Three Things for the Week Ahead in Beijing (Sep 1-7)
There's live jazz hip-hop, the second Beijing Cocktail Festival and an ILM Movement Experience in store this week.
Listen – Substantial & Marcus D at Blue Note
Head to Blue Note on Sep 4 for a night of live jazz hip-hop with Substantial & Marcus D (Bop Alloy). Substantial, hailed by Chuck D as “one of the greatest MCs of our time,” first rose to fame through his collaborations with the late Japanese producer Nujabes and has since performed across 20 countries, with his music featured by brands like Bentley, Uber, and Ford, as well as in hit games and films. Marcus D, a Seattle-born, Tokyo-based producer, is celebrated for his elegant, piano-driven beats and collaborations with legends such as Royce Da 5'9", Del the Funky Homosapien, and Blu. Together as Bop Alloy, their work has been praised as taking jazz hip-hop from “coffee shop background music to a powerful weapon of thought.”
Substantial & Marcus D will be performing at Blue Note on Sep 4 at 6.30pm. Tickets are RMB 260 and can be purchased by scanning the QR code in the poster above. You can read more about the event here.
Blue Note Beijing
23 Qianmen Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
东城区前门东大街23号
Phone: 010 6527 0288
Drink – 2nd Beijing Cocktail Festival at Langyuan Station
The Beijing Cocktail Festival is back for its second edition, taking over Langyuan Station's Central Station from Sep 5 to 7. The fest will see more than 90 bars showcasing over 300 Chinese-inspired cocktails, which can be enjoyed for half their usual price! As well as drinks, there will be 20+ food vendors, serving an array of snacks. Festival highlights include the Sanxun Chinese Cocktail Competition, featuring 25 finalists judged by an all-star panel of bartending greats, and the chance for attendees to vote in the 2025 People's Favorite Bar Award.
Beijing Cocktail Fest will be taking place at Langyuan Station's Central Station on Sep 5 from 5pm to 10pm and Sep 6 to 7 from 2pm to 10pm. Tickets are RMB 59-105 and can be purchased by scanning the QR code below. You can read more about the festival here.
Central Station, Langyuan Station
53 Banjieta Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区半截塔路53号
Move – ILM Movement Experience at Yoga Yard
On Sun, Sep 7, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm, Bora will be leading an Ilan Lev Method (ILM) Movement Experience at Yoga Yard. Suitable for everyone, the ILM method awakens body awareness, eases pain, and restores natural flow, supporting not just physical flexibility and coordination but also emotional balance and calm. In the workshop, Bora will guide participants through an engaging journey of curiosity and fluidity, helping you reconnect with the joy of motion.
The ILM Movement Experience will be taking place at Yoga Yard on Sep 7 from 4.30pm to 5.30pm. Early bird tickets are RMB 138 and standard tickets are RMB 168 and can be purchased by scanning the QR code in the poster above. You can read more about the workshop here.
Yoga Yard
6/F, 17 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路17号6层
READ: Exploring BBQ From Across the Globe
Images: Unsplash, courtesy of the organizers
