Talking Pints: Ian Brown, Kevin Saunderson, Acupuncture 3rd Anniversary

Still working? The wheels of industry in our office are slowing to the faintest of hums as the holiday comes close. (Yes, the holiday that means we have to work on Saturday and Sunday …) Well, if we’re going to have a few days off forced upon us, there should at least be some fun stuff to do tonight, right? Better believe it.

A whole generation of us were weaned on the still-remarkable tunes that Mancunian legend Ian Brown and his bandmates in the Stone Roses turned out in the late 1980s and, with reduced consistency of greatness, mid-90s. Brown still can’t really sing properly, yet he still manages to come off as a figure of semi-religious proportions. If you want someone who can hold a note, stay at home with your American Idol DVD. If you want to see a true hero in the flesh, or are just a shameless nostalgic, head out to the FunHill Music Festival now (yes, immediately) – Brown is due on stage around 10pm tonight (Sep 21). The festival is a bit out of town in Fangshan District, and as it’s a first-timer, might not be the best thing ever. Let's hope there's no cause for this to happen. The festival continues until Sep 23 – full details on our blog post here.

Detroit techno pioneer Derrick May was supposed to be playing at Punk tonight. Due to the usual sorts of "issues" that artists coming to China face, May won't be coming. However, Kevin Saunderson, May's old pal and equally responsible for the birth of techno, is standing in and will be a more than capable deputy - he'll be at Punk from around 10pm, no cover charge.

Also tonight (Sep 21), Romanian DJ Mihai Popoviciu turns ChinaDoll several shades of electronic (RMB 50, free before midnight, 10pm). The event was originally scheduled for Lantern, before the techno club’s untimely demise in early September. Luckily, ChinaDoll stepped in as backup hosts.

Into tomorrow, and ChinaDoll offers an alternative to the traditional Mid-Autumn festival “mooncakes with the family” ritual with their Sexy Bunny Drumming Full Moon Party on Sep 22. Teng Boon DJs, and there’s a “sexy bunny laser drumming band.” Free-flow cocktails for girls in bunny costume, and mooncakes for everyone, bunny costume or nay.

There probably won’t be any bunny costumes at Acupuncture’s Third Anniversary bash on Sep 22 at Lan Club (RMB 50, 10pm), but the amiable techno posse’s birthday parties have been big, noisy and hugely fun in previous years and this one should be no different. Yes, they’re maturing, but it’s not quite pipe and slippers time yet – you’ll still be dancing at 5 in the morning. Again, this event was originally listed for Lantern – just goes to show you can’t believe everything you read in the Beijinger.

The day after, on Sep 23, get out to the Secret Great Wall Party (RMB 200, includes transport. Buses leave from Chaoyang Park South Gate or Wudaokou’s Huaqing Jiayuan East Gate at 2pm and 5pm), in the shadow of the world’s longest barrier against unwanted invaders. If you’ve ever been to a party with the word “Great” in the title (think Aircraft Carrier, Beach and Pool), this is from those guys. It’s all a bit Guys and Dolls, with a gang of Beijing DJs facing up on one stage against a stage of Shanghai DJs. The Beijing contingent includes Patrick Yu, El-Mar, Ouyang and Dio. Shanghai, you have been warned.

If you’re staying in town on Sep 23, there’ll be jazz and funk at ChinaDoll’s Su party. The Doll’s rooftop bar will be closing for winter on Oct 17, so make the most of it while you still can.

Meanwhile, over at Paddy O’Shea’s on Sep 23, the Irish community, the “Irish” community, lovers of a good stout, and admirers of a well-orchestrated advertising campaign alike will be uniting in force to toast Arthur Guinness Day (free, 7.30pm). The first 100 pints of the black stuff will be free, singer Robbie Hennebry will be entertaining with his guitar and silken vocal chords, and there’ll be giveaways on Guinness merchandise. Just dodge the boring guy at the bar going on about how the Guinness is better back in Ireland – and no, that’s not a reference to Karl “Best Bartender in Beijing” Long.

Now you’re on to Friday, and the real weekend starts again. Wait, you have to go to work on Saturday, don’t you? Ah well, take a hangover with you, courtesy of Alfa’s Sixth Anniversary Party on Sep 24 (free, 9pm). It’ll be the ‘80s night of ‘80s nights – to be honest, I’d rather not dwell on what that means.

The latest PSB Pubcrawl takes place on Saturday (Sep 25), giving Wudaokou residents reason to hop on a bus and be ferried around bars, drinking all the way. Legend has it that this event began back in the organizers’ Wudaokou student days, when they used to get drunk on erguotou, jump on a bus, drink more baijiu then wake up wherever the bus route ended. Those crazy guys. The pubcrawl leaves Pyro at 9pm and costs RMB 120 (RMB 100 before Sep 23) – a veritable bargain, so get in early for your ticket as space is limited. Call 136 8126 3981 or 136 7130 4233 for more info.

In other news, Enoteca closes in The Place today, with its new Nali Patio location set for soft opening on Sep 30. Grand opening party will be on Oct 9. For more information on what you can expect, check out our previous blog on the subject here. Beijing Boyce has reported that former Blue Frog man Lee Mitchell is taking over The Brick in Shuangjing - for more on that, see his post here. With that, I shall put down my virtual pen and start thinking about what I’ve done. And then put it to the back of my mind and get out for some mooncakes and gin. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Beijing.