Noise Pollution: Beach Fossils, Föllakzoid, Lornoar, Straight Fire Gang, Shai Maestro Trio, Rudra’s Sage
March continues its streak of confusing the ever hell out of my senses (and sinuses) giving new meaning to the phrase ‘spring fever’. The silver lining of course being is the swarm of shows that comes with Beijing’s awakening including a perfectly timed St. Patrick’s Day falling on Saturday, meaning you have a whole day to cure those hangovers. Bliss! Here’s your weekend roundup.
Friday, Mar 16
Föllakzoid (Chile), Backspace at Omni Space
Chilean psychedelic rock group Föllakzoid bring the fuzz and buzz and invite you to their strange brew. Drawing on the music of Cream, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, and the Grateful Dead in creating their futuristic, electronic but still traditional sound, they aim to take their audiences on a transformational journey with every show. Drugs optional. Support from Maybe Mars' own psychedelic, surf rock, krautrock day-trippers – Backspace. RMB 120
Wasted Laika, Swarm, Run Run Run, Acid Accident, Wonder Sea at School
‘Mellow out, find your zen place, and get lost in the music’ as one of School Bar’s longest running series ‘Keep Calm and Fly On’ brings forth their latest finely tuned lineup featuring emo rockers Wonder Sea, up and coming art punk kids Wasted Laika, veteran Guiyang raised jammers Run Run Run, prog instrumental madmen Swarm, and post-rockers Acid Accident. RMB 60
Krazy Family, FAtso, Hog, Cloudy Tunnel, Sean Zh at Yue Space
Welcome back hip-hop! It’s not like you were gone long. Either way, good to see you. Yue Space welcomes the distinctive and spirited rap collective Krazy Family, mixer and rapper FAtso, HOG (the Honor of the Ghetto), Vancouver-born Sean Zh, and more this evening in Beixinqiao. RMB 120
Djang San at Temple
East-meets-West fusionist and veteran show stopper Djang San – a jack of trades include ‘zhongruan player, philosopher, poet, composer, guitar hero, DJ, one-man orchestra, and explorer of new sounds’ bring their hypnotic buck wild tunes to the one and only Temple as the band welcomes the Year of the Dog. FREE
Li Eryang, Muti at Soi Baochao
Combining the classical influences with their already experimental rock sounds, catch the latest incarnation of Tydi Knots in Muti as the duo joins '70s guitar maverick and singer-songwriter Li Eryang for some fun on Baochao. RMB 55
The Peking Floyd at DDC
Beijing's Premier Pink Floyd tribute band bring their vast and ever-increasing collection of cuts from Pink Floyd's most creative years including Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety. While staying true to the original structure, Peking Floyd prides itself on emulating the live performances of Pink Floyd during the 1970s when their improvisation and psychedelic jamming were at their best. RMB 60
Edward & the Upbeat Trio at Caravan
Percussion renegade Eduardo from Cuba, who has performed all over the world, brings spirited Latin fusion jazz flavors to the Moroccan restaurant and live house staple Caravan. RMB 60
Shai Maestro Trio at Blue Note
One of the most powerful and harmonious group in the jazz world today, the Shai Maestro Trio, led by the dynamic Maestro, an Israeli-born masterclass pianist whose awards and resume are countless. After leaving the Avishai Cohen Trio after four albums, he went on to form his own outfit, sharing the stage with groups led by Chick Corea, Tigran Hamasyan, Esperanza Spalding, and Diana Krall. Catch them at Blue Note this weekend. RMB 320
Samaga at Fruityspace
Considered by many as one of Beijing’s most underrated musical acts, world music act Samaga has been infiltrating venues across Beijing with their happy marriage of musical traditions from India, the Middle East, and more, utilizing the sitar, the oud, and other Middle Eastern percussion instruments. RMB 70
Ember Swift at Modernista
Known for her unique, jazz-influenced guitar playing and elastic vocals, the Canadian born Beijing based singer-songwriter Ember Swift has been a fixture of the Beijing music scene for years releasing an array of LPs and melding Mandarin, English, and French into one intoxicating package. FREE
Eternal Love w/ Li Xin, Amit Weiner, Wu Ti at La Plantation
Get spiritual with this intriguing showcase at La Plantation as oriental natural chanting meets with occidental classic music. Li Xin's sacred chanting in Chinese, Persian, Sanskrit and English joins Israeli composer/pianist Amit Weiner's electronic piano, and flutist Wu Ti for an unforgettable experience. RMB 200
Re X, Outside The Wall, A.D.C, Ephemerality, Wang Yan at 80 Music
80 Music – we hardly knew ya! The Pinganli diamond in the rough which I had the pleasure of checking out earlier this year will soon to getting shuttered and torn down as with many of its neighboring hutongs and alleyways. Nevertheless, the kick-ass venue plans to cram as much music in as possible before they close their doors, including tonight’s heavy metal showcase giving an array of young and hot-blooded citizens a chance to rage with the best of them. RMB 100
Rudra’s Sage at 69 Café
Philippines born sitar player Rudra’s Sage, a scene regular since the heydays of River Bar in Sanlitun, and who studied down the street from Ravi Shankar’s guru, performs tonight playing a diverse set including Indian traditional folk songs and rearrangements of Beatles tunes. RMB 66
Tsering, Gen Gong at Yichang Cafe
Tibetan singer-songwriter Tsering who plays a unique blend of reggae, rock and folk rock, with emphasis on recreating and modernizing ancient traditional Tibetan music, will grace the Yichang Cafe stage alongside fellow Tibetan musician Gen Gong. RMB 70
Monesque & The White Russian, Wu Gui, Eric Allen at Mogu Space
One-half Dutch-Australian and the other half Russian, Monesque & The White Russian is a new original indie pop guitar duo. They join folk musician Wu Gui and blues veteran Eric Allen for some tunes in Xizhimen. RMB 60
Cui Long Yang, Yu Yu, Zhang Ziwei, Wang Dapei, Qi Luxuan at Blue Stream
Acoustic pop singers take over Blue Stream Bar looking to instill youthfulness and nostalgic longing into all patrons including Zhang Ziwei, Yu Yu, as well as the chart-hitting, indie pop outfit Cui Long Yang. RMB 80
Pan Qi, Liang Yijun, Liu Ao, Mang Fanxi, Ge Weibin at Jianghu Bar
Stay classy over at Jianghu Bar as an assortment of the jazz scene’s finest true blood musicians takes the stage including saxophonist Pan Qi, guitarist Liu Ao, and more. RMB 60
Stevie Mac & The Mac Daddies at 4corners
The ever-expanding (10 members deep at the moment) jazz-pop troupe Stevie Mac and the Mac Daddies bring their vintage approach to contemporary music to 4corners for some good times. FREE
Victor Bastidas Organ Trio at East Shore
The Chicago-based director, composer, and drummer Victor Bastidas gets down and dirty at the long-standing Houhai jazz venue. FREE
Saturday, Mar 17
Holy Shit, Black Water, Uncle Bad, R.S.T. at School
Beijing's preeminent Irish rockers Black Water, rocking their new vocalist, bring some St. Patrick’s Day fun to School alongside punk super-group Holy Shit, ska punk troupe with dual male/female vocals that will get you dancing Uncle Bad, and making the trek in from Tianjin, old-school punks turned Celtic punk rockers, R.S.T. School always does St. Paddy’s right and this year is no exception. FREE
Hugh Reed & the Electric Shadows, Clustercuss at Caravan
So what happens when a Scotsman, A Texan and a Moroccan get together for an Irish Celebration? That’s the logline for the mayhem that’ll be unfolding over at Caravan as the riotously unpredictable Hugh Reed takes over Caravan alongside his mischevious minions and solo offbeat indie folk project Clustercuss from Resse. Expect drink specials, leprechaun sightings, and plenty of rum. RMB 60
Silent Speech, Jukka Ahonen, Li Eryang at DDC
Sprawling guitar tunes and the return of the alt-rock outfit Silent Speech, a band that made quite a buzz last year before going a sabbatical of sorts. Whatever the case, it’s good to have them back - indie rock that swoons one moment and then explodes the next. Catch them and guitar mavericks Jukka and Li Er Yang at DDC. 3pm start. RMB 60
Lornoar (Cameroon) at DDC
One of Cameroon’s shining stars, Lornoar is a singer, songwriter, and dancer who got her start as a backup singer for one of the country’s biggest bands before finding her own path, composing her own material, and singing to glorify her ‘native language, culture, and country.’ Catch the real deal over at DDC. 9pm start. RMB 100
Shumking Mansion, Pacalolo, Joker’s Belief at Temple
Things take a funky turn at Temple this St. Paddy’s Day as Hong Kong funk rock outfit Shumking Mansion introduces themselves to rabid patrons alongside the always spunky and reliable Pacalolo and fellow funksters Joker’s Belief. FREE
Straight Fire Gang, Safe Landing, Ni Qiu, Jiang Renhun at Omni Space
The rap team Straight Fire Gang, made of the Shanghai and Hangzhou members who met and began in the US whilst earning their degrees, have been making a killing with their mixes and singles over the past couple years, earning them quite the following. Catch them at Omni Space tonight alongside Beijing rap duo Safe Landing made up of two Beijing Modern Conservatory of Music students. RMB 180
S.A.W, Never Before, Empty Eyes, Dark Haze, Ephemerality at 13 Club
13 Club rounds up a motley crew of the metal scene’s most unruly characters including sludge metal favorites Never Before, melodic dark metal veterans Dark Haze, slayers S.A.W, and plenty more to help the masses of pissed off students let off some steam. RMB 90
WHAI, SNSOS, Time Street, Xiao Pu, Tai Yi, He Daqing, Wang Ruoning at Yue Space
Stay up all night and let the lush, intricate, and eclectic sounds of this evenings lineup sweep you away - including psychedelic rockers WHAI, pop and 8-bit act Time Street indie rockers SNSOS, folk-pop sensation Xiao Pu and many more. Plus scavenger hunts, fun and games and other birthday shenanigans. RMB 80
Muti, Andrew Little, Yan Baizhou at Mogu Space
Muti – the acoustic, cello version of Tydi Knots, one of Beijing’s newest ruff and tumble rock duo brings their new take of their already offbeat sound to Mogu Space alongside banjo player and singer Andrew Little and more. RMB 66
Shai Maestro Trio at Blue Note
One of the most powerful and harmonious group in the jazz world today, the Shai Maestro Trio, led by the dynamic Maestro, an Israeli-born masterclass pianist whose awards and resume are countless. After leaving the Avishai Cohen Trio after four albums, he went on to form his own outfit, sharing the stage with groups led by Chick Corea, Tigran Hamasyan, Esperanza Spalding, and Diana Krall. Catch them at Blue Note this weekend. RMB 320
Song Daiting, Zhang Sikun, Yu Zijun, Zhang Ziwei, XiXi, Ceng Yixiong at Jianghu Bar
It’s a folk fest at the city hutong spot as pristine voiced ladies and gentlemen pick up their guitars and tell stories of yesterday and tomorrow to audiences soaking in every word. RMB 60
Tang Yao, Lao Fan, Bianyuan Xingzou at Mao Livehouse
Yunnan singer-songwriter Tang Yao brings his hometown-infected hit songs to Wukesong with the help of Northwestern singer-songwriter Lao Fan and folk outfit Walking on the Edge. RMB 100
Hutong Rap Battle Vol. 3, Electric Sewage at Soi Baochao
‘If you rap, or B-BOX, or street dance, or graffiti, then come and participate, we'll witness who's gonna be the best Hutong rapper in town’ – Soi Baochao continues their hutong rap battle series hosted by L-Force and with band support from Electric Sewage. FREE
Tea Bags, Gris Gris Blues at Blue Stream Bar
The acoustic duo Gris Gris Blues, made up of Kamau and Dooder of The Great Buffalo Blues joins Tea Bags – a duo that plays ‘good songs with bad lyrics’. FREE
Li Bo at 69 Cafe
Former Jacky Danny singer and lead singer now for Rosewood Bullet, Li Bo is rock and roll royalty who finds the roots of classic rock and roll and makes it his own. Catch him this evening at the relocated 69 Café. RMB 66
The Mac Daddies at Modernista
The Mac Daddies host Modernista’s St. Patrick's Day festivities – some expect plenty of inebriation, green sweaters, and catchy tunes you can sing along to all night long. FREE
Sunday, Mar 18
Beach Fossils (US) at Omni Space
Indie music nerds unite! Brooklyn’s Beach Fossils, the jangly upbeat indie rockers who have effortlessly concocted one dreamy pop ditty after another since their formation in 2010, return to Beijing with their latest warmly received album, Somersault, in tow. ‘Charting into new musical territory with a refined songwriting style, it's an album that captures flashes of life in New York grounded in personal experience.’ They’ll be hitting up Omni Space this Sunday as part of their Asia tour. RMB 230
Bloody Woods at DDC
Longstanding neo-folk outfit Bloody Woods look to ‘communicate the experience of sorrow and beauty, death, and ruin on this ravaged land, coated with Nordic tradition, to tell of the melancholy of oriental instruments, of its power to set one free.’ Weaving together recordings filled with snippets from the band's journeys through various cultures over the years, Bloody Woods is one of a kind in China. RMB 80
The Story Teller, Great Buffalo Blues, Dreamcatcher, Xing Kong at School
It’s a grab bag of musical styles and genres this Sunday with melancholic pop-rockers The Story Teller, the Kamau and Dooder-led blues outfit Great Buffalo Blues, psychedelic J-punk emo rockers Dreamcatcher, fresh-faced pop rock fivesome Xing Kong. Take the trip. RMB 40
V89, Gravitational Force, Nocation at Chen Livehouse
The 798 venue stretches its legs and blows off the dust with their first showcase since autumn. Come check out Britpop rockers V89, core outfit Gravitational Force, and Nocation. RMB 50
Zhang Zhi, Tang Yulao, Bei Feng at Mogu Space
Mogu Space continues their Sunday jam sessions with these three veteran folk singers including Zhang Zhi, Tang Yulao, and Bei Feng. RMB 60
Rudra’s Sage, Li Eryang at 69 Café
Sitar player Rudra’s Sage and '70s invoking guitarist Li Eryang play tribute to the Beatles this evening at 69 Café. RMB 70
Nathaniel Gao at Modernista
A key contributor to the local jazz scene as both a co-leader of the quintet Red Hand as well as a leader of his own quartet and trio, catch saxophonist and composer Nathaniel Gao this evening at Modernista. FREE
Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the organizers
