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[The Agenda]: September 2015

Back from the wasteland: September's veritably buzzing with art, music, dancing, dining, more-ing to keep you on your feet as Fall settles in. Same as it ever was...
Last updated: 2015-11-09



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Literature






Derek Sandhaus on Décadence Mandchoue



Derek Sandhaus discusses the new edition of Décadence Mandchoue, the China memoirs of Sir Edmund Trelawny Backhouse: "In 1898 a young Englishman walked into a homosexual brothel in Peking and began a journey that he claimed took him all the way to the bedchamber of imperial China's last great ruler, the Empress Dowager." More








Comedy






CCC in The Wu: New Open Mic Night



Comedy Club China ventures out to Wudaokou for the first regular comedy open-mic in Haidian. So enjoy a night of cheap booze, free laughs and all the magic you've come to expect from a night out in the Wu. Runs 9pm to 11pm. More





















  • Literature






    Derek Sandhaus on Décadence Mandchoue



    Derek Sandhaus discusses the new edition of Décadence Mandchoue, the China memoirs of Sir Edmund Trelawny Backhouse: "In 1898 a young Englishman walked into a homosexual brothel in Peking and began a journey that he claimed took him all the way to the bedchamber of imperial China's last great ruler, the Empress Dowager." More








    Comedy






    CCC in The Wu: New Open Mic Night



    Comedy Club China ventures out to Wudaokou for the first regular comedy open-mic in Haidian. So enjoy a night of cheap booze, free laughs and all the magic you've come to expect from a night out in the Wu. Runs 9pm to 11pm. More












  • Anniversaries






    La-bas Turns 1



    La-bas hosts two nights of live jam sessions on their stage, celebrating their one-year anniversary. 30rmb on Arrow Factory pints all weekend. More







    Live Music









    Dragonforce



    Technical metal wizards Dragonforce play Yugong as part of Painkiller Magazine's 15-year anniversary celebrations. Heavy! Full info








    Cabaret









    Anchors Aweigh



    Modernista hosts a 1940s-themed musical cabaret stage show featuring returning American singer Kate Smith and the Moonglow Burlesque dancers. More info













  • Charity






    Brawl on the Wall



    Charity boxing event Brawl on the Wall returns for its 2015 edition at Park Hyatt. Check white-collar roughnecks beating each other senseless in your best black-tie attire. Proceeds go to Leo's Foundation, supporting infants with respiratory infections. Ticketing info here.







    Live Music






    The Hormones



    Chengdu electro-rock act The Hormones return to the stage at Temple Bar. They're touring behind their latest single "Red Tear", which is "a symbolic expression of anatomizing all the true emotions hidden in our bodies, such as anxiety, loneliness, hope and depression, and being honest to our own ego." Oh rilly? More info
















  • Film






    Culture Yard Screening: Beijing Bicycle



    Culture Yard continues their semi-regular screening series of stone-cold Chinese indie film classics. Tonight's selection is 2001 feature Beijing Bicycle: "A seventeen-year-old country boy working in Beijing as a courier has his bicycle stolen, and finds it with a schoolboy his age." Screening at 7pm, with a discussion afterwards. 50rmb cover. More info















  • Dining






    BBQ Charity Dinner @ Home Plate



    Home Plate hosts an intimate (for them) dinner to raise money for a good cause. Great food, free-flow wine and beer, live music, and big-hearted people. Runs 7pm to 9pm. 200rmb BBQ dinner. Only 50 tickets available. RSVP to lamarr_irby@hotmail.com.

    More info














  • Art Spectacle






    Van Gogh Alive @ Joy City



    Chaoyang's Joy City Mall hosts Van Gogh Alive, a multi-media, immersive exhibit featuring over 300 of Van Gogh's works — including Starry Night and others from his Greatest Hits reel — in a flashy, three-dimensional video installation format. "Journey through the life and art of Vincent van Gogh in a symphony of light and sound." Tickets are 80rmb a pop — order here. The exhibit opens on September 8 (delayed from an initially slated August 8 opening due to the Sept 3 parade) and will remain on view until December 6. More














  • Documentary






    Music Documentaries: Modulations



    Meridian kicks off a month-long movie night schedule every Wednesday night, focusing on music documentaries. First up is Modulations — a look at the origins and development of electronic music, from raves to hip hop to recent club sounds. No entry fee, 8pm start. (Note: this event was originally scheduled for Wednesday, September 2 but was rescheduled due to the September 3 parade.)



    More info














  • Ballin'






    Lux Lay-days Night Launch @ the Waldorf



    Waldorf Astoria Beijing is partnering with McLaren and Lane Crawford to introduce an "ultra-fabulous" Ladies Night. Said ultra-fabulousness includes free suprises for ladies between 7pm and 10pm. Sparkling wine and cocktails, spa give-aways, and special performances. Call ahead for reservations. Location: Peacock Alley (Ground Floor). Dress code: Old Shanghai. More











  • Live Music






    Lifafa (New Delhi)



    New Delhi indie scene lynchpin Lifafa brings his unique blend of '50s Americana and '60s Bollywood soundscape to Beijing for two gigs: a dancefloor set of deep South Asia cuts on Sept 10 @ Dada and a live set on Friday @ DDC alongside Carsick Cars frontman Zhang Shouwang. Sample the tunes right here.







    Clubbing






    Bye Bye Disco 7th Bday



    Pei Sun and friends return after a long hiatus, bringing their signature brand of fun-loving nu disco electro sounds. With this edition they're celebrating seven years of the party around Beijing. Hey, good work everyone! 10pm start, no entry fee. Further party details














  • Outdoors






    Ditan Park Trip



    The Temple of Earth, also known as Ditan Park, is the second largest of the four Temples of Beijing. Check it out via guided tour from That's Mandarin. More







    Live Music









    RAN Live



    New label Ran Music steps into full-on production mode, showcasing the talent of their roster and affiliates. Deep bill feat. MC Dawei, Luv Plastik, Soulspeak, and more. Full info







    Clubbing









    Slugabed



    The Antidote hosts the return of Ninja Tune's Slugabed alongside Danish producer ELOQ. Music from the outermost reaches of dubstep, hip hop and beyond. More info














  • Experimental Film






    The Absent Screening & Discussion



    UCCA hosts a screening of experimental short film The Absent: "In this short film techniques from traditional Chinese painting are combined with Western-style drama, exploring issues of politics, gender, and identity." The film is in Chinese with Chinese and English subs. More info







    Jazz






    Bosphorus Double Trio



    A whole lot of jazz on stage at DDC with two jazz trios collaborating on a concert. An international cast of musicians performing for Bosphorus Double Trio -- one night only at DCC. 60rmb at the door. Starts 8pm. More info in the listing.
















  • Live Music






    Nite Fields (AUS) @ School



    School Bar hosts Brisbane post-punk/shoegaze duo Nite Fields ahead of their slot at Shanghai's Echo Park music festival. Critical praise for their latest, Depersonalisation, compares it to "early Cure and New Order... 4AD’s proto-shoegaze (Cocteau Twins, This Mortal Coil), the delicate guitar picking of Felt and Vini Reilly, melodic gifts of The Monochrome Set and psych pop drones of Spacemen 3." Solid list of referents. Support set from Beijing's Gate to Otherside. 80rmb at the door, 9pm start. More












  • Dad Rock






    Bon Jovi



    Bon Jovi — one of the biggest names in popular rock music worldwide — makes his Beijing debut. Ticketing + timing info here.







    Classical Music / Comedy









    MozART Group Humoresque



    Combining classical music (and popular music) with comedy, the MozART performance group returns to China for their third tour. More info








    Gulou Debauch









    Gulou Double Decker #7



    pangbianr x Live Beijing Music shake things up and knock 'em down once again @ Dada/Temple. Quality & hangovers guaranteed. Full lineup here.














  • Live Music






    Shocking Pinks



    New Zealand indie greats Shocking Pinks (Flying Nun, DFA) hit Beijing, sharing the School Bar stage with SUBS and Lonely Leary. 60rmb, 9pm start. More








    Clubbing









    MIIIA



    Shanghai-via-Canada DJ MIIIA is the featured guest for the fifth installment of the Konekt Asia Series at Lantern. Maximum ooontz for your buck. More info









    Anniversaries









    Yen Anniversary



    BJ party label Yen turns 11 up on the roof at Migas. Mickey Zhang, Dio, Eddie LV, and more on the decks, half the city on the dance floor. Get there early, it will sell out. More














  • Popular Music






    Muse



    UK alt rock band of the masses Muse makes their Beijing debut at the MasterCard Center. Find ticketing brackets and more info in the listing.









    Art Openings









    David Diao



    UCCA hosts a solo exhibit for Chengdu painter David Diao, including "115 works... present[ing] Diao’s work as a field of visual and conceptual adjacencies." More artspeak & exhibition dates here.












    Devil's Music









    Guiguisuisui



    The Necro King returns to a Beijing stage to release his latest. Zombie 8-bit, train wreck blues at its finest. Support from Gum Bleed, Death Narcissist, and Ba Xian Fan Dian. More















  • Comedy






    Kung Fu Komedy with Wil Sylvince (Chapelle’s Show)



    Shanghai-based Kung Fu Komedy welcomes in comedian Wil Sylvince, a one-time writer for Chapelle's Show and Damon Wayans' The Underground. 150rmb pre-sale (available at The Bookworm); 180rmb at the door. Starts 8pm. More info in the listing.















  • Classical Music






    Concert by John Robilette



    When John Robilette made his debut at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC in 1984, Wendell Margrave, the late critic of the Washington Post, wrote, “I haven’t heard such a good ‘Carnaval’ since Myra Hess…This is piano playing that was commoner around 1930, when there were fewer pianists but better ones.” Mr. Robilette has since been called a throwback to the “Golden Age” of piano playing, having held itinerant concerts in twenty-four countries. 30rmb ticket, 6:30pm start. More
















  • Dining






    The World of Rice Dinner



    A triumvirate of Beijing chefs join culinary forces to host "The World of Rice" -- a six-course meal, showcasing the chefs' signature rice dishes. Participating: Alejandro Sanchez of Niajo, Taka Yamamoto of Sake Manzo, and Omar Maseroli of Mercante + Fiume. One night only. Price: 498 per person, including wine paring. Reservations: table@niajo.com / 5208 6052.

    More info











  • Hip Hop






    J-Fever x Soulspeak



    J-Fever and Soulspeak officially release Color Blind, their new record for Douban's D-Force label. "Against a bump 'n' grind backdrop of beats shaped by Soulspeak reminiscent of D'Angelo, J-Fever gets freakier than ever with lyrics that swing from playful flirtation to deep, deep lovin'..." Mmmmyeah. More info







    Roots Music






    Randy Abel Stable: Lonely to Lonesome



    Beijing's finest Americana roots music traditionalists release their second album, Lonely to Lonesome. The Randy Abel Stable live at DDC, one of the more welcoming stages in the city for this kind of thing. Starts 9pm. 50rmb at the door. More













  • Live Music






    Stolen - Loop Album Release



    Chengdu avant-rockers Stolen release their impressive debut LP, Loop, tonight at Yugong Yishan. This is yet another release from fast-breaking new label D-Force, a production of social network Douban.com. Expect deep, dark sounds with dystopic visuals to complement. More info







    Clubbing






    DJ T. @ Migas



    Housing the Bar meets Eddie Lv’s The Loop to bring DJ and producer DJ T. From booty-bouncing deep house to forward disco grooves to straight up Jacking tracks, expect sounds that rattle your soul and lift you up. More info















  • David Byrne Worship






    Sunday Night Disco: Talking Heads



    Last time they did the Smiths/Morrissey disco party, this time it's the Talking Heads. A night full of Talking Heads music and videos and mingling. Full-on Byrne worship. Same as it ever was.

    Free entry. 10pm start. More info















  • Live Music






    Orchestra of Spheres (NZ)



    School Bar hosts Wellington, NZ "ancient future funk" trio Orchestra of Spheres for a special Beijing performance. "Born out of Wellington's Frederick Street Sound and Light Exploration Society in 2009, the Spheres have developed a cult-like following in New Zealand. Playing house parties, dance parties, DIY shows and opera houses, the Spheres have built a reputation for musically and visually ecstatic live shows." Sounds fun. Local support in BJ from Baxian Fandian. 50rmb, 9pm start. More















  • Post-Rock






    New Noise Presents: DNKL



    Swedish ambient electronic band DNKL kicks off a nine-date China tour tonight at Yugong Yishan. "The band has been featured on some of the most influential music websites around and played at some of Europe’s biggest festivals including Way Out West and Roskilde, winning over a legion of fans around the world with their mesmerizing dark electronic pop." Sounds like your standard New Noise post-rock booking to me. 100rmb ticket, 9pm start. More















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