Quickslants: Xiao He’s Silly Ballad, SUBS + Perdel Unholly Alliance and Happy 7 to Yugong

Man.. It’s Quickslants time already! This week has just flown past, I swear! Things got started yesterday at Temple with a lovely performance by the newly formed Lulu Galore & Sweet Leaf and we got a whole weekend to look forward to. It’s looking like a slightly understated weekend for livemusic in Beijing but in reality, there’s some pretty cool stuff happening. let’s see what we got!

Thursday Sept. 22

New Blood of Rock @ Mao Live:
King Kong Productions is putting together a cool little evening with some of the fresher local rock bands, most of which I never heard off and that might not be a bad thing. The advertised line up includes: The Hangover, The Ruined Flowers, Three Kings, Little Smart and Illness Sickness.

Open Mic Thursdays @ Hot Cat Club:
Hot Cat has been picking up steam lately with better performances and more people showing up. I’m curious to see how their open mic night is going in terms of mixing local musicians with expats. Also, I just miss a good open mic night vibe which i don’t think Beijing has had since the untimely departure of Beijing Rob over a year ago.

Friday Sept. 23

Skarving & Friends @ 2 Kolegas:
I’m becoming really sold of Skarving. musically, these guys are alright but the real draw is their enthusiastic and high energy stage shows. The band is having fun and you can’t help having fun while listening to them! It’s infectious. Bad Mamasan is also on the bill to make sure you get your prescribed dose of headbanging for the week.

Seven year of Yugong Yishan:
yes, Yugong is turning 7! I give them a lot of shit, deservedly so considering their position at the top of the food chain, but that’s the thing: They’re still the KING far. Carsick Cars, Long Shen Dao and Exit A, along with a whole bunch of DJs, will be on deck to help you celebrate.

Arrows of Desire & 16min @ Jianghu:
I’ve been meaning to catch Arrows since they reappeared on the live scene a few months ago and have not made it yet. Admittedly, I’m gonna be split between going to Kolegas or Yugong but this should be a great show for more melodic music. I’ve been hearing quite a bit about 16min lately and need to see it for myself sooner or later.

Saturday Sept 24

Xiao He @ Great Leap Brewery ( 3:00 pm)
yes, I might give Xiao He grief but that’s mostly because I think he’s one of the most talented musicians this side of the pacific. He just has a knack for getting high on his own terms and that’s where i feel obliged to reference Donkeys. He’s got a new album and it’s gonna be unleashed at the brewery saturday afternoon. yeah, that’s just like Xiao He to do something this crazy. Expect folk, screeching, melodies, noises and god knows what else!

Wu Tun @ Jianghu:
peaceful melodies, deep grave voice and just a chilled easy going time is what you’ll find here. Maybe after a day filled with wine from the Torres Taste of Nations, this is what the doctor would have ordered! It doesn’t hurt that the gentleman， Wu Tun, has been involved in some of the most acclaimed folk bands in China like Traveler and Tongue. expect the who’s who of Chinese folksters to be in the audience

SUBS & Perdel @ Mako:
Talk about the unholly alliance! This event, officially called Let’s GAP together, put one of my all time favorite bands on the same stage as one that I have to appreciatory for. This is a un-freaking-holly alliance! I’d try and get there late enough to avoid Perdel if I were sure that they were going on there first.

Punk Night @ D-22
D-22 doesn’t appear on here often but when the lineup consists of Gumbleed, The Unsafe and Discord, you bet your punk ass that they will. After 2 years of trying to see gumbleed again,. I still have not managed! The others are really solid performers of punk/metal and it should be a great time for headbanging. Seriously, these kids be solid!