Noise Pollution: STRFKR at Yugong Yishan, Schoolhouse Rock at School Bar, Chester Bennington Tribute at Yue Space

I don’t know about you, but ain’t no holiday going to alter my perception of when the weekend begins and ends. Years of conditioning have pretty much forced me to throw everything to the wind come Thursday and not look back 'til Sunday eve – which is usually where the ever-crushing sense of regret steps in and snaps me back to reality. So the way I look at it, this ‘weekend’ coming up is one for the books – no imminent doom of work, just glorious, glorious musical outing after musical outing including Live Beijing Music’s latest Schoolhouse Rock venture on Wudaoying which is going to be all kinds of awesome, I hear. Whatever your poison, here’s the next three days of your life sorted.
 

Friday, Sep 29

The Playcat, Hei Mu, Default, Run Run Run at School Bar
Live Beijing Music brings the latest installment of Schoolhouse Rock with a kinetic, reverb-heavy, sprawling, atmospheric showcase featuring two special out-of-town debuts – Baoding noise-pop outfit The Playcat (featuring Yang Fan of the original Birdstriking lineup) and Shanghai experimental post-punk artist Hei Mu (of Nonplus of Color). They’ll be joined by two of this year’s hottest new acts – the Guizhou raised psychedelic rockers Run Run Run and shoegaze blazers Default, fresh off a performance at Yugong Yishan’s anniversary last week. New dangerous sounds to get lost in – gonna be a good one. RMB 60

Imarhan (Algeria) at Yugong Yishan
Straight out of Algeria come Imarhan, a group of Tuareg musicians whose cultural and generational backgrounds have shaped their music which features dry guitar riffs, pop melodies and pan-African rhythms stemming from the traditional Tuareg music and modern pop-rock the band listened to growing up. Prepare to get those legs moving to some desert rock. RMB 120

Ignition (GER), Nypan3 (NOR), Vougal (RUS) at DDC
Three distinct sounds from three vastly different parts of the world – DDC mixes it up with a globe-trotting lineup featuring German hard rock outfit Ignition, Norwegian offbeat jazz trio Nypan3, and Russian electro-pop Vougal. RMB 60

Jacob Collier (UK) at Blue Note
Jacob Collier is a two-time Grammy award-winning singer, composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist, based in London, England. Dubbed by many as one of the most innovative creative musicians of his generation fusing elements of jazz, a cappella, groove, folk, electronic music, classical music, gospel, soul, and improvisation, with often extreme uses of re-harmonization. RMB 460

Diamond Lil, HWA, Hielektromen, Negative 808, INKY NO at Yue Space
The Ran Music crew bring their wildly fun gang of electronic producers to Yue Space. In the mix tonight: live sets from HWA (aka Elvis T), Hielektormen, Negative 808 as well as DJ sets from Diamond Lil and INKY NO. Digging these electronic showcases across town. RMB 80

Holy Shit!, Hind Brain, Outsiders at Temple
Holy Shit! the newest supergroup made up of three prominent members of the punk scene (The Bedstars’ Zhao Kai, Zhong of Sinohearts and Joyside’s Bian Yuan) look to cut loose at Temple alongside the aggressively awesome stoner rock trio Hind Brain and the 90s pop punk evoking Outsiders. FREE

JAHA, 3 Lifetimes and 10 Miles, Xi’er and The Fever at Omni Space
Omni Space shines the spotlight on the unique cultures and resulting musical styles found in China with a lineup that includes Guizhou based San Shi Shi Li and Xi’er as well as the Mongolian outfit Jaha. RMB 80

Lake, The Beijing Bandits, Ban, Mild Treatment at Blue Stream Bar
Blue Stream celebrates the forthcoming National Day holiday with their latest ‘Soundgarden’ event – featuring some nifty acts across the board musically including indie rockers swooners Lake, Texas jazz and rock outfit The Beijing Bandits and more. FREE

Li Eryang at Rockland
With influences ranging from Neil Young to Bob Dylan, avant-garde guitarist, Li Eryang refuses to stick to one pattern, exploring new possibilities and playing in a style that’s anything but conventional. Catch him at the Houhai venue. RMB 80

Wu Gui, Li Yi, Lu Jing Zhou at Mogu Space
Get your folk on in Xizhimen with bluegrass artist Lu Jing Zhou, Canada-based indie artist Li Yi and the Bob Dylan-influenced Wu Gui. RMB 66

Hush (TW) at Tango
Taiwanese indie-pop singer-songwriter Hush, known for his husky voice and melancholic songs, brings his chart-topping self to Tango to hordes of screaming fans. RMB 220

The Beijing Beatles at Salud
The Beijing Beatles, Beijing’s foremost Beatles cover band, bring their signature act to Salud tonight. Ticket includes one free drink. RMB 80

Wang Yi at Jianghu Bar
Folk artist Wang Yi, known for his rich voice and exquisite guitar skills, appears at the cozy hutong mainstay to pay tribute to American folk legend Bob Dylan. RMB 60
 

Saturday, Sep 30

Liquid Palace, Gooooose, XY Pattern, iimmune x Noise Arcade, Heimu at DDC
DDC and Nasty Wizard Recordings are proud to present to you a night of wonderfully leftfield sounds and ideas – in celebration of the split tape between Beijing’s Liquid Palace and Singapore’s (((connection_error))) audiences will be treated to performances from sound art duo XY Pattern, Shanghai electronic wiz Gooooose (of Duck Fight Goose), a live set from iimmune (featuring Noise Arcade on drums), Shanghai minimalist post-punk soundshifter Hei Mu and the dream team of diabolical noise themselves – Liquid Palace. Did I mention free cassettes at the door? RMB 60

Shave N' Shut, Human Centipede, Discord, Free Sex Shop, Uncle Bad, Early Bus at School
The new punk series ‘Beijing Power!’ kicks off the holiday week with a rowdy free-for-all of punk offerings – ‘oi punks Shave n' Shut, hardcore heroes Human Centipede, long time running punk outfit Discord, female foursome Free Sex Shop, new skinhead punk crew Uncle Bad, and the ska ensemble Early Bus’. Gonna get sweaty. 80 RMB

Nadoh, Habar at Yichang Café
Yichang Café is very happy to welcome French singer-songwriter Nadoh for her debut concert where she’ll present her own compositions before handing the stage over to Xinjiang singer Habar for some energetic folk offerings. RMB 60

Vougal (RUS), By Dream, Stream of Life, Later Island at Temple
Electro-pop trio from Russia, Vougal bring their Stevie Wonder-esque synth harmonies to Temple alongside a slew of Beijing post-rock soundscapers including the post-metal outfit Streams of Life and By Dream. FREE

Jordan Darling, Durian, Qi Ming, Parakeet at Mogu Space
Feast your ears on some of the incredible female musicians who reside in Beijing including Jordan Darling, Qi Ming, and new fresh acts Durian and Parakeet. RMB 60

Jacob Collier (UK) at Blue Note
Jacob Collier is a two-time Grammy award-winning singer, composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist, based in London, England. Dubbed by many as one of the most innovative creative musicians of his generation fusing elements of jazz, a cappella, groove, folk, electronic music, classical music, gospel, soul, and improvisation, with often extreme uses of re-harmonization. RMB 460

GAI, MC Big Dog, Zhao Tao, AXin, Wu Zhaohui at Tango
Some of the country’s hottest rappers and hip-hop acts, a scene that’s been skyrocketing as of late, hit the big stage at Tango for a YOLO party of epic proportions. Bring your red Maos and prepare to make it rain. 300 RMB

Nypan Jazz Trio at La Plantation
Norwegian jazz guitar player Nypan who moved to Paris to join the Fredrika Stahl band, leading to tour the world and make new musical relationships, brings his latest project the Nypan Jazz Trio to La Plantation along with his percussionist and bassist. RMB 180

Mademoiselle et son Orchestre at Jianghu Bar
Mademoiselle et son Orchestre returns to Jianghu Bar – the premier gypsy jazz outfit has been igniting crowds left and right for endless years and has appeared at major Chinese music festivals and television programs. RMB 60

Jin Hu, Jin Zhiwen, Chu Qiao, Chang Shilei, MaoMao, Xiao Ai, Yuedinghui at Yue Space
An array of singer-songwriters, rockers, and musicians pay tribute to the late Chester Bennington of Linkin Park who shaped the early musical upbringing of many a Beijing artist. RMB 120

Stevie Mac and The Mac Daddies at Modernista
The always-reliable Mac Daddies return to their favorite hutong spot Modernista for fun. FREE

Pu Han at Rockland
Playing a unique blend of Kazakh and Tuva folk singers, jazz and folk, singer-songwriter Pu Han brings in a wrath of experience with American country, jazz singing and many other musical forms to the intimate Houhai institute. RMB 100

The Relativity at Yugong Yishan
Longstanding alternative rock outfit The Relativity, whose hard rock beginnings have softened over the years to include more ethnic flourishes and folk ballad songwriting, celebrate fifteen years with a nationwide tour that closes out at Yugong Yishan on Saturday. RMB 80
 

Sunday, Oct 1

STRFKR (US) at Yugong Yishan
Eccentric indie electro-pop with a lo-fi sensibility and a somber, though never cynical, outlook on life – STRKFR are an American band, based out of Portland, known for their wildly out there live performances and their highly danceable brand of indie pop that continues to strike a chord with audiences around the world. Check out our interview with frontman Josh Hodges. RMB 200

Lula Pena (Portugal), Karromato (Czech Republic) at DDC
DDC kicks off their European Music Festival with two wildly diverse acts – Portuguese singer Lula Pena aka FADO who with ‘deep voice and an amplified guitar, sings like a poet’. Joining her will be puppet company Karromato founded in Prague in 1997 that draws on the ‘classic traditions of European marionette theater,’ speaking ‘directly to the heart without words, using music, universal humor, and the unique personality of a handmade marionette. So cool. RMB 80

Cannonball (AU), Maxime Bender’s Universal Sky (FR-LU) at Omni Space
The Omni International Jazz Fest kicks off today at Omni Space featuring some top-notch talent in the form of the French/Luxemburg Maxime Bender’s Universal Sky, a giant in the European jazz world, as well as the adventurous Australian jazz outfit Cannonball. RMB 150

Black Mint, Candy Monster, Derby Day at School
Officially kick off the Golden Week holiday, School presents this double showcase featuring bluesy hard-rockers Black Mint and the always fun, happy-go-lucky doo-wop rock n' roll vibes of Candy Monster. Opening duties fall to Britpop intoned Derby Day. RMB 80

Zhang Ming at Rockland
Classically trained guitarist Zhang Ming appears at Rockland, being touted as Beijing’s most intimate musical venue. The indie artist released his atmospheric first album Unnamed Season last year and will appear at the Houhai joint alongside friends. RMB 80

Phew! Still hungry for more? Check out all of our live music listings here. Alternatively, if it's nightlife that you're sprightly little legs are after, there's plenty of that too. 

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the organizers