Noise Pollution: LBM Farewell Shows, Drink the Bar Dry at School, Straight Fire Gang

Yahoo! Live music across the city kicks off its last weekend before the year of the rat – and a new cycle. That means new beginnings, new endings, and a chance to take on new opportunities. But before we get our panties in a bunch, the pig wants to throw down the gauntlet with one last weekend of gigs. And believe me when I say it’s gonna be a wild one. 

Friday, Jan 17

Run Run Run, SNSOS, Last Goodbye, thruoutin, Guiguisuisui at DDC 
Live Beijing Music throws a goodbye party at none other than DDC this weekend with a three-course meal offering up some of our favorite acts, bands, and artists who have shaped LBM over the years. Night one keeps things atmospheric and tense with four diverse acts with a penchant for instrumental playfulness, occult mind-trips, dreamy soundscapes, and dance floor-throbbing electronica, including math rock-infused instrumental rockers SNSOS, glistening dream-pop groovers Last Goodbye, humid instrumental psychedelic soundscapers Run Run Run, renegade art-rock synth-doom duo, and veteran electronic producer and both dance floor ripper thruoutin. Read more about what to expect here. 9pm. RMB 100

Straight Fire Gang, Simba, Erioe, 11 at Mao Livehouse 
Hip-hop goes full throttle tonight in Wuksong as some of the scene’s most authentic acts team up including Straight Fire Gang, made up of Feezy, XZT, and Ziiga – a motley crew of Shanghai and Hangzhou natives who studied abroad in the US and bonded over their mutual love of hip-hop. They join the jazzy, fluid, and sensual old school hip-hop magnet ERIOE, as well as Simba and 11. RMB 240

Pizza Face, The Flick, Air Sex at Temple 
Red-hot garage punk ruffians Pizza Face whose live performances have made them one of this year’s best new acts, roll through Temple with a vengeance, and along for the ride are two visiting acts looking to stir up trouble – Shanghai-based punk rock trio The Flick and Nantong punk rockers Air Sex. FREE

Shouting Nerd, Jeaqi at School 
Shouting Nerd may have missed out on putting a good name for their band but the punk rock and rollers dressed in indie-pop fur have been having a heck of a year with their debut album attracting quite a lot of attention. Simply put, there’s no denying the melodic charm they bring to their sets and tonight they’re kicking off their nationwide tour. RMB 80 

KCL at Blue Note
KCL, the iconic, genre-bending powerhouse trio led by visionary guitarist Wayne Krantz and featuring drummer Keith Carlock (Steely Dan, Sting, John Mayer) and bassist Tim Lefebvre (Tedeschi Trucks Band, David Bowie), head down to Blue Note this weekend. Over the past two decades, they've developed an original improvisational style inspired in part by the great Miles Davis Quintet and filtered through heavy funk, rock, and electronica instead of straightforward swing. RMB 260-340

Led Barons at Modernista 
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. FREE 

Lucas Martinez Quartet at The Bricks 
Skilled Spanish saxophonist Lucas Martinez has played and recorded with musicians like Gilad Hekselman, Dick Oatts, Ben Van Gelder, Jorge Rossy, and other names that probably are only familiar to jazz geeks. He has also played in several festivals and clubs across Europe and has more than a few awards under his belt. Dude’s a pro – catch him and his quartet in Sanlitun tonight. FREE 

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 80

Takeshi Sakamoto Jazz Quartet at La Plantation 
Takeshi Sakamoto, well-known in her native Japan and a member of the band T.S.O.P, rounds up a troupe of talented musicians with a knack for jazz chords, funk, RnB, neo-soul, post-rock taking inspiration from a variety of styles. RMB 200 

Cui Longyang at 69 Café
Acoustics wonders and other goodies at Changping’s 69 Café as singer-songwriter Cui Longyang goes solo this evening. RMB 60 

Saturday, Jan 18

LST, Cherry Puff, sourtower, Noise Arcade at DDC 
Rising lo-fi cassette label Nugget Record joins Live Beijing Music for an afternoon independent music fair. Besides a swarm of local independent vendors and labels selling tapes, vinyl, CDs and zines, the afternoon shindig at DDC will also play host to an array of acts looking to keep folks moving, including upcoming cold wave electro grooving duo sourtower, up-and-coming indie rockers Cherry Puff, (formerly Polly Don’t Drink), electronic drone soundscapers Noise Aracde, and LST, the sizzling electronic solo project from Li Nan, of Aeroboat and Da Bang. Read more about what to expect here. 2pm. RMB 60

Backspace, Deadly Cradle Death, UNIT, Floating in the Mist, Bye Bye Fish at DDC 
Then later in the day, Live Beijing Music will throw a farewell party to end all farewells with a three-course meal of mind-bending music, including some of my favorite bands and artists who have help shape LBM over the years. Night two cranks up the volume to 11 with rip-roaring chords, heady noise rock, punk rock anthems, math-rock bliss, and bass-heavy sensual overload courtesy of the devilishly alluring anti-club duo Deadly Cradle Death, psych-infused noise-rocking scrappers Backspace, Dalian indie rockers Floating in the Mist, avant-garde synth folk duo Bye Bye Fish, and the highly flammable noise-punk outfit UNIT (giving a farewell performance as well). Read more about what to expect here. 9pm. RMB 100

Uncle Bad, Hangnail, Showhand, Day Dream at School 
School Bar throws it’s annual "drink all of our stock left and rock out to music while you’re at it" extravaganza and good gracious does is it look mighty tempting. For only two red Maos, you get full access to the bar for the night. And if that doesn’t tickle your fancy then how about a lineup of the punk scene’s finest including the always delightful Hangnail, pop-punks ruffians Showhand, veteran Oi! punks Uncle Bad, and '70s-invoking rascals Day Dream. RMB 100 (RMB 200 all-you-can-drink)

Wisty Jing Live at Soi Baochao 
Soi Baochao welcomes back the freakiest, danciest, and bloodiest semi-regular variety late-night show within the Second Ring. With Viktor the Entertainer as host and a slew of acts handpicked for their wit and their poise in the heat of battle, things are bound to get wacky pretty darn quick. Complete with bands, gags, and prizes, you know there's mischievousness abound. RMB 32.5

All-4-One at Blue Note
The Grammy Award Winning group All-4-One has found international renown for their beautiful love songs. If you’ve ever lip-synced in the shower to “I Swear,” “I Can Love You Like That,” “So Much In Love,” “ I Turn To You,” etc. then this your lucky weekend. RMB 460 

SeanT, Young G, GG, JiJi at MTA Space
The new swanky MTA Space down by Shilipu welcomes the new wave of hip-hop innovators – or as they put it, playboyz – to the stage. I’m not gonna try to understand the many facets of the rap scene here so head over to check out the fashionable stylings of SeanT, Young G, and more. RMB 150

Hejiaoshou at Omni Space
Rising folk star, Hejiaoshou AKA Professor He, brings his tender voice and songs that paint authentic tales of urban China and its myriad characters from "housewives, skate dogs, party members, AV connoisseurs, marriage emotional counselors, shit artists," and then some tonight at Omni Space.

Liu Donghong at 69 Café
Liu Donghong, dusty blues singer of Sand, China’s first "cold rock" band, and a scene player for over 20 years gives an intimate pre-CNY performance in Changping. FREE

The Mantras at Modernista 
The Mantras, previously known as Parakeet, are back at their favorite place with an eclectic mix of genres, joining friends at Modernista to make us dance away to a fusion of pop and jazz. FREE 

V89 at Mogu Space
Sheng Yichen, the vocalist of melodic hard rock outfit V89, who have been kicking around for some time now, brings his charm and chops to Xizhimen for a special solo outing. FREE

Rena Lei Quartet at Jianghu Bar 
An evening of swing, bossa nova, blues, and ballads as songstress Rena Lei and her merry band of skilled jazz musicians take the stage at the cozy Jianghu Bar. RMB 80

Chen Mengheng, Xie Wei at La Plantation 
Pure Resonance – that’s what’s in store tonight over at the elegant La Plantation as Chen Mengheng and Xie Wei give a special recorder and piano recital covering everything from Weber to Sieg. RMB 200

Sue Wang Quartet at The Bricks 
Sue Wang has worn many faces: bilingual host, musical performer, Gala singer, and now jazz star. Catch the multi-talented artist along with her band at The Bricks. FREE 

Sunday, Jan 19

Null Radio, afkaSHA!, Cloud Choir at DDC 
DDC’s refuses to go quietly into the night as they wrangle up a trio of diverse acts with trouble of their mind, including quirky electro-rock outfit Null Radio, afkaSHA!, the newest incarnation of instrumental prog mavericks SHA!, and experimental drone duo Cloud Choir, whose specialty is slow builds before engulfing you in walls of sound. RMB 70

All-4-One at Blue Note
The Grammy Award Winning group All-4-One has found international renown for their beautiful love songs. If you’ve ever lip-synced in the shower to “I Swear,” “I Can Love You Like That,” “So Much In Love,” “ I Turn To You,” etc. then this your lucky weekend. RMB 460

Lorenzo Buffa Quartet at Modernista 
Modernista closes out the month with visiting Italian bassist Lorenzo Buffa and his quartet, which includes saxophonist Shi Yuji, guitarist Simone Schirru, and drummer Xiao Dou. Get ready for an evening of contemporary and melodic jazz. FREE

READ: As We Say Goodbye to China Music Geek Will Griffith, What's Next for Live Beijing Music?

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the organizers