Rock Around Town: Beijing’s best live music venues
Beijing is home to one of the world’s most exciting live music scenes, with shows ranging from straight-up punk to blues and jazz to experimental techno on any given night. One key factor in keeping these scenes going is the myriad of venues, each with their own distinctive feel and character. Here are our picks for the best.
2 Kolegas
Uniquely located next to a drive in theatre, 2 Kolegas’ eclectic programs host all kinds of music, from minority folk to head banging rock. This is a rustic and intimate venue with a great sound system and attitude, that gets very crowded when bigger local bands are playing. In the summer, the sofas on the lawn are a perfect place to enjoy some chuan’r and beer under the stars. Daily 7pm-late. 21 Liangmaqiao Lu (inside the drive-in movie theater park) north of Chaoyang Park, Chaoyang District. (6436 8998) www.2kolegas.com 两个好朋友，朝阳区亮马桥路21号（燕莎桥往东1500米路北汽车电影院内）
13 Club
Appropriately dark and foreboding, the grimy 13 Club is a refuge for the kind of metalheads and goth bands denied stage time by most other venues. Don’t come expecting
conversation; instead, expect moshing, sweat, and general mayhem soundtracked by deafening industrial sounds. Daily 6pm-late. 161 Chengfu Lu, Lanqiying Bus Stop, doorway is recessed in a small alley next to Da Waguan Restaurant (a few doors east of D-22), Haidian District. (8668 7151) 13 俱乐部，海淀区成府路蓝旗营车站下车，马路南边即是(瓦罐饭馆的西边)
The Boat
This double-decked club that floats on the Liangma River has something for everyone. DJs in the lower cabin below spin electronica and funk, while live bands on the upper deck lounge area play rock, jazz and folk. Daily 11am-late. 8 Liangmahe Nanlu (west of Sanlitun Beijie), Chaoyang District. (6460 5512) www.myspace.com/theboatbeijing 朝阳区亮马河南路8号（三里屯北街西边）
D-22
Located in the university district, D-22 has become Beijing’s answer to CBGB and a premier live music venue for new and experimental music in Beijing. Carsick Cars, Demerit, and Hedgehog are the key “house” bands that have emerged from D-22’s cultivation of China’s underground scene, which is built around cheap beer, skinny ties, Converse sneakers, and – crucially – great music. Tue-Sun 7pm-2am. 42 Chengfu Lu (two doors west of 13 Club), Haidian District. (6265 3177) www.d22beijing.com.cn 海淀区成府路242号
East Shore Live Jazz Cafe Opened by legendary jazzman Liu Yuan (Cui Jian’s sax player since ‘84), East Shore is a musician’s jazz club: it’s comfortable, authentic and fully devoted to music. Listen to jazz until the wee hours and gaze out at the perfect view of Houhai. The club hosts live bands from Thu-Sun, including Liu Yuan’s own quartet. Reservations recommended. Daily 4.30pm-late. 2/F, 2 Qianhai Nanyanlu (just to the west of the post office on Dianmen Waidajie), Xicheng District. (8403 2131) 东岸咖啡，西城区地安门外大街前海南沿2号楼2层
Jiangjinjiu Bar
Located right between the Drum and Bell towers, this intimate bar’s bohemian ambiance sets the perfect scene for the varied folksy performances that dominate its schedules from Thu-Sun nights. With its comfy sofas and dusty tables, Jiangjinjiu is hardly a stellar music venue, but it’s a great place to catch alternative musicians from far and wide jamming in a relaxing setting. Daily 2pm-2am. 2 Zhongku Hutong, (between Drum and Bell towers on the west side, a few doors south of The Drum and Bell), Dongcheng District. (8405 0124) www.jiangjinjiu.cn 疆进酒吧，东城区钟库胡同2号 (鼓楼北门)
MAO Livehouse
This Gulou-area rock club is one of the best of the best. Memorable recent performances by Chinese band SUBS and America’s Ratatat cement MAO’s status as a larger venue for local bands to work towards filling up regularly, as well as a worthy showcase for foreign talent. The music is performed in a big warehouse-type room with surprisingly good acoustics. The lounge area and unassuming bar, which stocks a decent selection of beers, are in a separate room from the stage, keeping distractions down to a minimum and the focus on the music. Daily 4pm-late. 111 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District. (6402 5080) www.maolive.com 光芒，东城区鼓楼东大街111号
The Star Live
This 1,000-plus capacity venue has attracted top-quality foreign acts like NOFX, Sonic Youth, Ghostface Killah and Faithless, as well as well-known Chinese bands such as Brain Failure. Spread out over two floors, with the ground floor offering a close view of the stage, Star Live is the mid-sized venue offering a major step up from the grungy dive clubs in Beijing. Unfortunately the management and booze prices leave a lot to be desired – imagine what a good manager could do with this place. Daily 7pm-late. 3/F, Tango, 79 Heping Xijie (50m north of Yonghegong subway station), Dongcheng District. (6425 5677) www.thestarlive.com 星光现场，东城区和平西街79号糖果三层（雍和宫桥路北50米）
Tiny Salt
Hidden in the labyrinthine Soho Shangdu, this bar is another welcome addition to the capital’s list of decent-sized music venues. Owner Qiao Xiaodao, who also happens to be a folk singer and the interior designer of Jiangjinjiu Bar, has been inviting artists to perform here on weekends. You can even rock the stage yourself by hiring the venue for a private party for your closest 300 friends. Tue-Sun 11.30am-late. Rm 2308, Bldg B, North Tower, Soho Shangdu, 8 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (5900 0969) 微薄之盐, 朝阳区东大桥路8号SOHO尚都北塔B座3层2308
What? Bar
There’s a lot going on here, given that they’ve only got about five square meters to work with. What? Bar regularly hosts local bands, with rock bands often taking center stage. Daily 4pm-late. 72 Beichang Jie (just north of the west gate of the Forbidden City), Xicheng District. (133 4112 2757) 什么酒吧, 西城区北长街72号(故宫西门往北)
Yugong Yishan
Yugong Yishan has maintained its position as Beijing’s most popular live music club throughout the years, thanks in part to the venue’s clearly defined bar and stage areas, as well as smart programming. Performances are multifarious, encompassing film screenings in addition to the live music and legendary DJ shows. Daily 7pm-late. 3-2 Zhangzizhong Lu (on Ping’An Dajie 100m west of Zhangzizhong Lu subway station), Dongcheng District. (6404 2711) 东城区平安大道张自忠路3-2号(地铁五号线张自忠路站往西100米)
