Noise Pollution: Mr. Graceless at YGYS, Dahlia Rosea at DDC, All-Day Rock Fest at 798

November has arrived which means all you apartment dwellers and going to need to wait a couple more weeks till you can toast your buns. Till then, enjoy the brisk air, get out your long johns, and hit up the livehouses up to comfort your ears (and yes, toast the aforementioned buns). We’ve got quite an alluring weekend up ahead, including Live Beijing Music's latest seasonal outing with DDC, and much much more. Get at it. 
 

Friday, Nov 3

Mr. Graceless, SNSOS, Default, Tommy G at Yugong Yishan 
It's a youthful trifecta of indie rock and roll as two of this year's breakout successes – jangly post-rockers SNSOS and shoegaze reverb drivers Default – join seasoned indie charmers Mr. Graceless, fresh off their sophomore release, and the mysterious and righteous Tommy G, former drummer of Beach Fossils and DIIV. Not sure what he'll be up to but color me intrigued. RMB 130

Swinging Barbarellas, The Sino Hearts, Oldy Baby at Temple 
Punk, new wave, power pop and all the mischievous little corners of rock and roll – Temple brings forth a night of blistering rock and roll featuring power pop trio The Sino Hearts, the return of punk duo Oldy Baby, and the Swing Barbarellas themselves. FREE

Scare the Children, Atom, Hugh Reed & the Electric Shadows, Devils Mask at School 
Embrace the madness and get in your last Halloween licks with this showcase of terror featuring horror metal favorites Scare the Children, prepping for their Japan tour. They'll be joined by the alter egos of Hugh Reed and his cohorts – Dr. Acula & the Guilty Undertakers, as well as visiting Dongguan rockers Astro Boy, in town promoting their new LP, and finally Devil's Mask. Gonna be a rowdy one. RMB 66.6

Perpetual Motion Machine, INXU, Macondo at DDC 
A volatile cocktail of rock and roll featuring the veteran Chinese rockers Perpetual Motion Machine whose melding of traditional Chinese sounds into West Coast rock and roll had made them a must-see act. They'll be joining hard-hitting movie soundtrackers INXU as well as fellow instrumental rockers Macondo. RMB 80

JP (JP) at 13 Club 
All the way from Okinawa comes the band without a name (known right now as JP). Made up of five different artists, their style includes elements of everything from Okinawa folk to J-pop to psychedelic rock and electronica. RMB 60

JMSN (USA), Joy Ginger at Yue Space 
Christian Berishaj, better known by his stage name JMSN (pronounced Jameson) – the rising American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, as well as a multi-instrumentalist, music engineer, and mixer – swings through Beijing with his live band. Support from sultry, soulful Beijing producer Joy Ginger. RMB 200

Zhang Quan at Snail Club (Pinganli) 
The folk artist Zhang Quan was born in 1968 and grew up in rural Gansu and Qinghai. Since then, he’s been a train conductor, a painter, and a dancehall musician. In 1995, he turned his attention to folk music, and has spent the last twenty years playing northwestern folk. RMB 120

The Hunters at Modernista 
Modernista kicks off their six-year anniversary month with one of Beijing’s hottest crowd-pleasing outfit The Hunters, who combine old-school funk, soul, and rock classics with intoxicating delivery. FREE

MC Guang Guang, T.$ong at Omni Space
Active for over ten years in the hip-hop scene, Chinese rapper Guang Guang has kept it real, following his R&B slow jam style of rapping, garnering a loyal fanbase. Catch him present his newest material tonight at Omni Space.

Jeremy Pelt Quintet (US) at Blue Note 
One of the preeminent young trumpeters within the world of jazz, Jeremy Pelt has collaborated with some of the genre’s greatest masters including performances and recordings with Cliff Barbaro, Keter Betts, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Ravi Coltrane, Frank Foster, Winard Harper, Jimmy Heath, and much much more. RMB 380

Zhang Jing Trio at Jianghu Bar 
Contemporary jazz guitar maestro whose musical style has dipped into every genre imaginable bring his merry brethren The Funk Brothers for what will surely be a funk-filled evening. RMB 60

Xie Yichun at Mogu Space
The classical guitarist Xie Yichun, who’s been invited in the past to perform at the French and German embassies, appears tonight at Xizhimen for a night of fingerpicked guitar. FREE

Liang Zi, Hou Kang, Kai Le at Blue Stream Bar 
A trio of folk singer-songwriters take to the small Gulou stage to tell stories the only way they know how – with an acoustic guitar and a tender heart. RMB 60 
 

Saturday, Nov 4

Dahlia Rosea, The Playcat, New Generation, Underdog at DDC 
LiveBeijingMusic and DDC team up once again for a twisty, scrappy, explosive lineup full of new voices and new sounds including brooding Shanghai alt-rock quartet Dahlia Rosea, fresh off the release of their killer Billy Corgan invoking Modern Sky debut (as well as earning a spot at next year’s SXSW Festival). Joining them are world music shoegazers New Generation and Baoding noise-pop outfit The Playcat, two bands primed to hit it big in the upcoming year (they’re already being courted by Split Works I hear). Rounding out the bill are Underdog, the supergroup featuring members of SMZB, Casino Demon, and Human Centipede – a class act of old-school ska punk, bluegrass swag and rockabilly charm. Hell of a way to break in the winter. RMB 80

The Crack at Yugong Yishan 
Heavyweight Beijing thrash metal band The Crack, one of the scenes hardest working metal outfits in the past decade promote their latest EP Battlefield Dairies, which they claim introduces more ‘groovy’ riffs into the mix. Expect tough, technically exquisite musicianship that cuts like a knife. RMB 120

Hang on the Box, The Peppercorns at Temple 
Hang on the Box, the seminal all-girl punk rock who has spent the better part of the last decade going through one rebirth after return with their latest indie-rock incarnation and a new LP Oracles, quite the departure from their feisty beginnings. They close out their tour with a special showcase at Temple alongside up and coming psychedelic soundscapers The Peppercorns. FREE

Summer Sunshine, Empty Eyes, S.A.W, Gum Bleed, The Jungle Fever, Childish Food, Nubeer, Drunkard, Starbing, Devil Mask, Zhui Yuan, Purple Ring at 798 Livehouse 
A powerhouse evening of rock and roll with a capital R – if you’re looking for non-stop down-and-out riffs and head-banging check out 798 Livehouse’s afternoon into evening hard rock fest featuring everyone from veteran punks Gum Bleed to pop punks Summer Sunshine to grunge staples Drunkard and a lot more. RMB 120

Gentle Grapes, Duff Beer, Day Dream, Wasted Laika, Outsiders, Russian Roulette, RST at School 
Time to celebrate the new school of rockers with this freshly baked lineup featuring the venues newest crop of punk leaders – from Russian Roulette to Daydream – as well as a slew of up-and-coming bands who are just starting to make noise like Wasted Laika. A rowdy, messy cesspool of hormones and rock and roll spirit. Bring your dancing shoes. RMB 100

Shia at Yue Space 
Capturing the unique tranquility and romance of the southern Yangtze River, the Hangzhou based folk singer-songwriter has been winning over crowds with his melodic story-weaves songs. RMB 120

Great Buffalo Blues, Horse Feather at Modernista 
Alt-rock funksters Horse Feather join country blues outfit Buffalo Blues for a righteous evening in Modernista. FREE 

Trio Baci at Snail Hostel (Pinganli)
With Zoe Wang on accordion, Doug Martin on mandolin and Nico Torrese on guitar, Trio Baci bring you traditional Italian melodies – from classic Calace tunes to sweeping melodies by Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota the band rolls through Pinganli this Saturday. FREE 

HZ, SSB at Blue Stream Bar
Abbreviated band names for the win! Pop rockers HZ, big on the campus rock scene take the stage at Blue Stream with fellow pop-punk rockers SSB for a free show. FREE

Gong Zhao, Wan Hexi, Zhu Wanqing at Mogu Space 
A night of indie ballads from these female champs including Cool Rhythm vocalist Gong Zhao, Sichuanese pianist and vocalist Zhu Wanqing, and Wan Hexi (alright – this guy’s a dude). RMB 60
 

Sunday, Nov 5 

Planet & Tree at Snail Hostel (Pinganli) 
One of this year’s biggest surprises has been the emergence of folk-rock outfit Planet & Tree. Headed by the esteemed and infamous Cui Xudong – a prominent musician from Shijiazhuang whose time included playing with bands such as Omnipotent Youth Society’s processor Nico, Ruins, Soundtoy, and more – the band is a dusty bluesy rock band that’s riffed with soul and the spirit of rock and roll. RMB 100 

Black Kirin at Yugong Yishan 
Folk metal outfit Black Kirin, who hail from Changchun, bring their signature opera-style death metal and instrumental prowess to Yugong Yishan as the heavyweight metal band present their newest album ‘Jingling Rite’ which looks to bring listeners into the harrowing year of 1937 where ‘the sorrow and hatred for a beleaguered nation, was swallowed by time.’ Heavy stuff indeed. RMB 120

Dreaming Julie at DDC 
Free jazz experimental supergroup Dreaming J, made up of renowned experimental and jazz figures Feng Hao, Liu Ping, and Yang Tao, mixes up traditional instrumental with postmodern sounds gets down and dirty at DDC. RMB 60

Wang Juan at Yue Space 
The seasoned veteran Ningxia raised folk singer-songwriter, who’s been a fixture of the folk scene since her humble beginnings in 1995, is back with her sixth LP, ‘Where My Heart Lies’. Expect pristine, delicately graceful tunes from one of the best. RMB 80 

Three Quarters Dead, Kepler, Time So Fast, Necronoumena at School 
Things take a turn for the brutal this Sunday at School as brutal death metal heads Nexronoumena join razor-edged rockers Kepler and more warriors of the metal world. RMB 60

Great Buffalo Blues, Eric Allen, D. Cristol at Temple 
Keep it pristine and take in the country blues and folk musings of Great Buffalo Blues and singer-songwriter Eric Allen who’ll be joining funk rockers D.Cristol for some Sunday night jamming. FREE 

No Square Jazz at La Plantation
Created in July 1994, the jazz quartet No Square, led by the German bassist, André Hahne, has already produced 9 albums and has toured around the world. Composed of simple melodies and of more complex binary grooves inspired by polyrhythms and odd measures developed in contemporary jazz, there’s one of the livelier jazz outfits out there. RMB 200 

Sophia Huang at Worker’s Stadium 
Vocal powerhouse Sophia Huang (Huang Qi Shan) takes the stage at Worker’s Gymnasium this Sunday. The diva vocalist is in the midst of recording her newest album, so get ready to hear new hits from ‘China’s Whitney Houston’ mixing pop, jazz, soul, and gospel. RMB 188

Wishbao at Yue Space 
Singer, songwriter, art designer and student of the China Fine Arts Academy who started creating her own music under the persona Wishbao whilst studying in Kyoto returns with her latest collection of indie pop gems. RMB 100 (3pm start) 

Pu Han, Danzeng ZhuoGa at Mogu Space 
Playing a unique blend of Kazakh and Tuva folk singers, jazz and folk, singer-songwriter Pu Han brings a raft of experience in American country, jazz singing, and many other musical forms. He’ll be joined by Lhasa musician Zengzhuo Zhuo Ga. FREE

Still hungry for more? Check out all of our live music listings here. 

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the organizers