Noise Pollution: Chon, Milkymoon, Wood Pushing Melon, LANY, Peking Floyd, Defecate Indiscriminately

Will Griffith | Aug 2, 2019 10:15 am | Add a comment | 184 reads

While it may feel like the scene is grinding to halt to cool down and regain its exposure, in Beijing that means diddly-squat. The restless don’t rest, and live music will continue to fill the humid air – whether it is legendary avant-garde rockers or high school-aged dream poppers – and keep our senses ignited. So let’s jump into it!

Friday, Aug 2

Chon (US) at Omni Space
Since its inception in San Diego, California in 2008, the progressive instrumental math-rock outfit CHON, consisting of guitarist Mario Camarena, Erick Hansel, and drummer Nathan Camarena, have slowly risen through the ranks over the years. This year, with the release of their third LP, the band solidified their forward-thinking take on a breezy blend of dovetailing guitar patterns and vigorously innovative rhythms. Believe the hype over at Omni Space. RMB 260

Milkymoon, Summer Vapour at School
Formed by a young group of friends in the south of China who discovered each other on account of their shared love of rock and roll, Milkymoon are a delirious blend of wispy psychedelic dream pop and saw-toothed twee punk that at times feels more like a collage of temperaments and ideas, embodying the fleeting adolescent minds behind it. They close out their summer quest for ‘noise’ tonight at School Bar alongside up-and-coming dream pop outfit Summer Vapour. Read our recent interview with lead singer of Milkymoon here. RMB 70

UNIT, Haze Maze, Ren Zhi and Social Poetry at DDC
Indulge in this napalm strike of rock and roll tonight as noise-punk firecrackers UNIT, whose swift, sharp, and devilishly electrifying mayhem is highly combustible, joins all-star ensemble prog-rockers Haze Maze, known for their intricately assembled and melodically infectious tunes, and the always-reliable funk hip-hop troupe Ren Zhi and Social Poetry. RMB 70

Wireless Puppet, Late Spring, Evil Man, Updraft, Borrowing Sound at 13 Club
Wudaokou rock and roll ground zero – 13 Club – keeps the mood rambunctious as summer slowly inches its way to the end. Joining the revelry are rising pop-punks stars Wireless Puppet, indie rockers Late Spring, rock and roll pranksters Evil Man, Chengde punk outfit Updraft, and black metal outfit Borrowing sounds. RMB 80

Djang San, The Reprobates at Temple
East-meets-West fusionist and veteran show stopper Djang San – a jack of all trades, including "zhongruan player, philosopher, poet, composer, guitar hero, DJ, one-man orchestra, and explorer of new sounds" bring their buck-wild tunes to Temple as they celebrate their latest (three) releases with a little help from grunge rockers The Reprobates. FREE

The Vincent Herring Quartet at Blue Note
Widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost voices on alto saxophone, Vincent Herring has earned his spot in the jazz pantheon playing alongside legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, and Freddie Hubbard. Herring’s playing and writing express a deep understanding of the blues and straight-ahead bop, but can easily shift gears to a no-holds-barred burnout. RMB 200-280

Steve Blaque, Ji Ri and Gossip at Pink Moon
American producer and singer-songwriter Steve Blaque joins John Haba and more for a freewheelin’ good time at Pink Moon. FREE

Slow Blues at Mogu Space
Jazz, blues, rock outfit Slow Blues pay tribute whose improvisational streak injects their performances with a vitality pay tribute to Neil Young and more tonight. FREE

Saturday, Aug 3

Wood Pushing Melon, Jajatao at Yue Space
Once described as "the most disturbing sound of Chinese rock," the rock supergroup Wood Pushing Melon are back with their new album Peacock. Originally formed in 1998 in Jilin's Changchun under Song Yuzhe, Zhang Fangze, Chen Chuangyuan, and Li Dan, all accomplished musicians in their respected fields, the band disbanded for some time in the 2000s before returning in 2016, garnering cult-like status in the process. Feverish, manic, unhinged, and hot-blooded – it’s pure unadulterated punk disguised as progressive art-rock helmed by some truly groundbreaking artists operating in the ether sphere of Chinese rock and roll. RMB

The Hotline, Ghetto Blaster, CherryMor, Labor Glory, Kenja Time at School
Celebrate Chinese Valentine's Day with a madcap rock and roll fest that’ll satisfy (and perhaps help you find your match) you disgruntled singles out there. Keeping the tunes lively and upbeat will be electro-indie rockers The Hotline, bombastic bluesy rockers Ghetto Blaster, female-fronted pop-punkers CherryMor, unhinged ultras punks Labor Glory, and post-punk troublemakers Kenja Time. RMB 100

Ren Zhi and Social Poetry, Bad Clutch at Temple
Hip-hop mogul and his funk supergroup Ren Zhi and Social Poetry, bring their jazzy fury to Temple Bar alongside metal punks Bad Clutch for an evening of hard-hitting tunes that are bound to scratch every musical genre itch. FREE

LANY (US) at Tango
Los Angeles-based American indie pop group LANY – the brainchild of Paul Jason Klein, Charles Leslie "Les" Priest, and Jake Clifford Goss – bring their Billboard Chart-topping hits to Tango. Since releasing their debut album in 2017, they’ve been dominating the airwaves and have toured with John Mayer, Halsey, and Ellie Goulding since then. RMB 550

The Aaron Goldberg Trio at Blue Note
Hailed by Down Beat magazine for his “quick-witted harmonic reflexes, fluid command of line and cut-to-the-chase sense of narrative logic,” Aaron Goldberg has made his name worldwide as one of jazz’s most compelling pianists, both as a bandleader and frequent collaborator with the finest exponents of the music. RMB 240-340

Prairie, Ophelie, Yuni at Caravan
Caravan gives a toast to all the female musicians who make up the capital with a singer-songwriter night dedicated to a trio of ladies who kick all sorts of butt including American Prairie – "a cowgirl masquerading as a hippie masquerading as a jazz singer masquerading as an observer in the corner," soulful French singer Ophelie, and Belgian artist Yuni. FREE

Peking Floyd at DDC
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. While staying true to the original structure, Peking Floyd prides itself on emulating the live performances of 1970s Pink Floyd when they were at their peak of improvisation and psychedelic jamming. RMB 60

Led Barons at Soi Baochao
If you're more of a Led Zep fan, you'll prefer Led Barons' tribute act. These four Beijing musicians are intent on delivering all of the classic tunes by one of rock 'n' roll's biggest bands in a spectacle worthy of the legendary group. FREE

Zhuzi Jie at Jianghu Bar
Guangzhou singer-songwriter, who music evokes everyone from Woody Guthrie to Neil Young, brings his folksy tunes full of wandering spirit and metaphoric doubt to the cozy Jianghu Bar as the artist continues his nationwide tour. 7pm start. FREE

Licy Jones, Hu Xiaochun at Mogu Space
Alongside Pink Moon and 69 Café, Mogu Space in Xizhimen will live stream the finale of The Big Band show accompanied by performances from Britpop singer-songwriter Licy Jones who dips his toes into dream pop from time to time, and folksy rock outfit Nu Xiaochun. FREE

Y.Z.H at Mao Livehouse
After breaking out after the second season of China’s The Voice, Yan Zehuan has garnered a new legion of fans ready to lap up his tender, albeit more Mandopop-tinged tunes. RMB 200

Latin Rockers at Modernista
Let loose and enjoy the weekend by paying tribute to the very best of '80s Latin pop – as Latin Rockers (yes, that’s their name) help you dance the night away to favorites like Soda Stereo, Mana, and La Mosca. FREE

Sunday, Aug 4

Defecate Indiscriminately, Wireless Puppet, That What at School
Hardcore punk outfit Defecate Indiscriminately, who win this weekend purely for the name alone, celebrate the release of their debut EP with the help of riotous friends and pop-punkers Wireless Puppets (fresh off their latest release as well) and folk-punk trio That What. RMB 66

AMnesiac at Mao Livehouse
Chengdu post-rockers AMnesiac swing through Wukesong in support of their new album Nice to Meet You. Heavily influenced by Radiohead (it's all in the name), they’ve attracted a fair bit of attention in China’s post-rock circles, and even had their album produced by European juggernauts pg.Lost. Good company. RMB 120

Samokhin (Poland) at Jianghu Bar
Get your dose of Eastern European folk music spliced with jazz, funk, and ska as Polish trio Samokhin roll through the cozy Jianghu Bar with their fusion jazz tunes, which incorporates two trumpets and a Kazakh sensibility. RMB 80

The Wilderness Reggae Guide, NiL at Temple
Reggae outfit keeps the vibe going this Sunday with the help of psychedelic grunge ruffians NiL, who impressed me mightily last month. FREE

Satellite Quartet at DDC
Japanese guitarist, composer, and arranger Satoshi Katoka leads the Satellite Quartet – joined by alto saxophonist Nathaniel Gao, bassist Charlie Wang, and drummer Antonio Fusco for a breezy Sunday night of jazz. RMB 60

The Aaron Goldberg Trio at Blue Note
Hailed by Down Beat magazine for his “quick-witted harmonic reflexes, fluid command of line and cut-to-the-chase sense of narrative logic,” Aaron Goldberg has made his name worldwide as one of jazz’s most compelling pianists, both as a bandleader and frequent collaborator with the finest exponents of the music. RMB 240-340

RMB3 Jazz Trio at Modernista
Dig into the groovy jazz sound of RMB3 jazz trio, comprised of guitarist Ben Kalman, Feng Wei on organ and Liu Ziyi on drums, whose mix of jazz and soul blends together improvisation and groove, putting a modern twist on a classic sound. FREE