Beijing Beats brings you the best in Beijing nightlife each weekend so that you can soothe the woes of a long and stressful week with some out-of-body gyrating and some experiences you'd rather forget come Monday. Check the weekend's full list of nightlife events here.
Thursday, September 14
Salsa SazóN at Migas Mercado
Salsa dancing all night! Hit the dance floor and show off your steps as the Latin beats flow. All levels of dancers welcome. Get ready to move your body! Lessons at 8.30pm, open dancing after. Free. Migas Mercado.
Mumdance (UK) at Dada
Mumdance is one of the UK’s most respected DJs and producers, honing an influential and often imitated sound that draws from grime, techno, experimental sound design, hardcore and more. In 2013, following a two-year hiatus, Mumdance returned with his most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music to date. His 2013 mixtape Twists & Turns was named FACT Magazine’s best album of the year and their 31st best album of the last five years, while his collaborations with Novelist, ‘Take Time’ and ‘1 Sec’ (released on legendary label XL Recordings), mark two of the biggest anthems from grime's recent revival, and topped end-of-year charts from Resident Advisor, Mixmag, FACT, Dummy, Noisey and more. 10pm. Price TBA. Dada.
OMI at Sir Teen
Jamaican singer OMI is best known for his hit song Cheerleader, the Felix Jaehn remix of which charted in Australia, Germany and the UK. The artist is known for his upbeat, summery hits including Cheerleader, Hula Hoop and Drop In The Ocean. Catch him at Sir Teen tomorrow. 10pm. Sir Teen. Price TBA.
Friday, September 15
Boogie Down at Migas Mercado
DJ Cad 73 turns up the heat on Friday nights with fresh and classic dance jams to keep you moving on the dancefloor. Start the weekend with a boogie! 9pm. Migas Mercado. Free.
Psychedelic Full-Moon Party at Voltage Station
SaikoDisco, Meng, and Naja-25 will serve up something at U-Town Mall's Voltage Station, though we're not really sure what. The description and photos seem to heavily emphasize the "weird," the "psychedelic" and "transcendence of the material world." If you want to dance to something a little spookier, a little more connected to the full moon, this might be the place for you. Go, dance, and let us know how the music sounds on their higher plane of existence. 9pm. Voltage Station. Free.
Lantern Club 8th Anniversary
Lantern Club celebrates their 8th anniversary on September 15th, so raise a glass and toast them with some of their favorite DJs. The "father of Chinese electronic music" Weng Weng will make an appearance, along with DJ h_w_a aka ELVIS.T, arguably China's top techno authority, house DJ Nigls, and many others. 10pm. Lantern. RMB 50.
Bass and Drum Legend Randall at Dada
Beijing's longest-running bass crew, The Syndicate, turns 13 this September and has finally hunted down a DJ that has been long on the wish list: Drum and Bass originator Randall. Andy C's idol, the man who pretty much invented the double-drop, Randall has been at the forefront of the scene since the beginning. Known for his long, seamless mixes, and unmatched selection, the big man is set to hit China for the very first time. 10pm. Dada. Price TBA.
James Brown Soundcheck at Canvas
Get in the jungle groove this weekend with local funk lord DJ Jay 1,2 as he continues his residency at the Sanlitun pop-up hub Canvas on Friday and Saturday, serving up his usual blend of iconic and obscure funk and soul records from his extensive collection (including, but not limited to the work of the man himself, James Brown). Warren of Janes & Hooch will be providing "jungle juice and friends" late into the night. 9pm. Canvas. Free.
EAST CALLING presents an "Odd Party" at Soi Baochao
Who dem boys? EAST CALLING will tell you, as they have been during their artist-focused evenings at Soi Baochao recently, including one dedicated to the work of A$AP Mob. This week they continue with an evening of appreciation for Odd Future, spinning hits from the group and (we assume) its members. Curated almost like a class or an exhibit but way grimier, we can't think of a better venue for this series than Soi, with its black lights, cozy couches, and just-big-enough dance floor. 10pm. Soi Baochao. Free.
Saturday, September 16
The Beijinger 2017 Pizza Cup Launch Festival
I know what you're thinking: pizza fest isn't for dancing. But that's where you're wrong. Sure, we'll be slinging slices and beers to the hungry masses all day. But when hungry masses become buzzed masses, at a block party with a carnival-like atmosphere and live music and DJs, they often end up dancing. Maybe pizza, beer, music, and dancing all at once is too much of a good thing, but hedonists like myself don't believe that's possible.We'll have entertainment fit for the whole family from bands like The Hunters, The Mac Daddies, and several DJs (including beijingkids' very own DJ Cousin Kippy), as well as carnival games, magic shows, and carnival dancers, and of course, unlimited amounts of the city's best pizza, snacks, and drinks. 11am-8pm. Wangjing Soho. RMB 20 presale, RMB 25 at the door.
James Brown Soundcheck at Canvas
Get in the jungle groove this weekend with local funk lord DJ Jay 1,2 as he continues his residency at the Sanlitun pop-up hub Canvas on Friday and Saturday, serving up his usual blend of iconic and obscure funk and soul records from his extensive collection (including, but not limited to the work of the man himself, James Brown). Warren of Janes & Hooch will be providing "jungle juice and friends" late into the night. 9pm. Canvas. Free.
Club Paradise Celebrates Ted Dancin's Birthday at the Bar at Migas
Club Paradise returns to Migas on Saturday night to celebrate our beloved Ted Dancin's birthday with world music and tropical dance jams. Ted Dancin' will reportedly use his birthday privileges to provide anyone dressed in a Hawaiian-print shirt with a free shot. Bring him a present, even if just your presence is a present. 10pm. The Bar at Migas. Price TBA.
Post Rock Electronic Live Act Telefon Tel Aviv
Telefon Tel Aviv is an experimental electronic duo formed in 1999 by two New Orleans high-school friends, Joshua Eustis and Charles Cooper. In 2009, Cooper passed away, but Eustis has recently revived the project. His blend of post-rock, IDM, trip-hop, and unclassified electronic music is gorgeous and powerful, inspired at first by Aphex Twin and Autechre, mixed with his New Orleans roots, then journeying into new sonic territories. He's worked with artists like Radiohead, Bebel Gilberto, Apparat, and was part of Nine Inch Nails and Tropic of Cancer. 10pm. Dada. Price TBA.
Keep on Deepin on at Lantern
Lantern keep their anniversary celebrations going on Saturday night, with appearances by Hamoudeh, Eva Xu, Eric Lee, Mehdi, BJY, Weng Weng, Jackson Lee, and more. 10pm. Lantern. RMB 50.
ELECTRIC WILD DISCO at Yugong Yishan
An eclectic mash-up of all the most danceable genres, it seems the only condition for performing at this show is that your music be ELECTRIC and WILD (and preferably influenced by DISCO). DA BANG, BLOODZ BOI, ROYAL AS PURPLE, GUIGUISUISUI, NOCTURNES will keep you moving in some way or another. 9pm. Yugong Yishan. RMB 100 presale, RMB 120 at the door.
Sunday, September 17
The Beijinger 2017 Pizza Cup Launch Festival
I know what you're thinking: pizza fest isn't for dancing. But that's where you're wrong. Sure, we'll be slinging slices and beers to the hungry masses all day. But when hungry masses become buzzed masses, at a block party with a carnival-like atmosphere and live music and DJs, they often end up dancing. Maybe pizza, beer, music, and dancing all at once is too much of a good thing, but hedonists like myself don't believe that's possible.We'll have entertainment fit for the whole family from bands like The Hunters, The Mac Daddies, and several DJs (including beijingkids' very own DJ Cousin Kippy), as well as carnival games, magic shows, and carnival dancers, and of course, unlimited amounts of the city's best pizza, snacks, and drinks. 11am-8pm. Wangjing Soho. RMB 20 presale, RMB 25 at the door.
Images courtesy of the organizers