Music Festival Roundup: Taylor Momsen, Ludacris, Mogwai

Good bands, celebrities and loads of fun – these are what we can expect at the end of music festival season, aka summer. Here’s a summary of the four upcoming music festivals in the next month. We will be very proud of you if you go to all of them, but take a look at our comparison of them here before you make the decision, and hopefully we’ll see you there.

Anda Mongolian Music Festival

You've probably listened to Hanggai's Mongolian-style rock, or have seen a few folk bands from the grasslands, but I bet you have no idea about the music scene in Inner Mongolia: there’s rock, punk, pop and even hip-hop. Different kinds of music share the same spirit through the language. Have a look of this video of hip-hop group PTS featuring Hanggai and tell me how awesome it is:

Where: Mako Livehouse
When: 8pm-12am, September 9 (Friday), 3-9pm, September 10 (Saturday)
Tickets: RMB 100 (per day), RMB 150 (two days), RMB 80 (per day in advance), RMB 70 (students). Tickets available at 400 610 3721, here or at door

Intercity Music Festival

Yes! Finally there's a music festival back in the city – and at Chaoyang Park, where every taxi driver knows. The first day’s highlight is alternative rock Black Rebel Motor Cycle Club plus Pilot Records’ best bands: metalheads Suffocated, pop punk Reflector, hardcore Left & Right and many more. On the second day you’ll meet the rock chick from Gossip Girl, Taylor Momsen, together with her band The Pretty Reckless. If she doesn’t pinch the right nerve, how about a list of the best bands and musicians from China: Shanren, Zhou Yunshan, Miserable Faith, Twisted Machine, Second Hand Rose and Cui Jian all line up at the Square Stage on Sep 12. Unless you are not in Beijing, I don’t see any excuse for not going.

Where: Chaoyang Park
When: Daily 2-9pm, September 11-12 (Sunday-Monday)
Tickets: RMB 220 (per day), RMB 180 (per day in advance). Tickets available at 400 610 3721, here or at door

Black Rabbit Music Festival

How can a music festival remain attractive and exciting after too many of them? Here comes Black Rabbit with the answer. Have a look of its full lineup here – none of those names are there just to fill a vacancy. Plus, we’ll have Ludacris at a Beijing music festival. That’s a moment. The organizers have also invited NBA China to join the game, so there’ll be an NBA Street Jam with retired NBA stars Tim Hardaway and Sam Perkins. It’s at a sports center after all.

Where: Chaoyang Sports Center
Route 1: Take line 10, get off at Tuanjiehu (团结湖) and walk 50 meters east from exit C, then take bus 350 or 406 to Pingfang Zhan (平房站)
Route 2: Take line 1, get off at Sihudong (四惠东) and cross the road from exit A, then take bus 468 to Pingfang Zhan (平房站)
When: September 17 (Saturday)
Tickets: RMB 300, RMB 210 (advance). Tickets available here or at door

Modern Sky Music Festival

Modern Sky always knows how to assemble all the indie kids in town. This time they have help from post rock legends Mogwai, pop band The Go! Team, Australia’s Lenka and more yet-to-be unveiled international and local acts. It’s moving away from the city this time but you’ll have a whole week of holidays. If you are not going away anywhere else then a ski resort with a view of the Great Wall should put you in a good mood.

Where: Huaibei International Ski Resort
Take bus 936 from Dongzhimen to the last stop Jiugukou (Huaibei International Ski Resort)
When: daily 1pm-late, October 3-5
Tickets: RMB 150 (per day), RMB 120 (per day in advance), RMB 300 (three days)

Photos: Billboard.com, Last.fm, Buzznet, and Ohmpark.com