Quickslants: Novaheart, Insurance Salesmen and Re-TROS

back in business my babies… CNY has just is kinda in our rear-view mirror and we can start looking ahead to some good gigs all around town. The city is slowly waking up but this weekend offerings are more than respectable so let’s see what’s cooking.

Friday Feb.22

Novaheart @ Yugong Yishan
The new darlings of the Beijing scene are kicking off their nationwide tour at Yugong Yishan tonight. From what i’ve seen and heard in videos, the band is coming together nicely and the addition of Atom on drums has been a good move. I’m hoping my other duties allow me to sneak out tonight and check it out with my own ears. Catch them before they head out for a little while, especially if electro disco is your kinda thing

16mn @ jianghu
I can officially call them the ‘dazedarlings of 2012 i think. I like these kids and the kinda music they’ve been putting together. THey’re still a little green but growing up fast. Robin plays a mean guitar and Cindy just needs a bit more practice to kick things in hight gear. I’m curious about the new songs they’ve been working on.

Intrepid Adventurers @ VA
yeah, they’re pop rock but they’ve come a long way since i saw them the first time around about 6 months ago. It’s pop rock well done and the kids are genuinely having fun on stage. Don’t get me started on that drummer… she’s some kinda trouble.

Saturday Feb.23

AIS @ Temple
new year, same old AIS and same old Temple.. or at least, i hope. I don’t recall seeing the band play there ever and it’s gonna be interesting being so close to the drumkit while Mao Mao is pounding on it. A good show at Temple is the second best thing in Beijing after a god show at 2 Kolegas… and The Amazing Insurance Salesmen can deliver the goods. The Last 3 Minutes are opening things up and they’ve been making themselves a nice little name lately. good shit!

For the Love of Guitar @ Yugong Yishan
the 8th annual guitar gala comes yet again to Yugong Yishan with a plethora of axe-men that count amongst the who’s who of rock folsk in yaogun. Chen Lei from Tang Dynsaty, Wen Lin of Confucius Says, Yang Li etc…
I had fun last time i made it to one of these even though the organizers could not find their way out of a paperbag. Still, it’s a fanfest with tons of jamming, cooperations, solos etc.. Your inner shredder will love it.

Sunday Feb.24

Retros : Hang the Police Video.
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDUyOTAwOA==.html

Retros @ Yugong Yishan
Did i just write yugong yishan for 3 nights in a row? I think there was a ‘daze Rule against that. Still, on an ordinarily slow night, one of the most under-rated Chinese bands comes to Yugong Yishan after almost a whole year of touring overseas. They call them post-punk, they call them many names… i call them one of the best live acts in town. Pet Conspiracy will be bringing in their electro-zoo as the opening act.

here u go my babies of the Rock n Roll. not too bad for a first show coming back to old smoggy