China’s Music Scene Won’t Take No For An Answer

A Roundup Of This Fall’s Gigs, Keeping China Upbeat Despite the doom and gloom caused by recent music festival cancellations and downright failures -- here we're thinking of the highly controversial Chengdu Big Love Music Festival and Xi’an Zebra Festival, Black Rabbit, Kama Love, Music Funhill, Midi Rizhao, Megadeth, Caliban, and Modern Sky (all of which have been canceled this year) -- the likes of Beijing and Shanghai are keeping spirits high with a killer lineup of shows and festivals, showing that China’s music scene still has plenty of life left in it. James Murphy at Ding Dong Disco (September 7, 2012) James Murphy, the mastermind behind the massively influential, dearly departed electro-pop band LCD Soundsystem, comes to China for an exclusive date with Ding Dong Disco at O’Malley’s in Shanghai, playing this mini-festival alongside Pet Conspiracy, Kalabrese, Razor and others. The following day, Murphy is set to appear at The Creators Project's Beijing whistle-stop, which will also feature musical acts like New Jersey’s Real Estate and Portland’s Chromatics as well as the legendary Beijing electronic group FM3 and Shanghai rockers Duck Fight Goose . O'Malley's 42 Taojiang Lu, Xuhui District, Shanghai Additional Info In3 (September 7) Beijing’s notorious hip-hop act, In3 (pronounced ‘in sarrr’ with the Beijing lilt), are set to headline this week at MAO Livehouse in Beijing. After nearly a decade of rapping, In3 still has it in them to crank out the beats. In the words of founding member Chen Haoran, “In3 are like The Saiyans [a fighting race in Japanese manga series Dragon Ball Z] – we are a team, we delegate our power equally, and we are always prepared to fight whenever the enemies attack.” MAO Livehouse 308 Chongqing Nan Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai Additional Info IndieChina 8th Anniversary (September 7-8) IndieChina, a website-slash-label dedicated to instrumental and classic rock, celebrates its eight-year anniversary with a two-day mini festival at Beijing’s Mako Live House. Day one features Shijiazhuang rock stars Omnipotent Youth Society, Beijing post-rockers GlowCurve, The Dyne, and Lanzhou's Low Wormwood. Day two is headlined by Wuhan-based instrumental rockers Hua Lun and other post-rockers, including 48V, Amber and Andrographis. Mako Live House 36 Guangqu Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing Event Page New Pants (September 14) Peng Lei and his merry band of music-makers, New Pants (新裤子), take their particular brand of mischief to Shanghai on September 14, showing -- in Peng's words -- “cocktail sipping nancies how to rock like a Beijinger.” For the past 15 years, New Pants have been one of the leading rock acts from China. Last year they played the “Our Era” show, which celebrated 15 years of the Beijing Exhibition Center Theater. With top hats, disco balls, and robots, it’s sure to be an insane show. MAO Livehouse 308 Chongqing Nan Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai Additional Info Shanghai Calling (September 21) Shanghai’s YYT hosts another mash-up of some of the best rising Chinese and foreign bands: the ever-popular local act Candyshop, plus Stegosaurus? and Girls Like Mystery. It’s going to be a night filled with Britrock, hard rock, and stinky tofu. Plus, the first 50 people in the door get a free sample of pie. Audio: Stegosaurus? Yuyintang 851 Kaixuan Lu, Shanghai Additional Info OOC Previews Self-Titled Debut Album At Shanghai's MAO Livehouse (September 23) Christening the production of their self-titled debut album, Chinese indie band OOC (Out of Control) will introduce their new sound at MAO Livehouse. Following the concepts of “Direct,” “Dedication,” and “Freedom,” OOC will play a tripartite show with three musical “movements.” MAO Livehouse 308 Chongqing Nan Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai Additional Info Rabbit's Foot Mini Festival (October 2-3) Showing no signs of backing down after the cancellation of Black Rabbit Festival, Split Works and Taihe Live have organized the Rabbit’s Foot Mini Festival, a two-day event featuring acts including Belgian singer-songwriter Milow; Terror Danjah, the “Godfather of Grime”; The Gar, one of China’s most-beloved indie bands; The Inspector Cluzo, bringing funk rock; Norwegian post-rockers Caves of Steel; and Manchester rockers Third Cortez. Yuyintang 851 Kaixuan Lu, Shanghai Additional Info Shanghai JZ Festival (October 20-27) Shanghai’s JZ Festival returns with the Master Hall series and weekend festival at Expo Park. As in past years, the festival is split into two parts: the Master Hall series of world-renowned jazz musicians and groups playing at Shanghai Centre Theatre over the course of a week, and the Channel Young Green Note outdoor festival at the Expo site the weekend before. Festival headliners include American jazz musicians Chris Potter and Ray Hargrove as well as Mandopop stars Khalil Fong and Karen Mok. Also slated to appear this year are are Hanggai, Shanren, Jungelmico Project, B6, AM444 and many others. http://www.chinamusicradar.com/live-music/jz-fest-lineup-out/

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China’s Music Scene Won’t Take No For An Answer