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So. We're not getting any of our usual May holiday music festivals in Beijing this year. Already reported that to death, don't really want to think about it any more. The good news: there are some sort-of festivals happening in the city, some festivals happening sort-of in the city, some sort-of festivals happening sort-of in the city, and some bands playing festivals nowhere near the city who'll nevertheless trek up here to play in clubs.
2015 Beijing May (Lack of) Music Festival Roundup:
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First up, the one kind-of festival we're actually getting within Beijing city limits this year: Sound of the Xity. I've already said my piece about this thing. I'm not a fan, because to me it mostly represents industry leeches feeding off the Beijing music scene without pouring anything substantive or helpful to artists back into it. But hey, it's gigs. Tricky, etc. 23 gigs over six days, so they pretty much have the market cornered for Gulou live music over the Mayday break. Find the full SXITY 2015 schedule here.
As for my pick of one that's actually worth your time and money, maybe: Hiperson, Bedstars, and Run Run Run on Wednesday, April 29 at XP. This one's a showcase for new blood on local label Maybe Mars, and an indication of where their future aspirations lie. (Namely: outside Beijing.) Hiperson from Chengdu has just Bandcamp-released their debut album, No Need For Another HIstory, and it's really quite stellar. Take a listen:
Hiperson will be back in late June with actual, physical, CD and vinyl copies of the record, but they're making this quick trip to the capital first. Joining them are Beijing's Bedstars, whose own debut album release is reportedly just around the corner. (Premiered the first single off that one, "Booze Hound", in my chunjie mix, if you want a sample.) Also making a trip in from out of town is Run Run Run, the heavy psych shredders from Guizhou featuring ex-members of erstwhile underground favorite Dice. Real solid lineup, all in all.
Despite what it says on the Sound of the Xity website, this one is 60rmb at the door, which comes with a free drink. 9pm start. More
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Moving on to the one big outdoor festival we're sort of getting this year: INTRO 2015 is all systems go, as of this writing. INTRO, at this point China's largest big-tent festival dedicated exclusively to the oontz oontz variety of music, kicked off in 2009 and rotated around a handful of outdoor plots in 798 for its first few years. In 2013 they somehow made a deal to host it at that massive Shougang steel factory all the way out near the western tip of subway line 1, and it was, verily, pretty fucking rad.
INTRO was slated to take place at the same spot last year, but the venue pulled out at the last minute and left the festival organizers in the lurch. After a desperate last-minute search for a new venue, INTRO 2014 was canceled just nine days before it was supposed to happen.
For 2015, the INTRO camp was pretty thrilled to announce that they'd worked out a deal to hold the festival in Chaoyang Park, a convenient, central location. But, alas, that plan got 86'd about a week ago. These guys can't catch a break lately.
This time they've managed to secure a backup: INTRO will go down on Friday, May 1 at the Grand Epoch in Hebei. Yeah, it's pretty far. But at least it's happening. INTRO will provide buses departing from Beijing Agricultural Center West Gate from 12:30-3:30pm, and returning to Gongti between 9:30-11:30pm.
Musically, you're looking at... a bunch of Beijing DJ's, really. Drum'n'bass crew The Syndicate has their own stage, as they have in years past, emphasizing the lower frequencies of the sound spectrum. The main stage will host sets from tried and true Beijing club vets, including Lantern/INTRO's head honcho Weng Weng, Acupuncture label founder Elvis T., FM3's Christiaan Virant (performing his all-analog live dance music project, #normal), et al. Find the full lineup here.
And here are a few promo mixes made specially for INTRO by some of its headlining artists:
So that's INTRO 2015 on Friday, May 1, at Grand Epoch Hotel in Hebei. 280rmb pre-sale tickets can be bought here; otherwise it's 380rmb on site. Keep in mind that the bus will add an extra 40rmb on top of that, assuming you don't have a car.
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And now for some MIDI runoff. On May 1 at School Bar, Kaiguan Culture brings "eternally unshaven" French electronic rock outfit Colt Silvers back to Beijing, following up on the success of their appearance at last year's Dong Dong Festival. What we have here is a completely palatable admixture of indie rock, electronic pop, catchy vocal hooks, and a light dusting of ambient synth soundscapes to glue it all together. Here's their latest, Gold Trees Gold:
This time around, Colt Silvers is supported by Beijing electronica genre-dodgers CNdY. Hey, haven't heard from those guys in a while. Should be a solid night of highly danceable rock'n'roll. Festival-quality, even. Colt Silvers is jetting out to play MIDI Suzhou the next day.
You can grip a 60rmb pre-sale ticket right here. Otherwise it's 80 at the door. 8pm start. More info
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Last, and arguably the coolest: on Saturday, May 2, Tongzhou punk haven DMC hosts its annual "fuck you" to Modern Sky's May festival (which we're not even getting this year), the aptly named Strawberry Music Fucktival. Because really, fuck Modern Sky!
Stacked bill for the Fucktival this year, with live sets from Never Before, Bedstars, Shochu Legion, GT Bitches, Fan Mian'r, Tinnie Whollie, Car Car Cars, D-Crash, Toss, and Diseased Fruit. Drawing a bit of each from the Beijing punk, hardcore, crust, ska, sludge, doom metal, and D-beat scenes. Solid.
Been hearing good things about the GT Bitches from Jinan (that stands for Green Tea Bitches, fyi). Apparently they shredded at Punk-It-Spring a few weekends ago. Here they are performing their excellent tune "Cock Kicking Blues" last year at School:
So, all these bands for only 50rmb. OR: you can drink three Jäger shots at the door and get in for free. No joke.
If you don't want to puke right off the bat, you can also follow DMC on Wechat (@spike862400), repost this Fucktival promo, and take a screenshot for free entry.
2:30pm start. More info here.
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RECAP:
Hiperson, Run Run Run, Bedstars = WED April 29 @ XP INTRO 2015 = FRI May 1 @ Grand Epoch City (Hebei) Colt Silvers = FRI May 1 @ School Bar Strawberry Fucktival = SAT May 2 @ DMC
