Talking Tunes: Simple Plan, Miss May I, We Shot the Moon and Godspeed You! Black Emperor Contend the Best Band Name Award

You might have heard by now, but for those who haven't: Canadian rockers Simple Plan are heading back to Beijing next month. The multiple Juno Award winners will be playing the M Space (the more intimate venue next to the MasterCard Arena in Wukesong) on March 24. They've visited town before, of course, and their last show in Beijing was a big hit with lovers of Canadian alt rock (think Nickelback, only better).

Something tells me 2013 is going to be a good year for live music here, as the confirmations continue to flood in thick and fast. Godspeed You! Black Emperor are another Canadian group. Split Works will be bringing them over in April. The Quebecois are a big hit with the hipsters according to one Split Worker.

Yugong Yishan will host two American bands in March: We Shot the Moon are a San Diego five-piece who will be here on March 1, while Miss May I will provide a more hardcore hit when they reach our shores on March 6.

Beijing electro-rocker Djang San has released a fourth volume of his One Man Live Orchestra releases. The release is a collection of stripped-down tracks recorded during various live shows across Beijing throughout 2012. You can check it out at his Bandcamp here.

V.A Bar near Yonghegong let us know that they'll be taking Chinese New Year leave from February 7-15. The bar will be opened as usual on February 16. They also asked us to wish you all a very happy Year of the Snake.

To play us out this week, we opted for a sample of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. This is their track "London."

Don't forget that you can check out upcoming music shows in our events section.