Whether you like it or not – Christmas is in full gear here in China. Ever the Xinjiang restaurant next door is getting in on the fun. And if that’s not a sign of the coming apocalypse than I don’t know what is (500 AQI rings a bell). But to hell with it – pass the eggnog, break out the mistletoe, and let’s get jolly as jolly can be. Here’s your weekend gig guide:

FRIDAY DECEMBER 23^rd

 

december3am, OOC, Backspace, The Glamour Manifesto, secret band at DDC

Christmas kicks off early with this weekend with a red-hot lineup that’ll keep your toes nice and toasty, and your spirits high. From the hard rock veterans OOC (Out Of Control), to the otherworldly Mongolian infused krautrock of december3am, the psychedelic indie rock of Backspace, the industrial electro rock of the Glamour Manifesto, and a secret Santa band, it\’s a diverse roundup. Christmas lights will be up, mulled wine will be aplenty, and word is even a smoke machine will make an appearance. 50/60 RMB

Muma at Yugong Yishan

Sixteen years and going strong – the bandana wielding, Jim Morrison riffing indie rock star Muma & The Third Party ends his three month natiodwide tour with a grand party at Yugong Yishan. 150 RMB

Click #15, Mr. Honey, Self Portrait, Half Half at School

It’s a X-Mas dance party over at School as they gather some foot tapping bands to get the weekend started including brass-heavy ska band Mr. Honey, glam funk ruffians Click #15, indie poppers Self Portrait, and garage rockers Half Half. Get some mileage on those new dance shoes. 60 RMB

Bastards of Imperialism, Lock Smith at Caravan

Politically charged punk stompers Bastards of Imperialism return to Caravan with their brother and drummer Kevin Kasal taking the stage in China a final time. Say farewell ‘to one of the last decent, generous, ethical human beings in this polluted megalopolis.’ Expect many surprises, a guest band in the form of up and coming Lock Smith, as well as an ‘all star Kevin jam’. FREE

Liquid Palace, gogoj, Azoik at fRUITYSPACE

Experimental film versus experimental music – Korean filmmaker Hangjun Lee and his 16mm projector faces off with three of the scenes’ most technically and sonically curious musicians including the supergorup Liquid Palace, which features electronic wizard Mengqi. 60 RMB

Anthell (Japan), Hang Nail, Summer X at Temple

Join Temple\’s Christmas warm-up party with our neighbors to the East – Anthell. from Osaka, this 3-piece punk band is bringing its powerful rock sprites to the China scene this December, together with local guests Hang Nail and Summer X. FREE

Sun of Morning (Taiwan) at Yue Space

Taiwanese post rock quartet, fresh off the release of their latest EP, The Lost Whisper From The Kids, perform at Yue Space. Expect atmospheric jams that’ll pull at your heartstrings. 80 RMB

Excuse Me at Tango

Alternative rock band that exploded on Mando-pop scene in the last couple years, Excuse Me has earned a horde of fans since their song was featured on the hit film Goodbye Mr. Loser. 150 RMB

Tsering Norb at Hot Cat Club

Tibetan singer-songwriter gets loose with spiritually lifted performance at the Hot Cat Club. 50 RMB

Tang Huabin at Mogu Space

Yunnan folk pop singer-songwriter brings his street singer down to earth sensibility to the Xizhimen space. 60 RMB

Templo of Samba at Jianghu Bar

It’s pagoda night! Get a massive dosage of Samba as Beijing’s premier trope perform alongside special guest Gianne Abbott – ‘Queen of the Carnaval of Florianópolis’. 70 RMB

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SATURDAY DECEMBER 24^th

 

Talib Kweli at Blue Note

Whether working with Mos Def on Blackstar, or collaborating with Madlib, Kanye West, or Pharrell Williams, the Brooklyn-based MC has stood out as one of the most talented hip hop artists of his generation. Catch the lyrically-gifted, socially aware and politically insightful rapper with a live band over two evenings at Blue Note, the new upscale jazz venue by Tiananmen. 280-600 RMB

Zhaoze at Yue Space

Guangzhou post rock band, Zhaoze, whose intoxicating use of the guqin with their spellbinding post rock sound has won the band accolades from just about everywhere, return to Beijing for a special showcase at Yue Space. The band recently released a pretty stellar live LP for those looking to get a taste. 120 RMB

SMZB, Gum Bleed at School

In case you missed the packed house last weekend at Yugong Yishan, Wuhan celtic punk band SMZB, nicknamed the Godfathers of punk, play a special one-off unplugged performance at School as they close out a spectacular year – one that saw their latest release The Chinese Are Coming and the 20^th Anniversary of their formation. Now that’s cause for celebration. Support from Gum Bleed, who’ll also be giving an unplugged performance. 100 RMB

Moland, The Dice!, Comp Collider, WHAI, Streets Kill Strange Animals at Temple

Ho-ho-ho – Temple brings some rambunctious vitality to your Christmas eve with a killer lineup – from the post punk stylings of Streets Kill Strange Animal (fresh off their sophormore release), to the krautrock noodling of Comp Collider, there’s a dangerous allure to tonight’s proceedings – sounds just like Christmas. FREE

Lu1, itsogoo, Gunknown, Cee, Xia Zhiyu at Tango

Tango throws a Chirstmas hip hop party – and they’ve attached some big local names, including pioneering Chinese hip hop figure Lu1 and Shanghai underground hip hop legend Cee who recently collaborated on the album Farewell on a Midnight. 120 RMB

Goodbye Sunset, Dark Haze, Ready To Die, SAW, 641 at 13 Club

One of Beijing’s longest surviving venues, and the epicenter for music in Wudaoku, 13 Club celebrates twelve friggin years! That’s a hell of a ride – celebrate with pop punk outfit Goodbye Sunset, melodic metal band Dark Haze, Tianjin hardcore punks 641, and much more. 80 RMB

The Harridans, The Paramecia, Royal as Purple at DDC

Break out your ugliest sweater and head on over to DDC to catch the soulful psychedelic art rock of The Harridans alongside rising folk rock trope The Paramecia, and psych rockers Royal as Purple. Epic jams for a most epic holiday. 60 RMB

Glow Curve, Los Crasher, Elenore, Pacalolo, Click #15 at Mao Livehouse

This show wins on poster alone, only because it conjures up perhaps the greatest Christmas movie of all – which is of course, Die Hard. But my Bruce Willis fetishism aside, Mao has rounded up a sexy lineup which features some great bands including the post rock chameleons Glow Curve and the ever bubbly Pacalolo. 100 RMB

Hoochie Coochie Gentlemen at Jianghu Bar

Veterans blues rock outfit Hoochie Coochie Gentlemen look to bring the good vibes to the cozy Jianghu Bar – harmonica, acoustic guitars, and some very merry singers. Sounds like Xmas eve to me. 100 RMB

Sound Sculpture at fRUITYSPACE

The psychedelic ambient trope the Sound Sculpture bring their genre-shifting and multiple layered sound to fRUITYSPACE as they’ll live soundtrack the 1934 Irish fictional documentary Man of Aran. 40 RMB

Liu Donghong, 16 mins, Nick Parsons at 69 Café

A very special Christmas eve at 69 Café as alt rock (and on the rise) quartet 16 mins join blues rock regulars Liu Donghong and Nick Parsons for a couch-ready soothing night of tunes. 60 RMB

WHAI, Twinkle Star, The Jungle Fever, Silt & Lotus, Black Mint, Magellanic at Omni Space

The newly opened Omni Space on the west side of the Temple of Heaven throws a two day X-mas bash with lots of familiar faces – emo rock faves Twinkle Star, powerhouse electro trancers WHAI, and more. 120 RMB

Miga, Ma, Toss, Zhang Qianqian, Streams of Life, Pati, Ephemerality, OWAT, Brahma, The Three-Quarters Dead, The Dark Prison Massacre at 798 Livehouse

798 Livehouse ain’t messing around this Christmas Eve, as they have stacked the deck with a massive rock heavy lineup that features everything from folk songstress Zhang Qianqian, grunge magnets Toss, to death metal kooks The Dark Prison Massacre – a mixed bag for sure, but I’m certain you’ll find some keepers. 100 RMB

Longjin, The Power Powder, Tong, Yi Xia at Blessing Livehouse

Even Shuangjing is getting in on the fun with a female-fronted lineup featuring reggae pop veterans Longjin, 70s country rockers The Power Powder, and more. 100 RMB

Hard Candy Revolution, The First Medal at Mars Livehouse

Tough as nails female-led glam rockers join metal outfit for some mischief in Batong Line located Mars Livehouse (which I’ve been advised is not in Tongzhou). 50 RMB

Zhang Qianqian at 69 Café

Veteran sing-songwriter Zhang Qianqian, a staple of the folk scene, since her debut in 1996 gives a special showcase at Mogu Space in Xizhimen. 80 RMB

The Spice Cabinet at Modernista

Join Modernista for the special Christmas edition of The Spice Cabinet – ‘the jazz machine that slices, dices and reworks every pop number into the frenzy of a pop modern dance beat of wonder – pop according to jazz, sprinkled with funk, hip-hop, bebop, rock and a heavy dose of avant-garde.’ FREE

Mongolian Khoomei Showcase at La Plantation

La Plantation invites Odsuren, a 66-year-old master of khoomei, a type of Tuvan throat singing, from the Republic of Mongolia to pass down his tradtion with a Khoomei and topshur (a two-stringed lute) performance. 150 RMB (80 RMB students)

 

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SUNDAY DECEMBER 25^th

 

Talib Kweli at Blue Note

Whether working with Mos Def on Blackstar, or collaborating with Madlib, Kanye West, or Pharrell Williams, the Brooklyn-based MC has stood out as one of the most talented hip hop artists of his generation. Catch the lyrically-gifted, socially aware and politically insightful rapper with a live band over two evenings at Blue Note, the new upscale jazz venue by Tiananmen. 280-600 RMB

 

Finger Family at Yugong Yishan

One of the bands to really hit their stride has been pop punk outfit Finger Family, who despite starting when they were in high school, have managed to hold onto their musical integrity and gain a huge following, which resulted in the band touring and recording their latest album, Willing To Burn Out, in Japan. Eight years in the making, the band ends their album release tour tonight. 100 RMB

 

The Circus, Stay Gold, 0190, Funky Monkey, FanMianEr at School

If you still got any juice left in ya or better yet, just getting the festivities started then you might want to head to School to let it all out with a punk hoedown featuring a gauntlet of bands looking to get you moving including The Circus, Stay Gold, and more. 50 RMB

Wu & The Side Effects, Silent Speech at Temple

Acid blues rock courtesy of long standing shredders Wu & the Side Effects and indie rock from up and comers Silent Speech – Temple refuses to let the eggnog go to waste! FREE

Wang Juan, Lin Mo at MOMA Post Mountain Space

Folk songstress Wang Juan, a pivotal player in the folk scene here in Beijing, releases her latest album, Where My Heart Lies, off of Tree Music Records in their headquarters at MOMA with support from up and comer Lin Mo. 120 RMB

Roughimage, Paul yip at fRUITYSPACE

Influenced by the forms and styles of krautrock, psychedelic rock, and noise, the newly formed Rough Image perform at the basement venue alongside improv artist and sound designer Paul Yip, recently relocated from Montreal.

Me Guan Me, 797, Kepler, Dream Garden, Soucre Code, Xue Feng Che at Modernsky Lab

Modernsky Lab tries to bring a lil holiday cheer with a ragtag team of aspiring youth including indie rocker Me Guan Me and much much more.

The Paramecia, The Harridans, Feng Xiang, Landlord’s Cat, Xiang Yipeng, NiuNiu at Tango

It’s a folk off at Tango as an array of folk artists take the stage including familiar faces The Harridans and The Paramecia. 100 RMB

I Am Waiting For You Last Summer (RUS), CHKBNS (RUS) at DDC

Creating music at ‘the junction of electronic, post-rock, dubstep and ambient genres’ Russian space rock trope I Am Waiting For You Last Summer bring their epic sound to DDC tonight alongside fellow comrades dream poppers CHKBNS. 100 RMB

Zhang Ming, Xiao Xia, Nick Parsons, Yang Maoyuan at 69 Cafe

Taiwanese female singer-songwriter joins others for Sunday evening performance at 69 Cafe. 60 RMB

DHR, Golden Rum, Ringer at Hot Cat Club

Rock it out early this Sunday with a young rocking pimpled-faced lineup at the Fangjia Hutong hotspot. 40 RMB

Tarot Saint at Mao Livehouse

I suppose Mao Livehouse’s holiday protocol is pillow fights, cause that’s what’s going down for Christmas – accompanying music: death metal courtesy of Tarot Saint. 150