The Beijinger New Music Showcase: Meet the Bands (Part 1)
The countdown has well and truly begun to the inaugural the Beijinger New Music Showcase at 2 Kolegas on Saturday August 18. As part of the build up to the event we'll be profiling each of the acts that are scheduled to play on Saturday.
The action gets underway when Not There open the festival at 4pm. Not There are a four-piece funk outfit consisting of Edoardo on synths, Nicholas on guitar, Marco on drums and Jonathan on bass. They got together in Spring 2010 and have so far produced a volume of live recordings that are available on their official website. Not There are pleased to be opening the Showcase, as it will give them a chance to get stuck into the free beer early on!
Next up is rockers Trouble Trouble who will take the stage at 5pm. This band of local punks first got together in May 2011 and has been playing regularly ever since. Trouble Trouble is made up of Dani, Lei, Li Chao and Wang Hanfu and recently competed in the Tiger Battle of the Bands contest. You can check them out at their Douban page here.
Pacalolo are next up at 5.40pm and this group of electro rockers are sure to be a hit with the 2 Kolegas crowd. They have played together since October 2008 and have become one of the darlings of the underground scene receiving rave reviews wherever they play. Pacalolo got together after meeting on a drunken night out in Wudaokou, so the story goes, but their sound is finely tuned incorporating a host of influences. No stranger to the Beijing scene, lead singer and guitarist Ma2 has played in different bands across 15 years spanning a range of genres. Bassist Jiang Wei is a graduate of the Midi School of Music, while DJ Lisa was a band tour manager before deciding to take the stage. They also incorporate a VJ into their live shows.
Taking the stage at 6.20pm will be The Planets. The Planets have been creating a lot of buzz recently with their unique brand of alternative grunge rock. Star Xing, Yang and Guo Wei have been active on the experimental scene since they emerged late last year and came highly recommended when we put the feelers out for new talent when planning this show earlier this year.
Don't forget, you have until tomorrow (August 16) to pick up your advanced tickets for the Beijinger New Music Showcase and make a saving of RMB 50. Tickets are still on sale at 2 Kolegas, Homeplate BBQ, Paddy O'Shea's, XP and The Bookworm. RMB 100 will buy you an afternoon of beer, goat and top music.
