Who Knew? Pinganli is Home to One of Beijing's Best "New" Music Venues: 80 Music
You know you’ve landed somewhere special when the bartender hands you an RMB 15 draft beer in a red cup. Literal tears in my eyes. And that was just the beginning. There is a new venue to be reckoned with in Pinganli, the often forgotten neighborhood directly west of Gulou and Houhai, and its name is 80 Music. Alright, not the best name. Also, not exactly new. But hear me out.
I say old, but the basement space has actually been open for three years, mainly staying afloat via its rehearsal rooms and recording studios. And while they’ve been hesitant to host shows as frequently as some of the regular Gulou haunts, they’re looking to put themselves out there more this year with a smattering of showcases. And with good reason. The venue is the perfect mix of proficiency and scrappy charm. With a size that can comfortably hold one hundred people, a no-fuss stage with plenty of space for even a six-piece band, and a sound system that gets the job done and then some – this is a true find for both bands and audiences yearning for something more akin to the old defunct Mao Livehouse in Gulou, with the punk rock appeal of School Bar.
That punk rock appeal is front and center in the bar’s offerings, a no-frills selection of cheap bottles (the usual suspects – Hoegarden, Vedett), cheap shots (B-52s for RMB 15), and as mentioned above, cheap-as draft beer, poured into infamous party cups of death (or if you really want to live it up – in a 3L tower of doom). No nonsense. This is what dive bars should be charging and 80 Music knows their customer base all too well.
While most of the cards put together thus far this year have been geared toward the punk crowd, with weekly events organized by grunge band Drunkard’s lead singer, they’re certainly not afraid to mix it up, as I witnessed first-hand last weekend, as indie pop groups intermingled with frenzied punk rockers. With the right kind of organizers and a steady foundation of musicians and fans, there’s no telling what the joint could pull off.
If you build it they will come – and 80 Music have built something above and beyond beautiful. And just a skip away from Gulou, time will tell if they will come.
Follow 80 Music on WeChat (ID: gh_919946dcf787) or Showstart for updates about upcoming shows, including a killer lineup on Saturday, Jan 27, featuring Pure, Drunkard, and Zi Huan.
80 Music
Bldg A, 80 Zhaodengyu Lu, Xicheng District
西城区赵登禹路甲80号
Photos: Will Griffith, Elie Rosenberg
