Noise Pollution: Gang of Four, Múm, Long Shen Dao, Struggle Session, Noise Arcade, Theo Croker

November is not letting up, folks! The audacity of the scene here befuddles me sometimes. There’s simply too much going on. My advice: throw on a blindfold and walk across Gulou – when you begin to hear something to your liking, just follow your ears to glory. From ground-breaking punk rock to heroic indie rock – it’s a field day for music lovers this weekend. 

Friday, Nov 22

Gang of Four (UK) at Tango 
Punk legends Gang of Four – who originally formed in 1977 – and arguably one of the most influential acts in the past three decades, returns to the capital to perform their seminal, debut album Entertainment! in its entirety (more on that here) – a ‘sonically abrasive, socially incisive, and unabashedly radical Molotov cocktail that leaves nothing on the dancefloor. Support from deviant new wave disco-punk outfit Hardcore Raver in Tears, led by Lu Di of AV Okubo. RMB 280

MFMachine, The Claptraps, lost memory machine, Strawberry Papa at DDC 
The cutest hippest freshest cassette label in town – Nugget Records – are back with their latest offering of lo-fi delights as they release synth-pop fused psych-rockers MFMachine’s debut EP with some help from label buds reverb-heavy noise rockers The Claptraps, lo-fi electro-pop duo lost memory machine and young beatmaker Strawberry Papa. Expect high-hued fun deep into the evening. RMB 80

Huzun, Shen Xiu, The Foreigners, Luka, Li Eryang at School
Evoking the romance and splendor of the traditional Chinese landscapes - think the ones envisioned in scroll paintings - Beijing’s Huzun bring majestic allure to those images on their sweeping debut ShanXing. A majestic concoction of Xinjiang folk traditions, post-rock grandeur, and transcendent ambient music – Beijing’s Huzun, release their debut EP Shanxing tonight – evoking the romance and splendor of the Chinese landscape. Joining them are up and coming shoegaze emo act Shen Xiu, psychedelic world musicians Li Eryang and Luka, as well as Guangzhou Britpop act The Foreigners. RMB 100 

Twinkle Star, Steely Heart, Candy Monster, Pacalolo, RWF, Dirty Moon, Fire Balloon at Yue Space
MIDI School – which has been educating new generations of rockers since the early 2000s, celebrate fifteen years with a banger of a showcase. On the docket are emo pop-punk veterans Twinkle Star, electro-rock stalwarts Steely Heart, known for their surly, anthemic and incredibly catchy tunes, doo-wop favorites Candy Monster, quirky electro-pop duo Pacalolo, punks RWF, Dirty Moon, and Fire Balloon. RMB 150

Shining Dimensions Vol. 10 at Aotu Studio 
Shining Dimensions – the new series curated by Guiguisuisui and Aotu Space that aims to create an intersection between different dimensions of creativity hits its tenth volume, under the theme of “inner visions” curated in collaboration with Daniel Rothwell, which looks to reach to confer with a higher plane of thought and existence, perceived through deep introspection via visuals, soundscapes, poetry, beats, and then some, courtesy of Daniel Rothwell, Alphabetes, Guiguisuisui, Jukka Ahonen, Anthony Tao, Liane Halton, David Moser, Monique van Zyl and Brendan McCumstie. RMB 50

Chao’s Blade, Oathkeeper, Anduril, Lethe 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 thrash metal outfit Chao’s Blade, melodic death metal group Oathkeeper, and more. FREE

Sandee Chan at Omni Space 
One of the biggest female musicians in the indie-pop world, the Taiwanese record producer and songwriter, known as the "Queen of the Golden Melody" and "Queen of Chinese Independent Music," Sandee Chan is a jack of all trades. She’s in town promoting her newest album which plans to blur the boundaries between fashion and music. RMB 580

Wen Liang, Microhate, Kaize, INKY NO at FLOSO 
FLOSO celebrates IDM – intelligent digital music – with a weekend of lectures and workshops – showcasing the forward-thinking genre with an affinity for skewed BPM and offbeat textures. Day one will feature a live set from producer Wen Liang as well as DJ sets from other – plus, a workshop on the music of Aphex Twin. 3pm start. FREE     

Led Barons at Soi Baochao 
Led Barons is a Led Zeppelin tribute project formed by four musicians of the Beijing scene with the intent of bringing to the stage classic tunes by one of rock 'n' roll's biggest bands and delivering a raw, hard-rocking spectacle worthy of the legendary group. RMB 80 

The Great Buffalo Blues at Jianghu Bar 
The electric four-piece band that explores funk, blues, soul, and reggae are back at Jianghu with their unique musical style that’s unlike anything else. RMB 60

Templo do Samba at Modernista
Templo do Samba has been promoting Brazilian music culture in China, growing from a handful of people to a full-blown group of samba professionals with over 55 active members. Catch the drum ensemble this evening. FREE

Theo Croker at Blue Note 
American jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, and vocalist Theo Croker - a three-time Echo Award nominee with five studio releases swings through Blue Note with the support of vocalist Malaya Watson. RMB 260-360

The Balcony at Mogu Space
Hailing from Derbyshire and London in the UK, The Balcony brings a mix of acoustic covers and originals to Mogu Space for a special unplugged performance. FREE

Saturday, Nov 23

Long Shen Dao, Struggle Session x Spill Your Guts, Xiao Wang, Strike on the South Wall, Rotcult at Temple 
A barn-burner of a gig that’ll have your grandma running for cover – everyone’s favorite fastcore ruffians Struggle Session are back, this time teaming up Mighty Morphin Power Ranger style with Shanghai hardcore piledrivers Spill Your Guts. If that wasn’t enough Eastern-style reggae legends Long Shen Dao – considered by many as “China‘s first authentic reggae band” are on hand, giving a rare performance that’s not in front of a crowd of a thousand festivalgoers. Rounding out the bill are Xiao Wang, Strike on the South Wall, and Rotcult. So yeah, long night over at Temple. FREE 

Aero Boat, Candy Monster, The Foreigners, The Hotline, Brickleberry, η!ETA! at School
School Bar goes back to its roots with Volume 15 of its "Bad Education" series. Set to provide the entertainment are Aero Boat – who drift between electronic and rock and features Zhan Pan from The Gar, Li Nan from Da Bang, and Wang Jinghan from Queen Sea Big Shark. Joining them are female-fronted doo-wop foursome Candy Monster, rising Guangzhou Britpop stars The Foreigners, electro-rockers The Hotline, disco punks Brickleberry, and funky soul rockers n!ETA! RMB 80 (ladies free)

Noise Arcade, Solent, Ophélie, Li Eryang, Mountain Mausoleum at Soi Baochao 
A delirious cocktail of ambient music, drones, acid techno, world music, and fusion pop rubbing shoulders with psychedelic visuals, photography, eye-popping cartoons, and skewed VJ work - everyone’s getting in on the musician/artist team-ups and I can’t complain. Music courtesy of ambient world-building Solent, pedal cat lady Noise Arcade, psych guitar smith Li Eryang, sweeping pop singer Ophélie, and world music group Mountain Mausoleum. RMB 30

Nine Treasures, Los Crasher, Purgatory, Nower, Laisee, SAW, Dark Haze at Omni Space
A treasure trove of metal, hardcore and hard rock today over at Omni Space – as some of the scenes finest converge including grassland metal favorites from Nine Treasures, whose Inner Mongolian throat singing thrashers whose Metallic with an erhu twist has ignited crowds for years. Also on the bill are symphonic dark metal outfit Dark Haze, old school metal troupe S.A.W, tight-jeaned '80s hair rockers Los Crasher, and more. RMB 180

fatsKINI 1.28 Anniversary at Fruityspace
Continuing on the above theme, Beijing's newest party organizers "fatsKINI" have mobilized over twenty offbeat characters – videographers to bedroom musicians; from hardcore dance DJs to live-painting VJs – for an evening of interactive media looking to hijack all your senses at once. 7.30pm start. RMB 67

Lost in Summer, Pray Unholy, Recluse Buddha, FOTH, Duskystar at Yue Space 
A renegade mix of emo, hardcore, thrash, and metal with some of the finest – including rising deathcore band Duskystar, Tianjin electro-core outfit Lost in Summer, Hohhot-based metalcore act Recluse Buddha (love the name), Qingdao metal welders Filling out the Hope, and more. RMB 100

3He, Qi Er, Darcy, SHI JIE at FLOSO 
FLOSO celebrates IDM – intelligent digital music – with a weekend of lectures, workshops and showcases – showcasing the forward-thinking genre with an affinity for skewed BPM and offbeat textures. Day one will feature a live set from Chengdu producer 3He as well as DJ sets from others – plus, a workshop on the music from Warp Records’ ‘Artificial Intelligence series. 3pm start. FREE     

The Base Vol. 2 at DDC 
Roll through DDC for an all-star hip-hop lineup on tonight as a swarm of MCs, including DEV-OGKM, Phunkyfeel, W-Shine7, Brotha Hood, c-low, Sean ZH, Lil Rong, White Crane and Chen take over the mic. RMB 100

Wu Zhuoling, Demone, Wen Liang, Angry5JaR at CHAO 
Lucid Dream is a series curated by Modern Sky and CHAO that looks to take a deep dive into ambient music – presenting a unique evening where music and meditation and relaxation collide as rising Chengdu electronic producer Wu Zhuoling, whose mix of trip-hop and spine-tingling acid, will sit alongside Beijing’s own Wen Liang and more as audiences stretch back on mattress and soak in the vibes. RMB 168 

Carp Slide at Laifu Livehouse 
Yes, that’s right – Shuangjing’s Laifu Livehouse lives and breathes folks! And while they seem pretty content with sitting on their asses tonight they’ve got the ever-earnest rustic indie rockers Carp Slide, from Zhengzhou, rolling through as apart of their nationwide tour – an ode to melancholy. RMB 120 

Cubanismo at Blue Note
The Mercedes Benz Jazz Masters Series brings the fire of a Havana dancefloor to the stage for a tribute to Ruben Gonzalez and Benny More. Led by Jesús Alemañy, the trumpeter for the legendary group Sierra Maestra, Cubanismo has released seven albums and toured more than 50 countries. RMB 280-380

Neon Garden, Rosewood Bullet at Mao Livehouse 
Up and coming Britpop infused rock and rollers Neon Garden, hailing from Chongqing as part of their But I Love You tour. Praised for their authenticity and “rock spirit” they’ll be supported by Beijing’s own old school rockers Rosewood Bullet. RMB 100

Mademoiselle et Son Orchestre at The Bricks
Mademoiselle et son Orchestre returns to Sanlitun for some foot-tapping fun. The premier gypsy jazz outfit has been igniting crowds left and right for endless years – a true joy to behold. FREE

The Spice Cabinet at Modernista
Come enjoy some pop-turned-jazz or jazz-turned-bad, or hyper-horned-hit-charted-jazz lost in the punch line. Never miss a Spice Cabinet show, because you never know what can go right! You have been warned. FREE

Liu Donghong & Sand at Mogu Space 
Liu Donghong, dusty blues singer of Sand, China’s first ‘cold rock’ band, and a scene player for over 20 years brings his band over to Xizhimen for some tender rock and roll. RMB 80

Zhang Qianqian at 69 Cafe
Veteran sing-songwriter Zhang Qianqian, a staple of the folk scene since her debut in 1996, gives a special showcase at Changping’s 69 Café. FREE

Zhao Xuyang, Fu Yingjuan at La Plantation 
Two cellists, both apart of the ECS Ensemble, strut their stuff and intertwine their lush strings tonight at La Plantation. RMB 200

Sunday, Nov 24

Múm (Iceland) at Omni Space 
Legendary Icelandic indie electronica group múm return to China celebrating the 20th year their groundbreaking album Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today is OK. Widely praised for seductive amalgamation of left-field electronica and lush acoustic instrumentation, múm’s capability to build playful electronic sound-ornaments around simple melodies has ceased to amaze – so expect nothing less than a mesmerizing journey tonight. Read our recent interview with the band here. RMB 220/260

Future Orients, The Beauty, Fancy Wall, Diagon Alley, Gun Bang Monkey, Heping Lu Bei at Yue Space
In preparation of next season of The Big Band (or something similar because of course everyone is going to get in on that craze) a batch of up and coming bands will be duking it out over at Yue Space including indie dance punks Future Orients (whose new EP is just around the corner), blues-ridden indie-pop magnets The Beauty, indie rockers Fancy Wall and much more. RMB 100

Zhang Qianqian, Fishdoll, Hey!Lily!, Doris, KA, Gong Zijie at MTA Space
Ladies get their due over at MTA Space today as Elec Lady Festival makes its way to Beijing for an afternoon and evening of celebrating pioneering female musicians, entrepreneurs, and creatives including electronic producer and singer Fishdoll, garage punk outfit Hey!Lily!, veteran folk songstress Zhang Qianqian, hip-hop artist KA, indie pop artist Doris, and more. RMB 120 

TRIBALISM3 (FR) at DDC 
French psychedelic jazz trio TRIBALISM3 uses a simple and gliding language - accurate and repetitive. Also being improvisers, they create a diverse musical language around repetitive drums and romantic melodies, crafting its own trance with siren vocals, distorted bass and hammer drums. RMB 80

Left Behind Children, Fire Monkey, The Foreigners at School 
Left Behind Children unleash their catalog of pummeling hits with a special showcase show they have dubbed "What is Metal?!?" Opening the night are fellow metal affectionates Fire Monkey, as well as rising Britpop stars out of Guangzhou – The Foreigners – who if you’ve been following are finishing their five-day residency at School Bar. RBM 100

Ma Ke Tu Zhou, Mountain Mausoleum at Jianghu Bar
Poet, literary critic, avant-garde folk rock singer and head of the May Fourth Poetry Society of Peking University, Ma Ke Tu Zhou has released countless albums and will be performing tonight on Jianghu Bar alongside world music group Mountain Mausoleum. RMB 90

Maayan Smith Quartet at Modernista
Touring Israelian saxophonist Maayan Smith looks to delight with his soulful jazz and lyrical improvisation along with Victor Bastidas on drums, Simone Schirru on guitar and Jongmoon Park on bass!

RoOom at La Plantation
RoOom is a jazz trio led by Italian guitarist Simone Schirru – a meeting of three eclectic and original personalities that are brimming with the wonderfulness of international experiences. RMB 200

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

BUA Seven at 69 Cafe
The BUA Seven guitar club whose motto is “We are abstract singers in the sense that we abstract” get down and jiggy at 69 Cafe this evening. FREE

Want to cut a rug instead? Don't miss these nightlife events.

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of organizers