Noise Pollution: The Final Beijing Gigs of 2019

The holiday season is just warming up as each of the venues around town attempt to end the year in style with one red-hot lineup after another. So throw on your winter jacket, toss back that mulled wine, and venture forth into town for the last weekend of 2019. 

Friday, Dec 27

Wasted Laika, Xiao Wang, Hang Nail, The White Papers at School
New up and coming DIY label Blinding Elephant, kick-started by some of the scene’s most ferocious characters including members of Wasted Laika, Xiao Wang and more, celebrate their first year on the scene as well as the launch of their latest nationwide tour with a killer lineup featuring some our best including Wasted Laika, Xiao Wang, Hang Nil, and The White Papers for an evening of punk rock that crosses the whole spectrum. RMB 80

Fancy Wall, Showhand, Feline, Peace Road North, Shouting Nerd at Mao Livehouse
An array of rock and roll’s newest contenders hit up the big stage over in Wukesong including fresh-faced pop punk wranglers Screaming Nerd, offbeat punk ruffians Showhand, female-led electro rockers Feline, and more, all in the name of getting your ink on. RMB75

Underbaby at Omin Space 
Formed in 1998, Underbaby are punk legends through and through. Apart of the yaogun rock revolution in the nineties, the band, led by Gao Xing, has performed just about everywhere and with everyone. They’ve even been immortalized in documentary. Catch the restless timeless act as they release their newest album. RMB 150

Lost, Husband Killers, Jeaqi, Labour Glory at Temple
Temple rounds up a volatile, diverse lineup of ruffians tonight as rustic Chinese Quyi inspired rockers Husband Killers join up and coming indie rockers Lost, football-fronting ultra punk outfit Labour Glory, and indie-pop singer-songwriter Jeaqi. FREE 

Risky Joy, Dressed To Kill, Velvet Highway at Yue Space
The rockers Risky Joy take you back to the golden age of heavy metal – the 1980s – joining in on the old school charm and falsetto singing will be Velvet Highway and Dressed to Kill for an evening that will take you back to the heyday of rock and metal. RMB 100

Yukikiikii and FE at DDC
A night of pop-rock and indie rock as rock singer, guitarist and composer Yukikiikii (formerly of MetU) appears with her backing band, while indie rockers FE (AKA Free and Enjoy) fresh off their recently released debut album Aifuyi. RMB 60

Mildcure, Jaws, The Blue Guy at MTA Space 
Hailing from Yunnan, The Blue Guy is an old school dance-rock outfit whose sole purpose is to get you swinging those hips. With large slabs of blues-rock and doo-wop infused into the band’s DNA, they may not be reinventing the wheel but they’re a breezy and fun throwback. Joining them are funk and jazz act Mildcure and indie-poppers Jaws. FREE  

Huzun, Lost in Space, Only Emotion at 13 Club 
Yes, Wudaokou’s 13 Club isn’t quite dead yet. The long-standing rock and roll venue still has a couple more shows to pop out till the final nail is hammered in so get it while you can. Tonight they host Huzun, whose majestic concoction of Xinjiang world music, post-rock grandeur and transcendent ambient music has captivated audiences in droves this year, as well as post-hardcore kids Lost in Space and the aptly named Only Emotion. RMB 80

Zinco, Dungeon Beijing, Deformed Boi, Shuang Bang Er, Da Wu Tong, Black or White at Tango
It’s a hip-hop feast tonight at Tango as over fifteen rappers take the stage including the whole Dungeon Beijing crew, our premier rap collective, throw down alongside Deformed Boi, Zinco and many more. RMB 240

Wang Niejing at Jianghu Bar 
National pride and renowned Yuxi musician and singer Wang Niejing, whose credits include everything from performing alongside Jackie Chan to performing in Edinburgh, hit up the cozy hutong spot. RMB 60

Joe Louis Walker at Blue Note
Joe Louis Walker, a Blues Hall of Fame inductee and four-time Blues Music Award winner, is one of the most exciting and innovative artists of our time. A powerhouse guitar virtuoso, unique singer and prolific songwriter, he has toured at just about everywhere, performed at the world’s most renowned music festivals, and earned a legion of dedicated fans. RMB 360-460

Saturday, Dec 28

Ryoichi Kurokawa at Tango 
Japanese pioneering audio-visual artist Ryoichi Kurokawa, whose works have been shown across the world at international festivals and museums bring his latest new media feast for the senses to Tango. Titled "Subassemblies," the project looks to tackle the relationship between nature and man through a grand architectural prism. RMB 320 

Matzka & Mr. Woohoo at Mao Livehouse
One of Taiwan’s most famous rock bands, Matzka, will be getting down at Wukesong to show us what the fuss is all about – a mix of reggae, blues, R&B, rap, and of course rock 'n' roll – their sound is all over the place, but word is they tear it up on stage. The band will be flaunting their new name Mr. Woohoo, which they’re been repping during their recent stint on The Big Band show, which of course has propelled them into another realm of fandom. RMB 220

Over Voltage, Wang Meng x Yu Miao at DDC
Join maestro guzheng player Yu Miao and synthesizer and visual artist Wang Meng this evening as the two artists present their radically unique sensory experience, pushing classical Chinese sounds to new, modern heights, juxtaposing cutting-edge visuals and fluid and freewheeling guzheng elegance. Also on the bill are OverVoltage - an experimental music project established Gia Wang of Hang on the Box that explores synthesizer-laced electronically-infused orchestra pieces and features HOTB guitarist Yang Pipi, percussionist Guo Dawei, and sound artist Julian. RMB 80

Sleeping Dogs, Sdewdent at Frequent Collaborative
Afro-rock trippers Sleeping Dogs, the instrumental rockers that have been stirring up some fun over the past year and featuring members of Boiled Hippo, Birdstriking, and Deadly Cradle Death head over to fRUITYSPACE’s new pad at frequent collaborative alongside old school beatmaker and producer Sdewdent. RMB 60

Pizza Face, Titan, LTN, Shen Xiu at School 
Promoters VIBES rounds up a motley crew of up and comers and barn burners including loony and ever-fun garage punk favorites Pizza Face, shoegaze outfit Shen Xiu, indie pop crooners LTN (AKA Light The Night) and fresh on the scene new wave rockers Titan (featuring members of The Glamour Manifesto). RMB 80

The Beauty, Cherry Mor, Show Hand at Temple 
Old school surf rocking bluesmen The Beauty join other party starters including pop-punk kids Cherry Mor, and power pop trouble makers Show Hand for an evening of propulsive rock and roll. FREE

Caffe-In at Omni Space
J-rock afflicted veteran pop-punk outfit Caffe-In have been kicking it since 2004, delighting audiences with their spunky, sharply assembled tunes, and now they’re ready to unleash their fourth LP entitled Real, which looks to capture love and life in all its pain and glory. RMB 170

Shining Dimensions Vol. 11 at Aotu Studio
Shining Dimensions, the new series curated by Guiguisuisui and Aotu Space that aims to create an intersection between various dimensions of creativity, hits its tenth volume. Titled "creating a world,” this latest rendition all kicks off with an afternoon workshop followed by live soundtracking courtesy by Guiguisuisui and Li Eryang, along with live light painting by Nan Guazi and Shui Wong, with movement and contact improv interactions led by Emily Wong and Liao Shuyi. RMB 50

Return to Sender at Yue Space
Post-hardcore outfit Return to Sender "speaking straight from your hearts, dreaming straight from your guts." The Shanghai outfit, who infuse their sound with shades of nu-metal, has been igniting emotions left and right since 2013 and now they’re roaming the country to lay it all bare as part of their Redemption Tour. RMB 120

Avishai Cohen Quartet at Blue Note 
Trumpeter Avishai Cohen is still riding high off his ensemble-focused second release Cross My Palm With Silver, which highlights an exceptional quartet including Yonathan Avishai (piano), Barak Mori (bass) and Nasheet Waits (drums). Join them tonight at Blue Note. RMB 300/380

Hutong Rap Battle Vol.23 w/ Cypher at Soi Baochao 
Head to Soi Baochao and lay down your best rhymes as an array of rappers compete and jam to their heart's content. Plus, a special hip-hop-heavy set from rockers Cypher as special guests. RMB 50

Zhang Qianqian at Mogu Space
Veteran sing-songwriter Zhang Qianqian, a staple of the folk scene since her debut in 1996, gives a special showcase in Xizhimen. FREE

Sunday, Dec 29

Residence A at Tango 
Led by the wide-eyed lead singer and guitarist Zhao Zhao, Residence A has for ten years been providing listeners with raucous, earnest, and catchy tunes that dabble in everything from Britpop to new wave, whilst delivering manically contagious performances, Beloved for their streamlined melodies and life-affirming anthems, they’re one of the indie scenes most dependable acts and it’s been too long since we’ve had a new release from them – until now. A joint celebration of their last decade as a band and the release of their much anticipated sophomore LP, Residence A are pulling out all the stops tonight. Read our recent interview with lead singer Zhao Zhao here. RMB 

Lao Dan, Deng Boyu at Frequent Collaborative
Head over to Sanlitun-adjacent frequent collaborative for a genre-crossing duet between renowned Chinese flute improviser and experimentalist Lao Dan, an artist who integrates ancient and modern sounds, and Inner Mongolian maverick drummer Deng Boyu, who creates rock, noise and jazz beats. RMB 100

Pizza Face, Mildcure, Hungry Dog, Lucky Star at DDC 
Sunday night goes out with a bang with a night of genre-spanning rock music at DDC. Leading the charge are feisty garage punk rockers Pizza Face, one of this year’s finest acts, as well as post-Britpop, funk and jazz act Mildcure, indie rockers Hungry Dog, and up and comers Lucky Star rounding out the lineup. RMB 60

The Uncrowned at Yue Space 
Head over to Yue Space for a laid back evening of screaming and moshing as longstanding melodic metal-core band The Uncrowned deliver robust emotionally charged bangers that combine technically invigorating arrangements and emo-laced shrieks. FREE 

Updraft, Zimmerman, Wireless Puppet, White Ink at School 
Sunday shenanigans over at School as a ragtag team of rockers gather including cheeky punk ruffians Updraft, rising pop-punks Wireless Puppets, blues rockers Zimmerman, and Shanghai-raised post-zero punks White Ink. RMB 40

Avishai Cohen Quartet at Blue Note 
Trumpeter Avishai Cohen is still riding high off his ensemble-focused second release Cross My Palm With Silver, which highlights an exceptional quartet including Yonathan Avishai (piano), Barak Mori (bass) and Nasheet Waits (drums). Join them tonight at Blue Note. RMB 300/380

Shi Yuji Jazz Trio at Modernista
Be enchanted by one of the most heartfelt of all Beijing sax players, Shi Yuji, and his jazz quartet which also features Zhang Jing on guitar, Da Zhong on bass, and Yang Chen on drums. FREE

READ: Beijing Rockers Residence A on Growing Up and Finding the Light

Images: Live Beijing Music, courtesy of the organizers