Noise Pollution: Suliao, Streets Kill Strange Animals, Bie Nao, PizzaFace, and One Of Us

Alright, Beijing, not too shabby. Solid outings in just about every corner of town – from Omni Space holding down the fort over by the Temple of Heaven, places like Cloud Nine in Wangjing looking to get in on the rock and roll action, and Gulou doing what it does best – one righteous live gig after another no matter what your taste is. So spoil yourself this weekend and take in the sights and sounds of Beijing’s righteous and diverse music scene. 

Friday, Nov 20

Suliao 塑料, Kenja Time at School 

Scrappy, earnest, and righteous as ever, Kunming’s Suliao (Plastic) – one of the punk scene’s most riotous live acts at the moment – are back and they’ve got a new LP to share, The New World, out on Maybe Mars. Exploring our modern-day lives and the engulfing tide of alienation, decadence, and hopelessness that comes with it, Suliao paints their tattered worldview with a detached empathy that strikes a line between tenderness and cynicism all the while diving charismatically headfirst into melodically pleasing anthems that propel forward into the unknown future. A mess of sweat, chops, and inebriation that pogos from frantic and surly to mischievous and romantic; from reckless rampaging to slower-paced ballads, it’s punk rock that bleeds from its heart and strikes a nerve. Support from up and coming (and recently signed to Maybe Mars) post-punk band Kenja Time. RMB 80. 8.30pm

Streets Kill Strange Animals街道杀死奇怪的动物, Last Goodbye, Agoraphobia 广场恐惧症 at Omni Space 

Unsung heroes of the underground rock and roll scene, former Beijing post-punk outfit Streets Kill Strange Animals (who have since moved to Nanjing) bring their visceral and turbulent tunes, both endearing and volatile to Omni Space alongside two of Beijing's finest indie rockers, the manic dream-pop rhythm makers Last Goodbye and angsty emo noise-rockers Agoraphobia, both of whom have upped their game considerably over the past year. Should be a heady evening of tightly wound rock and roll that’ll shake you loose. RMB 120/150. 8pm 

The Ravages, A.D.S, SHA! at Cloud Nine 

The ruckus heads over to Wangjing as some of the rock scene’s most mischievous acts seek refuge on Cloud Nine, including newly formed garage trash psych outfit The Ravages (featuring members from Hazemaze, Oldy Baby, Poetry x Music, and Boss Cuts), as well as prog-rock shakers SHA!, and hard rock aficionados A.D.S. 9pm.

 

Hard Candy Revolution硬糖革命, Last Resort 最后一招, A.D.S at Temple

Kick-off the weekend with an evening of razor-edged rock and roll courtesy of hardcore veterans The Last Resort, sultry female-led glam rockers Hard Candy Revolution, and old school hard rock quartet A.D.S (pulling double duty it seems) – a recipe for good times at the always riotous Temple Bar. RMB 50. 9pm

Li Gaoyang Free Jazz Trio 李高阳at fRUITYSPACE

The cozy basement space has been a safe haven for Beijing’s more esoteric musicians looking to stretch their arms, including the jazz scene, as a trio of seasoned performers head down the free jazz rabbit hole including Gaoyang Li, one of the city’s finest saxophonists. Tonight he joins double bass player Hu Hao and percussionist Kevin Gao for an impromptu night of music. RMB 80.  8.30pm

Saturday, Nov 21

SUBS, The Hormones 荷尔蒙小姐, South Acid Mimi 南方酸性咪咪 at Omni Space 

Wooooozy and Jing-A team up once more for Bie Nao, a multi-city romp featuring a trio of acts that absolutely slay. You’ve got South Acid Mimi from Kunming, three ladies with a penchant for tropical synth-drunk hues, proto-new age antics, riot-grrrrl punk attitude, and pulsating electronica that comes off like an arthouse cyberpunk cabaret. Out of Chengdu, there are indie rockers The Hormones, who excel with their robust blend of somber dance-punk and magnetic indie chops, making for tightly wound tunes that simply slap. Riding some buzz from a European tour last year, it will be great to see them in action again. Rounding out the lineup are the "original rabble-rousers" SUBS from Beijing, a band whose DIY punk brand continues to inspire countless acts across China. They’re a jagged blade of conviction and righteousness and an act that’s tailor-made for moshing. RMB 130/180 8.30pm

Accidental Collision 意外冲突, Never Before, Labour Glory 劳动光荣, Uncle Bad 坏叔叔, Return the Truth at School 

Representing the hotpot capital Chongqing, Accidental Collision is punk rock at its purest. No pretensions, no gimmicks – just one cathartic fist-pumping anthem after another that keeps the pace lively and spirits high. Impetuousness in its directness perhaps, but therein lies its charm, wearing its spiked leather (jacket) heart on its sleeve whilst letting the genre bleed into their core. The band swings through School Bar looking to stir up a storm with the help of some of the punk scene’s finest, including stoner metal outfit Never Before, ska punks Uncle Bad, and more. RMB 60/80.  8.30pm

PizzaFace披萨脸, Pylon, Three Stars Mansion 参宿 at Temple

PizzaFace, one of last year’s breakout bands, bring their elastic punk rock antics, full of hardcore hairpin turns and heartfelt sing-a-longs, to Temple Bar alongside two up and comers looking to stir up some trouble – affectionate prog-rock outfit Pylon, who inject neo-soul and pop-punk into their sound and post-rock weavers Three Stars Mansion. A hearty diverse lineup that’ll keep those neurons doing backflips well into the night. RMB 50. 9pm  

Leviathan 利维坦, Duskystar 暗星, Scarlet Horizon 绯色地平线, The Sweet Escape 蜜桃, Forget And Forgive at Yue Space 

The two-night multi-venue showcase, One Of Us, brings the turbulent and often emotional sounds of the metal genre to life with an array of acts from across China – touching on everything from post-core to deathcore. Night one at Yue Space sees Xi’an deathcore giants Leviathan and Shanghai post-core avengers Forget and Forgive. Plus, Beijing deathcore visual kei outfit Scarlet Horizon, emocore kids The Sweet Escape, and more. For those looking to headbang cathartically into the night, this one's for you. RMB 150/180. 7.30pm

Axis Neptune, Jarlath at nugget café 

Indie pop and ambient grooves over at nugget HQ as UK multi-instrumentalist and producer Axis Neptune showcases his genre-spanning sound which utilizes deep grooves, drum machines, live guitars, and electronic elements. Joining him is Jarlath Mulhern, an Irish musician and DJ who combines a love for spoken word and language with the dark grooves of modern electronic styles. RMB 60/70. 9pm

Sunday, Nov 22 

Young & Dumb 甜又丧, Wonder Sea出海部, Landfills 堆填区, Endless White 白百 at Yue Space

Sunday night's bringing out the big guns with a potent lineup of shoegaze, noise rock, grunge, and post-rock. Two of Xi’an’s finest – veteran shoegaze outfit Endless White (fresh off a killer EP this year) and dream-pop band Young & Dumb, join Guangzhou grunge-tinted punks Landfills, and Beijing’s own Wonder Sea, whose debut release this year saw the emo-inflected post-rockers breaking through, with the band nearly selling out their tour this past summer. RMB 120. 8pm

Return to Sender, The Will On Kill,  Armed Conflict无端械斗, Silent Night沉静之夜, Benetnasch摇光, Cosmos萬象 at Omni Space 

Continue headbanging well into the next week with the second night of One Of Us as moshpit junkies head over to Omni Space for an evening of electrifying core music that looks to cut open your heart and toss all your emotions on to the dance floor. Leading the charge are Shanghai post-hardcore outfit Return to Sender and Guangzhou’s The Will On Kill, fresh off the release of their debut LP (and in the midst of a nationwide tour). Also on the bill is Qingdao deathcore quartet Armed Conflict, Beijing nu-metal band Benetnasch, and more, shedding a light on metal’s more sensitive side. RMB 150/180. 7.30pm

READ: Jing-A Celebrates One Year of Beers and Bands With 2020 Bie Nao Grand Finale Tour, Nov 21 at Omni Space

Images: Streets Kill Strange Animals, courtesy of the organizers