Weekend Update: Holiday Edition

Finally a time to sit back and relax people…I’ve been looking forward to this holiday for sometime, as it’ll finally give me a chance to do absolutely nothing, like nothing period. Sit on my ass, get fat, all that goodness. But it’s also a time to get in as much music as possible – no early morning excuses anymore – there’s nothing stopping you. So let’s get into the weekend update – National Day Holiday Edition.

FRIDAY

Long standing post-punk group Street Kills Strange Animals who have a knack for finding the dark noise-infested corners of indie music are releasing their album “Plan B: Back to the Analog Era” at Yugong Yishan, along with support from one man (though word is it’s a duo now) ether-soaked blues group Lowbow. If you looking for a safer bet, then I’d recommend getting over to Liangmaqiao as Residence A, Perpetual Motion Machine, Wu & The Side Effects, and Steely Heart take the stage at Dos Kolegas – can’t get much more solid than that. Shoegazing alt rockers Fuzzy Mood are joined by electro pop singer Jia Huizhen at XP. Over at Jianghu Bar, acclaimed improv saxophonist from the Big Apple, Stephanie Chou takes the stage with some of Beijing’s regulars. For something a little more sinister head over to 69 Café where freak-rap-dub duo Deadly Cradle Death conger up evil spirits. For some Kazakh flavoring, head over to Blue Stream Bar as Alakhan gives an imitate show. Over at Temple, Dutch alternative rockers Lesoir look to keep people on their toes. Folk duo Good Sister present their newly launched album Spring Life tonight in Shuangjing at Mako Livehouse. Lastly, genres face off at the Hot Cat Club – Blaque and Blunt versus Miao.

SATURDAY

The M.A.D Festival continues on – tonight catch Tim & Puma who mix electro pop beats with vegetables, among things, are joined by Shanghai’s own one-man electro rocker Reykjavictim over at Dos Kolegas (click here for the complete festival lineup). Aussie electronic artist Cam Bulter will be at XP this weekend performing tracks from his album “Save My Soul” as well as showing his commissioned accompanying videos. Buyi says goodbye to Jianghu Bar tonight – a great opportunity for you to do the same and see those Ningxia boys at their finest. The live electronic band, the Junglemico Project, will be bringing their creative forces over to Temple. Mao Livehouse is bringing over a slew of fun rock ready bands on stage tonight – including Escape Plan, 16 mins, Cao Qin, Montoffe, and Wu Yong Feng. Get your rasta on over at the Old What? Bar – it’s another Meiwenti Reggae Party with One Drop (check out BD for more on Old What’s 11th Birthday madness). Casino Demon whose brand of fun punk tunes had me jumping last time will be taking the small stage at 69 Café. If you’re in the mood for post-rock head over to Mako Livehouse where Japanese experimental group Miaou give it up. Thirty years and still going, The Toasters, an innovative ska band from New York will bring their experiences to Yugong Yishan. A bunch of folk artists make their way to the Blue Stream Bar including Liu Dongming and Ma Youye. There’s also Britpop punk infused expat group C60 over at VA Bar and lastly, for some rowdiness, head over to Wudaoku’s 13 Club to catch Ronnie’s Will, Shut Up! Shut Down!, Never Before, Eternal Wings, and more.

SUNDAY

Stretch out their limbs, get your head straight cause you’ll need to be in the best shape for today’s CNHC Hardcore Festival over at Mao Livehouse – with some the country’s best hardcore groups converging on Gulou, this is a show not to miss. If that wasn’t enough the Ningxia crew is throwing down over at Dos Kolegas – the usual suspects, Li Dong, Buyi, Skarving, WHAI, Wu & The Side Effects, show up, as well as a few new guests including Whistling Chambers, Exit, and more. It’s a youth party over at the Old What? – feel young again with Candy Monster, Green Monkey and Early Bus. Brussels-based pop band Lonely Drifter Karen and Norwegian indie pop musician Bellman look to enchant over at Yugong Yishan. Catch another live performance of Cam Bulter’s recent work, preceded by an installation of the film work that accompanies his original guitar compositions. Dimefest over at 13 Club is also bringing together a mob of nosiemakers including Dark Haze, Guinea Pig, Raging Mob, and Dream Spirit. British rock act Third Cortez make a stop over at the Hot Cat Club for before heading to Shanghai. And last, get jazzy with the Nathaniel Gao Jazz Quartet at Jianghu Bar.

MONDAY

The AND Music Festival, bringing together artists from Inner Mongolia and Mongolia as well as here, gets its start over at 798 Livehouse – check out the lineup here for each of the three days. Pangbianr is throwing a birthday bash for the Old What? Bar with their usual gang of misfits including Deadly Cradle Death, You Xi, Xiao Hong & Xiao Xiao Hong, and Damage Blanket. You can also shoot up grunge directly into your blood stream by heading over to Dos Kolegas where Nucleus, Miao, Deliquescence of the Soul, Silt & Lotus and more let their hair down. For something whimsical, check out Mexican group Childs as they create electronic lullabies at Yugong Yishan. There’s always 16 mins at the Hot Cat Club for something more down-tempo or The Taste of Soul over at the Blue Stream Bar.

TUESDAY

The M.A.D Festival continues to impress, Nova Heart is joined by nu-disco duo The KDMS from Poland – that’s a heavy dose of electronica. Spilt Works is hard at work this week – throwing two shows tonight – the first over at Mao Livehouse with Belgian singer-songwriter Milow and on the complete opposite end of that spectrum, UK grime artist Terror Danjah to Dada. French gloom rockers Alcest make a stop over to 13 Club. XP continues with their Zoomin’ Nights as if nothing has changed – bringing in the best of the best – Yan Yulong and Zhang Shouwang. You can also stop by 69 Café to see alt folk outfit The Horde, or the Hot Cat Club for C60, or the Old What? Bar for a night of power punk (whatever that means) as they continue to celebrate their birthday, cause why the fuck not?

WEDNESDAY

Alright, last day I’ll be pimping this weekend update. Temple is the place to be folks – Australian punk rockers The Smith Street Band, whose tunes are devilish catchy in a nostalgic beer-soaked kinda way, are playing along with Gum Bleed and Reykjavictim. Skarving is doing what they do best over at the Old What? Bar. Mamer and Jurat T.T return to Beijing – they make a show at Jianghu Bar tonight with their Kazkah-influenced take on folk music. Lastly, The Last Three Minutes and joined once again by The Horde – who have quite the catchy ditty about our beloved city – check it out here. Out.