Beijing music bits: Blackwater, Rustic, Maggie Who, Buyi, Vital Time, Redbucks, Bad Mamasan and others

Sometimes, it’s just hard to keep track of what’s going on in Beijing’s music scene, especially over the past few weeks where all the bands are coming out of their collective hibernations and comas.

Tofu steps away from the bar to rock it out with Wu & The Side Effects

Last friday at 2Kolegas marked the last show of You Mei You as they’re gearing up for a rebranding of sorts with a new name that will fit their new style a bit better. Frontman Skip said that they’re no longer sounding like they used to and a new identity/name seems necessary.
Xie Tian Xiao, who was seen hanging out at 2 Kolegas that same evening inconspicuously sipping harbin beer and munching on Chuan’r is back in Beijing for a little while after his treck through southern China to support his Reggae album. Expect his name to pop up in concert listings around the capital a bit more often.
Maggie Who have put the final touches on their album which will be available starting May 15th. Catch them playing shunyi’s answer to woodstock: Rinostock on May 22. This might be a good opportunity to grab a few friends and get out to the posh side of the city for a bit.
Bad Mamasan is playing Yugong Yishan in support of ChunQiu this friday (May 14th) and plans to record a live album for the show… It should be one hell of a “double barrel blast of Metal”. Stay tuned for more on this soon.
The Redbucks have put the final touches on their record as well and they’re gonna set it loose on June 5th before going on a China tour preaching the bluegrass gospel in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong amongst others.
Wu and the Side Effects have also finished their album due for release at the 2 Kolegas anniversary party coming up end of May. I heard them play on Saturday for the first time and I was impressed! I’d love to see them put together a Beijing Blues fest with Black Cat Bone.
BUYI (fast becoming one of my favorite live bands) is celebrating 15 years together this weekend with a show at the Starlive on Saturday (may 15) followed by an afternoon party on the lawn of 2 Kolegas on Sunday (May 16)
Rustic is back from the UK fresh of their win at the Global Battle of the Bands… the boys are wasting no time getting back in the groove of things with a show scheduled at D-22 on Saturday May 15th. If you’re in the area, you definitely do not want to miss out on this party.
Vital Time, Michael Dalin’s new band is getting ready to pop their cherry May 26th (thanks for the correction Michael) at jianghu Jiuba. This brand of rock is meaner and heavier than his Bad Apple stuff but nevertheless melodic. I’m actually looking forward to this show!
Blackwater, brainchild of Des McGarry (Black Cat Bone) and The No Name Trio had their coming out party at Ditan Folk Festival on sunday with an ecstatic crowd eating up their brand of Irish Folk music.