Noise Pollution: Poetry in Shorts, Hiperson, Future Orients, Endless White, Birdstriking, Bad Sweetheart

With the remnants of the Two Sessions still giving most Beijingers a logistical headache, the music scene continues to show signs of life. So much so that you best start looking to snatch tickets in advance if you want the chance to check out your favorite band –I've already have encountered numerous sold-out gigs for this weekend. And with Yue Space opening back up, and School Bar just around the corner, the city is truly getting back into the groove of things. It hasn’t been the smoothest road to normalcy so do the live music scene a favor and show your support.

Thursday, Mar 11

Poetry in Shorts 短裤里的诗歌 at Yue Space 

Shanghai's melodically charming and riotous Poetry in Shorts bring their down and out, scrappy, blues-ridden rock and roll to Yue Space as the three-piece band – featuring Xiaohai and Haiming (of Dirty Fingers fame) and Zhuojun, continue their slow-burn excursion around China. There aren’t too many bands out there like these three who have ingested a whirlwind of influences spanning every decade and have concocted something fresh and original, bringing a lo-fi pop sensibility to their bonafide rock and roll chops, ones that aren’t afraid to inject a bit of jazz intricacy, 70s psych-pop, and whiskey-soaked Balkan rock, even at times evoking a pub masquerading as Broadway production. Really, at the end of the day, it’s hard to describe, which proves they’re a band carving out their own sound instead of mimicking whatever’s already trending. 8.30pm. RMB 80/100

Friday, Mar 12

SHAO, Mohemann, T.K.L, Lou at Zhaodai

Get in your dance licks this Friday night courtesy of SHAO, the prominent techno producer whose had a whirlwind career thus far, releasing music on Berlin club Trescor’s label, and participating in festivals across the world. Minimalistic techno with a pitch-black heart that oozes danger, this is the kind of music that one could imagine packing a dingy concrete warehouse with hordes of sweaty wide-eyed fiends. He’ll be giving a DJ set alongside some of Beijing’s finest spinners. 10pm. Price TBA.

Open Mic feat. Dan Taylor at nugget café

nugget records continue dipping their toes into the open mic multiverse giving seasoned folk troubadour and charismatic leading man Dan Taylor (of The Harridans and Phuture Vulture and the Absolute) the role of host, spirit guide, and performer. Muster up some courage and venture forth. 8.30pm. Free

Mamer at Cloud Nine

One of the experimental scene’s most prolific and mesmerizing characters, Xinjiang Kazakh musical genius Mamer, whose thrumming voice and nerve-racking layers of instrumentation has engulfed audiences for years, heads over to Wangjing. A leading figure of six bands – IZ, Kunakar, 51-Rayon, Mekrop, TAT, and Bande – whose styles vary from ambient, industrial, noise, and improvisation to doom drone and dark drone, he has created a musical language of his own. 9pm. RMB 80/100

Harsh Mellows东棉花七号, Zimmerman 齐默曼, Wutong at UFO Space

An alcohol-fueled hot mix of jazz, funk, and blues, UFO Space is looking to kick back this Friday as they invite hard blues outfit Harsh Mellows to the stage alongside country-fried funk boys Zimmerman, with special guest harmonica hitman Wutong. 9pm. RMB 60/80

Candy Bounce 糖果跳跳, Fanhua繁华 at Jianghu Bar

Female pop outfit Candy Jump hits the cozy hutong spot Jianghu alongside urban rockers Fanhua, who aren’t afraid to inject a little city pop-funk into their jams. 9pm. RMB 60/80

Saturday, Mar 13

Endless White白百 , Unit 2/Floor 6 二区六楼 at Yue Space

The Xi’an shoegaze quartet Endless White who relish in jangly guitar work, wispy vocals, and sublime walls of sound that engulf one's senses continue to rise through the ranks as the band kicks off their China tour in support of their 2019 EP Diaphanous White. Showcasing their deepening emotional heft as well as their rich aesthetically pleasing arrangements that aren’t afraid to shake things up, they pack a punch and have significantly sharpened their edges since I first stumbled upon them in 2016. Joining them will be Unit 2/Floor 6, out of Nanjing, whose anthemic horn-filled debut EP put them on lots of peoples’ radars. Grab tickets as they’ll disappear very soon. RMB 100/130

Ghetto Blaster 大音炮, Cherry Mor, Central Park 中央公园, TongMa 桐麻 at Niu Dun Rehearsal Space 牛盾排练室（北新桥）

Didn’t snag a ticket in time for Endless White’s gig!? Fret not, cause next door at the Niu Dun rehearsal studio a ragtag team of rockers (who would probably be playing at School if it was open) are taking over the tight space for an impromptu gig including lively blues-rockers Ghetto Blaster, kinetic pop-punks Cherry Mor, Britpop serenaders Central Park, and more. I’m all about shows of this ilk – should be something special. 8pm. RMB 30

Time Street 时光街, Broken 破碎, Yaoshisan 尧十三/ JaJaTao 假假條, Bliss Illusion 虚极, Hiperson海朋森, Little Wizard 小巫师, Future Orients 飞去来 at Mao Livehouse

To circumvent the audience capacities still in place (and make some extra dough) Mao Livehouse is breaking their The Band Act In Festival into five different sessions over two days – three bands per session. To be sure, your wallet will certainly be hurting if you try to cram in all rounds – the fact remains that these are some killer lineups on their own – featuring some of the indie scene’s most fierce acts as of late. Highlights on day one include juggernaut Chengdu post-punk act Hiperson, scruffy instrumental rockers Little Wizard out of Shaoxing , grunge spiritualists JaJaTao, black metal samans Bliss Illusion and much more. Each session has its own style, so bite the bullet and throw into one of these bad boys (better yet, hide in the bathroom stall in-between sessions). 2pm. RMB 258/300 (all you can drink included)

Juniper, Axis Neptune, McCauleyKeane, Peter O at GeLou

An acoustic-filled evening of folk tunes over at Houhai adjacent hangout GeLou – featuring UK multi-instrumentalist and producer Axis Neptune who’ll be showcasing his genre-spanning sound which utilizes deep grooves, drum machines, live guitars, and electronic elements. Also on the bill, the multi-national Juniper – an all-female, three-piece harmony group that was "born through a love of gin and singing," as well as Peter O and McCauley Keane. 8.30pm. RMB 80/100

Ajiyasi阿吉亚斯 at Jianghu Bar

One of China’s premier Xibe bands from Xinjiang in northwest China, Ajiyasi – founded by Hua Dan – soaked up the music of his region and is now bringing it to audiences across China. Singing in the Tungusic language, a dialect of Manchu, and using instruments such as the dongbur, expect an ethnically rich evening of folk music. 9pm. RMB 60/80

Lie Down Quickly 紧急平躺, People Where 哪里人、Limited Ability 能力有限, Commute 通勤 at UFO Space

A smorgasbord of indie rock, Britpop, punk, reggae, folk music, and more, UFO Space gives the stage to a scrappy batch of newcomers looking to make a name for themselves including People Where, Commute, and more. Really a grab bag in terms of what to expect, but therein lies the beauty. 8pm. Free

Sunday, Mar 14

Muzzy Mum 麻兹妈, Birdstriking 鸟撞, Carsick Cars/der Berliner Nebel, Mayuan Poet 麻园诗人, White Paper 白皮书 at Mao Livehouse

To circumvent the audience capacities still in place (and make some extra dough) Mao Livehouse is breaking their The Band Act In Festival into five different sessions over two days – three bands per session. To be sure, your wallet will certainly be hurting if you try to cram in all rounds – the fact remains that these are some killer lineups on their own – featuring some of the indie scene’s most fierce acts as of late. Highlights on day two include Xinxiang post-punk act Muzzy Mum, noise-rock veterans Birdstriking, Beijing mainstays Carsick Cars, and much more. Each session has its own style, so bite the bullet and throw into one of these bad boys (better yet, hide in the bathroom stall in-between sessions). 2pm. RMB 258/300 (all you can drink included)

Bad Sweetheart, SiXi 肆囍, Moonband悶餅, PeaceHotel 和平饭店 at Omni Space

Omni space puts the spotlight on some of the indie scene’s budding talent – bands on the cusp of breakout that have the goods. The ringer tonight is Bad Sweetheart, who describes their sound as suburban noise-pop and bring riotous synthesizer feedback and whirling guitar reverb into an indie-pop sound, giving its angst a much-needed edge. What began as a project between London and Wuhan during the pandemic, the band eventually converged back here in China and just released their debut earlier this week. Joining them is Nanjing electro-pop outfit SiXi, Hefei synth-pop band PeaceHotel, and Zhaoqing indie-poppers Moonband. 7.30pm. RMB 220

springiscoming 虎啸春 at 69 Cafe

With heavy doses of cathartic post-rock, downtrodden grunge, and rustic indie rock, Beijing’s springiscoming hit it big last year with the release of their debut LP. Their larger-than-life sound seems tailor-made for the big stage, and there’s a rugged tenderness to the way the band brings it all together – the light and the dark – into something evocative and vital. With echoes of Omnipotent Youth Society and No Party For Caodong, the band heads to their home base of 69 Café (in Changping) for a special afternoon showcase. 4.30pm. RMB 66/90

Wu Na 巫娜 at CloudNine

Guqin virtuoso Wu Na has been a staple of the scene for nearly two decades, performing with just about everyone – from avant-garde supergroup, The Tea Rockers Quintet to all-star contemporary orchestra China Music House, and even the legendary Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Tonight he gives a special improvisational performance at CloudNine in Wangjing. 9pm. RMB 120

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Images: LiveChinaMusic, courtesy of the organizers