Sound of the Xity Kickoff: Tons of Music, Good Timing

I’m always complaining about too many things happening at the same town in this city and how it’s sometimes impossible to get to them all.. (read May festivals for example). Would it kill them to plan things on consecutive weekends and not cannibalize each other?

Well, the folks behind Sound of the Xity, SX MEdia, have taken note and are indeed doing it differently: Starting today, they’re taking over Beijing (and other cities) with a variety of shows to suit everyone’s tastes and it’s looking mighty good y’all. Let’s not get started about the posters but instead see what they got planned for us over Qing Ming Jie:

Wednesday April 3:

Reaggae/Roots @ Yugong Yishan
How about this for a lineup: Longshendao, Shanren, WHAI, Junglemico Project and Oshi: This is one of the best lineups I’ve seen in a long time especially with Shanren returning to Beijing and about to unleash a new record. Longshendao is still riding a high wave whereas upstarts WHAI and Junglemico can deliver the goods. It might be a bit steep at 120rmb but it is worth it definitely.

Mix’em up @ Temple
Nine Treasures are headlining this free one over at Temple with help from Spice, Toy Head and Noukilla . Decent midweek lineup with bands that have the potential to follow up with big success over the next few year, especially nine treasures.

Blues @ Blue Stream Bar

Wu & The Side Effects are coming to Gulou West along with 16 mins and The Dyne who have been making some waves lately. The new Wu lineup has gelled nicely and found a new mellower identity with an undeniable onstage chemistry. And you know how I feel about 16mn. I’m not sold on the Dyne yet but a whole lotta people are so maybe another chance would do them goos.

Thursday April 4
Tonight, they take over Beijing with shows just about everywhere. Here are my picks:

Underground Heroes @ Yugong Yishan
I’m salivating just reading these names on the same bill: Hedgehog & Re-Tros! 2 Bands that deliver quality entertainment show in-show out. They’re joined tonight by Da Bang (good), Streets Kill Strange Animals and Glow Curve (been). Still, this one is guaranteed to see a packed packed Yugong Yishan. Fun times, rocking tunes and 150rmb at the door.

Underground Upstarts @ Mao Livehouse
Canada’s Your Favorite Enemies is in the house along with Rubys’s FAves ,Perpetual Motion Machine. they get some help from Namo who rock as well as Poshangcun & GoGoStar whom I’ve never heard of. That ain’t bad.. not bad at all

Folk @ Temple
Li Dong returns to the scene after a little hiatus. Here’s hoping they get some of the new songs out for us to check out since they are working hard on the follow up to their debut release. Toy Captain and Italy’s Shine complement the bill and the price is a whooping ZERO 🙂 who said you can’t get things for free no more?

Friday April 5

The big guns are out for Friday night:

Big one @ Yugong Yishan
Drive Like Maria lands in Beijing and they’re worth the hype they’ve been getting online over the past few weeks. A bunch of folks whose opinions count are definitely praising them as the next best thing. Not to be left out though, Nova Heart joins them to show that Beijing got some quality in da house. Snapline and CNdY round things up

Rocking @ Mao Livehouse
France’s Voodoo and China’s Iron Kite Headline with help from the Amazing Insurance Salesmen. This is the big rock one and they also got Elenore and The Tree helping with opening duties.

I gotta give it out to SX MEdia for a really cool series of events throughout the city with interesting lineups and affordable ticket prices. If you’re a music biz insider or insider wanna-be, they’re also holding panel discussions today and tomorrow with experts from all over the world chiming in about where the industry is going.