Noise Pollution: Wetware Festival, Temple's Birthday Bash, Peace and Love Festival, Joyce Jonathan, Afterjourney, BOOM

Feeling the burn now! It’s heating up here in Beijing and I’m not only taking about the weather as it looks to be a true scorcher of a weekend up ahead – besides the omnipresent mind-numbing insanity that is Douban’s Wetware Festival, you’ve got shoegaze cassettes to get your hands on, unhinged birthday bashes to crash, Taiwanese new waves to ride, and plenty more. So button down that shirt, grab some shades, and soak up summer’s first woorah with your weekend gig roundup courtesy of Live Beijing Music (WeChat ID: livebeijingmusic).

Thursday, May 18

SNSOS, Goodbye Honey Boy, Default, Silent Speech, Wonder Sea at Yue Space
Nasty Wizard Recordings, quite possibly the gnarliest tape label in China, and one (full disclosure) I’m proudly a part of, will be releasing their latest magnus opus – a pan-Asian shoegaze compilation featuring tracks from Hangzhou, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Xi’an. For the release show, we’ve tapped into some of the scene’s freshest noisemakers including rising psychedelic shoegaze outfit Default, dream pop trio Goodbye Honey, indie rock ruffians Silent Speech, post emo rockers Wonder Sea, and the esteemed jangly post rock group She Never Sings Our Songs (pictured above). Hot blooded, melodic longing to ease you into the weekend – pick up one of limited cassette tapes this evening. 8.30pm start. RMB 60

Cass McCombs (US), Low (US), Forests (TW) at Tango
The Wetware Festival kicks off in style in a three-punch combo of some of some serious talent – including lo-fi folk rock singer-songwriter stawart Cass McCombs, longstanding slow burning indie rock staples Low, and Taiwanese industrial post-punk trio Forests, one of the Taipei’s most sought after acts. A smoothing, blistering hot array of sonic sounds and a hell of a start to what will surely be a long weekend for Douban’s festival. RMB 239

Ma Tiao at Snail Hostel
Renowned rustic Xinjiang singer-songwriter Ma Tiao, fresh off the release of his latest folk rock hit gives an intimate performance at Snail Hostel as part of their Netease Artist Spotlight series. From Karamay, which means ‘black oil’ in Uighur, and his ‘music spreads over the audience like an oil slick’. RMB 120

Cherry Bomb, Liquid Palace, Dark Chasm at Temple
Noise rock, electronic wizardry, and psychedelic rock --- hit up Temple Bar to soak in some of the scene’s newest sounds. Free

New Youth, By Dream, ECNO at School
Super School Fighter continue their Thursday residency highlighting some of the scene’s rising contenders – tonight goes post rock with a trio of soundscapers taking the stage including By Dream. RMB 40

Nathaniel Gao Quintet at Blue Note
One of Beijing’s finest jazz ensembles, the Nathaniel Gao Quintet pay tribute to American composer and songwriter giant Cole Porter. Expect some highly skilled jamming following the set. 8:30pm 

Friday, May 19

Stephen O' Malley (US), Evian Christ (UK), Catching Flies (UK), MHP, Nightmares on Wax (UK), Pet Conspiracy, Zaliva-D, Do Hits Afterparty at Tango

.one（SWE), Dataline（SWE), MarkVerbos (US), ELVIS.T（TW) at School
Wetware’s main stage (located on the 3rd floor of Tango) is its spiritual core - Stephen O’Malley, founder of drone metal group Sunn O))) will perform among others. On the Wetware’s second stage (1st floor of Tango), multimedia artists Kim Laughton and Jonathan Zawada will turn the stage into a ever-flowing, ever-changing digital landscape, a world which will develop and evolve throughout the festival. Performing in this digital environment will be legendary producer Nightmares on Wax and more. Wetware’s third stage (at School Bar) is an extension of the ‘Outside the Billboard’ spirit of Douban Artists – with the first evening focused on hardware and synthesizers. Full schedule and tickets here. RMB 389 (day pass), RMB 329 (advance day pass), RMB 699 (weekend pass)

Sunset Rollercoaster (TW) at Yugong Yishan
Taipei-based band Sunset Rollercoaster rides into Yugong Yishan as part of their nationwide tour. The electronic, 80’s new wave inspired band, a underground favorite in Asia, just released their wonderfully realized EP, Jinji Kikko, so expect to hear a new twist on their romantic, upbeat style. RMB 120

Scare The Children, Ogenix, Los Crasher, Blackwater at Temple
It’s a dual birthday bash at Temple (their first of the weekend) and it’s a heavy one as horror metal outfit Scare The Children join industrial metallers Ogenix, 80s rockers Los Crasher, and Irish folk rock outfit Blackwater for some highly inebriated hooliganism and rock and rolling that cut to the bone. Best bring your game face. Free

Me Guan Me, Mimik Banka, Collision Dreamer, WSZ at Mao Livehouse
Let’s get wild with this rollicking lineup featuring some of the scene’s underrated gems – bands that have stood the test of time and who continue to evolve – including indie rock wranglers Me Guan Me, alternative rock quartet Mimik Banka (formerly 16 mins), emo core group Collision Dreamer, and more. RMB 100

Dagadana (Ukraine/Poland) at DDC
Dagadana, for eight years now, have triumphantly merged elements of Ukrainian and Polish culture through jazz, electronic, world music, and contemporary music using everything from children toys sounds, ancestral books to music found amongst their families and friends. The joyful quartet looks to cut loose at DDC this evening. RMB 70

Kamau, Fox & Zin, Reese, Yang Chuxiao, Juan Ni, Li Jingren at 69 Cafe
Celebrate the folk scene with the Peace and Love Festival at 69 Café where an array of artists including indie-folk songstress Shannon from the Plum Trees, indie princess Jordan Darling, folk ruffian Nathan Borokfa, Reese from Coupla Cups and Felling Tree/Sprucewood Quartet frontman Kamau. RMB 66

Shen, DJ GUIGZ at fRUITYSPACE
Acid house dub techno artist (who may or may not be the alter ego of the one and only Noise Arcade) joins 8-bit junkie and Gameboy abuser DJ GUIGZ (who is most definitely the alter ego of Guiguisuisui) for some electronic mayhem. RMB 30

Wu & the Side Effects, Story Teller, Xanthium, Mountain Pepper Big Band at Mars Club
Feeling the blues with some of the genre’s wildest players including Wu & The Side Effects, Story Teller, and more converge upon Gaobeidian’s Mars Club. RMB 120

Theo Crocker (US), Tia Tay at Blue Note
After releasing one of 2016’s top jazz albums of the year, trumpet virtuoso Theo Crocker, whose ‘serpentine precision and are backed by a powerful rhythm section that pushes the groove’ comes to Blue Note Beijing to perform alongside China soul queen Tia Ray. RMB 300 - RMB 500

Joyce Jonathan (FR) at Modernsky Lab
With several China tours under her belt already, French singer-songwriter Joyce Jonathan returns once again for a ten city tour. With an ability to sing in both French and Chinese, the 27 year-old musician has already developed a big Chinese following. Expect guitar-driven ethereal folk. RMB 350

Xinlu Chen & the New York Underground at Jianghu Bar
Jianghu hosts jazz saxophonist, composer and double master’s degree holder Xinlu Chen, who studied at the Hangzhou Normal University Conservatory and the Aaron Copeland School of Music at SUNY. During her three years in New York, she appeared in some of the city’s foremost jazz venues, and now appears with her backing band, the New York Underground, to give you a taste of the city that never sleeps. RMB 60

Rain Lee at Yue Space
Mandarin pop singer-songwriter Rain Lee, who hit it big last year with a praised performance on the television program ‘Super Girl’ in Heilongjiang province, recently released her debut EP and will be hitting the road to promote it. RMB 120

The Tasty, A’Nanda, Kahula, Ambulance of Love at Hot Cat Club
Funk, soul, post rock, and old school rock and roll – things get nice and loud on Fangjia Hutong as an array of clashers bring their best to the table. Free 

FoFox, Zin, Ming, Dan Zengzhuo Ga at Mogu Space
Brit-pop and folk duo Fofox and Zinzin appear with Leonard Cohen-inspired singer Qi Ming and Tibetan folk singer Dan Zengzhuo Ga. RMB 60

Alex Yadong at Snail Hostel
Mixing Delta-style blues, Nashville country, rock and folk, Alex Yadong is bringing the mournful sounds of the American south to Beijing. RMB 60

Saturday, May 20

NaN:COLLIDER (PT), Madrigal Chor, Alessandro Cortin (US), Duck Fight Goose, ST.OL.EN,  Swimful, Hyph11E,  Shackup, Andy Stott (UK), Actress (UK), Mouse on Mars (DE), Dis Fig (UK), Bloozboi, Palmistry (UK), Scintii (TW), A.G. Cook (UK), Danny L. Harie, SVBKVLT Afterparty at Tango

Wu Zhouling, Dieel Guik, Wong Hin Yan (HK), Liujiafan, ERG, Mirrors, RUN RUN RUN at School

Wetware’s main stage (located on the 3rd floor of Tango) is its spiritual core. Modular synth pioneer Alessandro Cortini and the originator of IDM，Mouse on Mars will bring their creative performance. On the Wetware’s second stage (1st floor of Tango), multimedia artists Kim Laughton and Jonathan Zawada will turn the stage into an ever-flowing, ever-changing digital landscape, a world which will develop and evolve throughout the festival. Performing in this digital environment will be Shanghai’s Duck Fight Goose as well as PC Music’s A.G. Cook. Wetware’s third stage (at School Bar) is an extension of the ‘Outside the Billboard’ spirit of Douban Artists. Diel Guik, whose works are rooted in the traditional music and culture of the Miao people; Liujiafan, a young band that sings in the old dialect of Teochew; and Wong Hin Yan, a singer-songwriter with a social focus on local life and thoughts in Hong Kong. Full schedule at bottom. RMB 389 (day pass), RMB 329 (advance day pass), RMB 699 (weekend pass)

The Shanghai Restoration Project at Yue Space
Following up on their 2015 The Classics Tour, The Shanghai Restoration Project & Zhang Le return to China this May to tour their latest release Life Elsewhere. This playful collaboration with artist Sun Yunfan weaves together jazz, electronica, samba, bossa nova and world music with Chinese Taoist philosophy. The performance will feature the trio joined by special guest jazz guitarist Zhang Xiongguan. RMB 150

The Twenties, Pacalolo, Xiao Wang, t€knoprison€rs.de at Temple
The second evening of birthday debauchery – this time celebrating love not war folks with a red hot lineup of high-spirited punk and indie rock featuring rising girl punx outfit Xiao Wang, esteemed indie rock saviors The Twenties, electro rock duo Pacalolo, and the indescribable t€knoprison€rs.de who have been all the rage as of late. Free

Guiguisuisui, Hugh Reed & The Electric Shadows at Caravan
A two piece journey into sound and performance – Guiguisuisui returns! ‘blending electronic and 8-bit sounds with blues, rock, hip-hop, doom, punk, noise, and ambient bliss while performing an avante garde opera featuring a number of characters’ these cats are the real deal. They’ll be joined by veteran Scotsmen rockmen Hugh Reed and his Electric Shadow band. RMB 50

Perpetual Motion Machine, Poshangcun, Next Door Band, Relativity at Yugong Yishan
Rock out with some of the capital's hottest bands at Yugong Yishan including pop rock staples Next Door Band, culturally charged rockers Perpetual Motion Machine, folk pop faves Po Shang Cun, and more. RMB 130, RMB 188 (2 person advance ticket)

Royal as Purple, Sophia’s Garden, The Sweet Escape, The Big Wave at Mao Livehouse
Mao goes big and proud, with britpop ballads, emo rock sing-a-longs, and synth pop anthems – with sets from The Big Wave, Sophia’s Garden, and more. RMB 120

Lucky Roots, Joker’s Belief, Ludo V, Dizzy Di, Johnson and Brothers, Master Ray, Laurie DJ Wild Wata at Granary Bar
It’s a reggae, ska, dub, you name it party – a 9 hour outdoor rager with 6 DJs and MCs from six different labels and a roots reggae band ---- all the newly opened Granary Bar located by Shuangqiao Station on the Batong Line. It’s been a while since I’ve been a fine outdoor party (RIP Dos Kolegas) with grass of all things so count me intrigued. RMB 80 

Purgatory, OWAT, Ritual Day, Dream Spirit, Dark Haze, Spirit Trance at 13 Club
Celebrate metal day with a vengeance! 13 Club in Wudaoku goes all out with a lineup featuring some of China’s best metal acts including the veterans Ritual Day, fresh off a new album release, Dark Haze, Dream Spirit, and more. Melodic metal with more than enough bite. RMB 120

Blue Magpie, DaHaHa, Hogchocker, Disaster Chat at DDC
It’s a Shanghai throwdown as a trio of Shanghai bands make the trek up to Beijing including long standing indie rock trope Blue Magpie, hard rock funksters Hogchoker, and blues psychedelic outfit Da Haha who’ll all be joining Beijing’s own Disaster Chat for some upbeat rowdy fun. RMB 60

Michael Gilroy, Nick Parsons, Jordan Darling, Nathan Borokfa, Darren at 69 Cafe
Celebrate the folk scene with the Peace and Love Festival at 69 Café where an array of artists including indie-folk songstress Shannon from the Plum Trees, indie princess Jordan Darling, folk ruffian Nathan Borokfa, Reese from Coupla Cups and Felling Tree/Sprucewood Quartet frontman Kamau. RMB 66

Solaris at Mogu Space
The genre-bending five-piece ensemble who dip their toes into everything from neo-psychedelia to shoe gaze bring their expansive sound to the Xizhimen space for a special unplugged performance. RMB 60

Afterjourney, BOOM at Modernsky Lab
Afterjourney and Boom appear at Modernsky Lab as part of their Fire Tour. Victors of countless rap battles, the two are well known on the Chinese hip-hop scene for their energetic performances and have also worked with such big names like A$AP Mob and Jay Prince. RMB 150

JMC at Jianghu Bar
JMC aka Jazz Magic Cube Octette bring their ragtag team of jazz mercenaries putting a contemporary spin on old jazz classics. RMB 80

Tavey Lean & The Solid Gold Machine at 4Corners
The Solid Gold Machine return to 4Corners bringing their brand of soul music to the masses! So get your dancing shoes on and head out to see one of the Beijing music scene's very best. RMB 50

Mademoiselle et son Orchestre at Hot Cat Club
Mademoiselle et son Orchestre return to Hot Cat Club. The premier gypsy jazz outfit has been igniting crowds left and right for endless years – a true joy to behold. Free

  

Cao Qin, Cui Longyang, Ma Xiao, Jiang Ming & Old Mountain, XiXi, Fengzilaopan, LanZao at Omni Space
OR Media celebrates two years of going strong as well as the release of their ‘New Wine’ folk compilation with an hefty folk lineup featuring some of the folk pop scene’s hottest commodities. RMB 120

 

Sunday, May 21

Hai Qing, Tim Hecker (CA), Amnesia Scanner (FI), Dopplereffekt (US), Kode9 + Lawrence Lek (UK), Howie Lee, Cold Cave (US), Chui Wan, Charm, Gooooose, 33, Faded Ghost, Rabit (US), Laurel Halo (US), ZhiQi, DJ Earl (US), RP Boo (US) at Tango

chenchenchen, Fishdoll, Another Van, thruoutin, L+R, Hielektromen, 3aSiC at School

Wetware’s main stage (located on the 3rd floor of Tango) is its spiritual core. Canadian ambient musician Tim Hecker will join Laurel Halo and more. On the Wetware’s second stage (1st floor of Tango), multimedia artists Kim Laughton and Jonathan Zawada will turn the stage into an ever-flowing, ever-changing digital landscape, a world which will develop and evolve throughout the festival. Performing in this digital environment will be footwork originator RP Boo and Teklife member DJ Earl. Wetware’s third stage (at School Bar) is an extension of the ‘Outside the Billboard’ spirit of Douban Artists. Ran Music showcases their stuff today with sets from thruoutin, Hangzhou’s chenchenchen and more. RMB 389 (day pass), RMB 329 (advance day pass), RMB 699 (weekend pass)

Elvis Fucx, A. Borealis, KO, Electric Kangro, Nick Parsons at Temple
Had enough birthday shenanigans yet? Of course not – so time to kick it into overdrive to celebrate another scene regular’s birthday – with a folk-driven showcase that’s gone off the rails in the best possible way with sets from Elvis Fucx, A. Borealis, KO, Electric Kangro, Nick Parsons and more.

Hugeji Yuetu, Ajinai at Omni Space
Hey – it’s Ajinai! They’re back! While Hanggai rake in all the hype and fame, people forget that Ajinai, the Beijing-based Mongolian folk outfit, who have carved out quite a collection of lush material since their formation in 2009, with a focus on creating a new dialogue using their background instead of having it keep them rooted in tradition. They’re joined by recognized Mongolian musician Hugejiltu, whose work in bands like Hanggai and Ego Fall has not gone unnoticed. He’ll be releasing his debut tonight as well. RMB 100

Dressed To Kill, Toxic Waste, Hierarchy, Ancestor, Prelude of Oblivion at Mao Livehouse
Let your hair down at this hair metal festival as an array of metal outfits pay tributes to the greats. Plus the EP debut from Dressed to Kill to quench your thirst for black-tinted blood. RMB 100

Residence A, Windsor Forest, The Lake at Mars Club
Trance-inducing indie rock stalwarts Residence A give a special student showcase in Gaobeidian alongside fellow Britpop-infused indie rockers Windsor Forest and The Lake. RMB 120

Scott MacArthur, Wu Gui, Qi Ming, Pu Han, Dan Zengzhuo Ga at 69 Café
Celebrate the folk scene with the Peace and Love Festival at 69 Café where an array of artists including indie-folk songstress Shannon from the Plum Trees, indie princess Jordan Darling, folk ruffian Nathan Borokfa, Reese from Coupla Cups and Felling Tree/Sprucewood Quartet frontman Kamau. RMB 66

Hexa at DDC
Choir ensemble Hexa, formed out of the Central Conservatory of Music and have preformed nationwide in various acappella concerts give an afternoon showcase at DDC. RMB 50

Nian, Day x Day at DDC
Guitar drums folk duo Nian joins hard rock outfit Day x Day for a little Sunday evening musical outing at DDC. RMB 40 

Phew! Still hungry for more? For events, videos, and photos from Beijing's thriving music scene, head over to Live Beijing Music or check out all of our live music listings here.

Images: SNSOS, courtesy of the organizers.