We here at the Beijinger are pleased to present Live Beijing Music's weekend gig guide, written by head honcho Mr. Will Griffith. Will has been running around Beijing for over four years, documenting the city's shows and the requisite onlooking drunkards with various cameras/sound recorder setups, losing plenty of equipment along the away in his attempt to capture Beijing's aural spirit. You'll occasionally catch him pogoing like a madman when he's not got a camera in hand. Take it away, Will ...
After years of my pants hanging below my ass, cause no one gave me the memo back in 1999 that that wasn’t what the kids were doing anymore, I’ve have finally been pickpocketed. Tag teamed on the subway platform by some of the best. Can’t say I was too proud, but it could have been worst. And plus, they’ve now got my Live Beijing Music hookup and a few hundred (plus another thousand) renminbi tab to go check out one of these kickass gigs going down this weekend. Heck, they could probably hit up for than a few of these events and still have enough money to pick up that China Hardcore hat I’ve they’ve always wanted. One can dream. Anywho – here’s your weekend gig splurge out.
Friday, September 9
Wu Ning Yue, Li Xia at Caravan
Two of my favorite singers, Wu Ning Yue, of Buyi, and Li Xia, of Li Dong, who both happen to hail from the Ningxia region, go solo for a special Caravan performance – a ‘old school Ningxia throwdown’ with ‘two great singer songwriters, one instrument, solos on stage to tell you the stories behind their songs’. Sweet. RMB 80
Rhonda, Me Guan Me, Silent Speech at Temple
Rock and roll and not an ounce of fat tonight at Temple as math rock aggressors Rhonda join indie rock vets Me Guan Me as well as fresh on the scene electro rockers Silent Speech. Solid trifecta to get you in the groove. Free
pg.lost (Sweden) at Yugong Yishan
New Noise, promotion hub for all the great international post rock bands, bring Swedish instrumentalist pg.lost as the band, who’ve worked in the past with Dalian post rock giants Wang Wen and have toured extensively around China, present their latest album Versus. Expect a packed house. RMB 150 (sold out)
Dungeon Beijing Hip-Hop Crew at School Bar
Get ready for a night of Beijing style hip-hop featuring the Dungeon Beijing crew! MCs, DJs, and beat-boxers, including O.G, Krayzie Actor, Odd Couple, N-Bomb, Iron Fist, and much more – if you’re looking for some authentic homegrown hip hop this is the place to be. Ticket includes a CD. RMB 50
Duff Beer, Final Impact, Skin Bad, Russian Roulette at Hot Cat Club
Underground punk at the hutong den Hot Cat Club as some of the scene’s rising scrappers hit the stage including Russian Roulette (who gain a note in book for being one of the only bands to have their video blocked on Youku), Duff Beer, Final Impact, and vet's Skin Bad. Sounds like a perfect place to toss some back. Free
Elenore, Click #15, Bye Bye Noise, Los Crasher at Mao Livehouse
Wild at Heart is the theme tonight as Mao Livehouse cooks up a solid batch of indie rock with the electrifying Elenore, the new wave funk of Click #15 and more. RMB 100
Nightingale, Source Code, Equal Temperament, Retribution, Duanji at 13 Club
It’s metal night in Beijing’s university hub Wudaoku as five metal bands look to tear up a storm including death metal outfit Source Code, Nightingale, and more. RMB 80
OXYD (France) at DDC
Coming from Paris, France, and equally influenced by modern jazz and rock musicians, the five-piece trope bring their latest project ‘Plugged in Nirvana’ which revisits the legendary rock band in progressive jazz style. Dope. RMB 80
Liu Donghong at 69 Café
Blues breathing folk-turned renegade Liu Donghong brings his popular homegrown style to the petite 69 Café. RMB 60
Ani, Shannon,Clancy & Scott at Mogu Space
Experience some of the finest singer-songwriters with this folk-filled session at the Xizhimen space. RMB 60
Zharen at Jianghu Bar
Old timey Chicago blues and other interpretations of the age old genre as some of the scene’s most esteemed performers hit up Jianghu Bar. 60 RMB
Manjiang at Tango
Pop singer Manjaing returns to the big stage with an all new band lineup that promises to be extra rocky for the folk pop singer’s new album Mr. Man. RMB 180-320
Saturday, September 10
King Ly Chee (HK), Spill Your Guts, Shoot the Gun, Unregenerate Blood, GaiWaEr, Chaos Kills The Pain, Return The Truth, Shave-n-Shut, Tumourboy at School Bar
The CNHC Hardcore Fest returns for its fifth year showcasing the steadfast and resilient hardcore scene across China including CNHC ambassadors King Lychee from Hong Kong, as well as a slew of bands readying to kick in the door like Chengdu’s GaiWaEr, Shanghai’s Spill Your Guts, and our own Unregenerate Blood. The celebration kicks off at 3pm so bring your game face and join the mosh pit. RMB 100
Forsaken Autumn, 16th Floor, The Twenties at DDC
Seminal Shanghai shoegaze outfit Forsaken Autumn, one of the pioneers forces in the shoegaze craze that’s taken over China makes the trek up to DDC to present their transfixing walls of sound and whispered sweet nothings as well as their EP from earlier this year, Whenere. Been hearing good things about these cats (shameless plug: check them out alongside so of China’s other shoegaze acts on Nasty Wizard Recordings’ China Shoegaze Complication). Support from indie crashers The Twenties and post rock outfit 16th Floor. RMB 80
AMBIENT_VISIONS at Meridian Space
Meridian Borderline presents AMBIENT_VISIONS, a live audio-visual performance by some of the underground electronic and VJ scene’s finest performers including Hong Qile, thruoutin, Song Song + Man Lin, Mao Weng Weng and Ding Xin. Expect some simultaneously manipulated visuals and audio and ‘an intense sensory experience’ at the double floor art space just south of Nanluogu Xiang. RMB 60
Four Five, Ego Fall, Stabbing, The Uncrowned, Dagon Power, Moth Massacre at Yugong Yishan
It’s a pre-celebration party for Yugong Yishan’s 12th Anniversary – this one is for the metal heads. Some solid veterans on hand here including deathcore outfit Four Five, Mongolian infused trash metal band Ego Fall, and much much more. RMB 150
Los Crasher, Ramblin' Roze, Tumour Boy at Temple
An old school evening of hard rock that’ll have you cutting loose and letting your hair down, as Los Crasher, Ramblin’ Roze, and Tumour Boy bring the heat. Free
Wootacc & Groove Bunny Records Friends at Fruityspace
Fruityspace and Zhejiang hip hop label Groove Bunny Records throw a hip-hop party at the basement venue with guest of honor Guangzhou rapper Wootacc, DJ Fake and more. Free
Cheer Chen (TW) at Beijing Exhibition Center
Taiwanese singer-songwriter Chen Chi Chen, aka Cheer Chen, a heavy in the Taiwanese music scene since signing in 1998, brings her musical talent and indie pop sensibility to the Beijing Exhibition Center. RMB 280-980
Ma Yuyang, Hou Kang, Liuhao Lin , Chen Hongyu at Mao Livehouse
Mao Livehouse takes in down a notch for some good ol’ fashioned folk serenading as up and coming folk singer-songwriters Ma Yuyang, Chen Hongyu, and more take stage. 4pm start. RMB 120
Les Voyageurs de L'espace at La Plantation
French jazz original combo, Les Voyageurs de l'espace bring their ‘galactic jazz’ – a poetic form of jazz and improvisation forms based on poems – at the artspace in greater Wangjing. RMB 150
Indian Traditional Music at Jianghu Bar
Bash in the sounds of India, as accomplished musicians Um Shankar and Bivakar perform traditional Indian music on the sitar and tabla. 80 RMB
Blackwater at Hot Cat Club
Blackwater are the real Irish deal. Authentic celtic rock and roll led by charismatic grizzle of Desmond McGarry that goes down as smooth as Jameson. Free
Guojiao Shou at 69 Café
Acoustic story-telling courtesy of folk artist at the hostel/venue Snail Club. RMB 60
Li Bo, Nick Parsons at Mogu Space
Li Bo of Jacky Danny joins Nick Parsons for a tribute to The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and more classic rockers. RMB 60
Stevie Mac & the Mac Daddies at Modernista
Enjoy classic reimaginings from the ever-expanding trope Stevie Mac & The Mac Daddies at Modernista. Free
Sunday, September 11
AKHYLA Showcase (Malaysia) at Fruityspace
Kuala Lumpur artist collective Akhyla, made up of some of the cities most innovative prodcuers, visual artists, and musicians (including Nemo, Reddi, Rocket, Yahna, Shelhiel, and VMPRMYTH) hit up Fruityspace for an evening of electronic music alongside local electronic artist thruoutin. RMB 50
Children’s Cinema, Best In Team, Steely Heart, Pati, Fangu at Mao Livehouse
Indie pop, dance punk, blues rock, and then some as Mao rounds up some old favorites and new hopefuls for some Sunday night fun. RMB 80
Sahra Halgan Trio (Somaliland) at DDC
From North of Somalia in Somaliland, comes the Sahra Halgan Trio, presents her homwtown sound singing ‘the nostalgia, the memory and the rips of the exile’ of her country. Catch her unique journey and her pure unarti cial musical form at DDC. RMB 60
Huun-Huur-Tu at Beijing Tianqiao Exhibtion Center
Tuvan throat-singing horde Huun Huur Tu, whose popularity has only skyrocketed since I caught them a couple years back, plays to the massive Beijing Tianqiao Exhibition Center just east of the Temple of Heaven. RMB 100
Shilei4rock at Modernsky Lab
Anhui rock heavy Shilei4rock releases his newest album Never Escape The Life at Modernsky Lab. RMB 100
Chen Xiaoxiong at School
Folk singer-songwriter, fresh off her latest release presents her newest material and acoustic melodies at School Bar. RMB 70
Nanci & Delicatessen at Modernista
Nanci & The Delicatessen led by the golden swing era voiced Nanci bring their upbeat ‘rhythms of a bygone era to the endless dance of Beijing vintage fans’ at Modernsita for their Jazz Sunday. Free
Miga, MetU, Whisper, Outsiders at Hot Cat Club
Fresh off the boat bands practice their chops at this free afternoon gig at the Fangjia Hutong space. 3pm start. Free
Phew! Still hungry for more? For events, videos, and photos from Beijing's thriving music scene, head over to Live Beijing Music or check out all of our live music listings here.
Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the organizers