwriter Liao Juntao, whose tender, bubbly, and radio-ready jams toe line between sugar-coated and heart-warming, bring his adorable self to Tango as he releases his new album Biting a Half of the Apple. Cute. RMB 280

The Jimmy Bruno Trio at Blue Note 
The Philadelphia master jazz guitarist and jazz educator, one of the most critically acclaimed jazz guitarists performing today, has had a storied career as a sought-after commercial guitarist and session musician. RMB 90-260

Anzhe Zuo Cello Trio at La Plantation 
Anzhe Zuo is recognized across the world as a cellist and artist of a unique quality, known as her broad and deep creation. Her artistic quality develops not only as a musician but also as an abstract painter and a composer. RMB 200

Satoshi Kataoka Trio at Modernista
Satoshi Kataoka is a guitarist, composer, and arranger living in New York City. He attended the Jazz Performance program at The City College of New York where he studied with world acknowledged musicians like John Patittuci, Mike Holober, Scott Reeves, and many others. Catch his trio at Modernista tonight. FREE 

Wu Zhangfa, Idiot at Jianghu Bar
Crossing-talking folk-rock outfit Idiot brings their modern take on the classic genre alongside world music group Wu Zhangfa who use the guqin and other traditional instruments to explore new sounds. FREE 

Aaron, Holyn at Pink Moon
Holyn joins fellow singer-songwriter Aaron for some acoustic tender loving tonight. FREE

Jin Touzi, Yu Lianbo, Lai Yuanbo, Ceng Tianfu Mei at 69 Café 
Changping’s 69 Café finishes off a three-day festival of unplugged folk sets from an array of aspiring singer-songwriters. FREE 

Many gigs, much nightlife – see all the latter, right here.

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of event organizers