Weekend Live Music Roundup: Folk and Rock Buyi, Pioneers' Festival and Other Folky Blues

I have mistakenly thought of Buyi as a folk band for a long time. Maybe it's because of their name: Buyi (布衣), meaning cotton cloths or common people in Chinese. And also the singer's magnetic voice with a slight north-western accent endows their songs a sense of Chinese country music. But they have played some hard-rock tunes and sometimes even pop-punk plays a role in their work. The magic thing is, no matter what genre their music reminds you of, it always comes with this feeling of a wanderer's freeness and simplicity, getting to the point right away in a way that sooths your nervous mind. See them at Star Live before you go meet crazy DJs late on Saturday night.

Contrary to the otherwise big easygoing funky bluesy folky theme of this weekend, experimental pioneers are having parties at Wudaokou. D-22's regular Zoomin' nights have yielded results and the best of the bands (as I see it the less extremely experimental ones) who have contribute to the Tuesday nights celebrations will be releasing a Zoomin' Night CD on Friday and Saturday this weekend.

If you go with the bluesy folky flow, you have many choices: Wu & the Side-effects at Gulou 121 tonight, Wan Xiaoli at Tiny Salt Café tomorrow night and our favorite Mongolian “khoomeier” Gangzi at Zuiyuefang Bar on Sunday.

Here comes the rest(For venue details, check the Beijinger Directory):

Friday (November 19)

Blackwater
Have some Irish folky tunes. RMB 30. 9.45pm. V.A Live

Dwaas
Jazz night with some Dutch. RMB 20. 9.30pm. Zuiyuefang Bar

Erez Eisenman
Folk dude shares his musical stories. RMB 30. 9pm. Hot Cat Club (6400 7868)

Hoochie Coochie Gentlemam, Mizang
Blues rock night nearby Gulou. RMB 40, RMB 30 (advance). 9.30pm. Jiangjinjiu Bar

Huang Jie
Taiwan indie boy’s high school memory. RMB 100, RMB 80 (advance). 8pm. Mako Live House

Poshangcun, Mythomania, Joker, G-Eleven, Organic Bomb, Youzhi Huanyuan
A university night with rock and folk bands. RMB 50. 8pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)

Wu & The Side-effects
Keep the funky tunes blue. RMB 40, RMB 30 (advance, students). 9pm. Gulou 121

Zeng Yan
Folky pop singer/ song-writer. RMB 40. 9pm. Jiang Hu Liveshow Bar

Zoomin' Night CD Release (Heat 1)
For this album, Maybe Mars picked nine experimental songs from January 2010’s Zoomin' Nights. Fat City, Carpet of Let, Chui Wan, Zhang Shouwang warm up your nerves. RMB 40, RMB 30 (students). 10pm. D-22 (6265 3177)

Saturday (November 20)

AK-47, Raging Mob, Saw, Unregenerate Blood
Metalheads battle at Wudoukou. RMB 50. 9.30pm. 13 Club

Army of Jade Kirin, China Town, The Ghost Spardac
Hardcore night. RMB 60, RMB 50 (advance). 8.30pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)

Buyi
The beloved folk band embarks on a tour promoting their brand new album, Autumn. RMB 80, RMB 60 (advance). 8.30pm. The Star Live (6425 5677)

Cai Qin
Her voice is like a glass of wine – as time passes, it only gets more fragrant. Tickets at 400 610 3721. RMB 280-1,680. 7.30pm. Capital Gymnasium (6835 8306)

Christmas, The Ugly Dumplings
Chinese pop songs from the future and Western rock songs from the past. Free. 10pm. Hot Cat Club (6400 7868)

Gangzi Tuliguer
Mongolian khoomei down town in the afternoon. RMB 50, RMB 40 (advance). 3-5pm. Tiny Salt Cafe

Maze, Residence A, Street Kill Strange Animals
Three of the best young bands spread their seeds in Tongzhou. RMB 20. 8pm. Raying Temple

Neil Conway and The Somethin' Family
Neil Conway brings a rich mix of comedy, satire and commentary. Free. 8pm. The Bookworm (6503 2050)

Raven
Pop folk group release their new album. RMB 50, RMB 40 (students). 8pm. Mako Live House

Sucker, Old Doll
Two hardcore punk bands rock you up. RMB 50, RMB 40 (advance). 10pm. 2 Kolegas(6436 8998)

The Face, Thinman, Zhouren & Qianjin!
Rock bands that have been around for 20 years. How we miss the old times. RMB 60, RMB 40 (advance). 9pm. Yugong Yishan (6404 2711)

The Life Journey
Modern Sky’s new favorite goes acoustic in Nanluogu Xiang. RMB 25. 9pm. Byebye Disco

Turbot Safari
Pioneer experimental jazz from Scandinavia in seven different languages. RMB 50, RMB 40 (advance). 9pm. Jiang Hu Liveshow Bar

Wan Xiaoli
Legendary folk singer reminds you the naïve times with his slight picking on the strings. RMB 100, RMB 80 (advance), RMB 60 (students). 9pm. Tiny Salt Cafe

Zoomin' Night CD Release (Heat 2)
Keep zoomin' in. Wanderlust, Ice Dealer, Micoo and Mr. Rotten will provoke your nerves. RMB 40, RMB 30 (students). 10pm. D-22 (6265 3177)

Sunday (November 21)

Fruits Salad, The Big Picture, Big Fish, Whistling Chamber
Folk pop, indie pop, brit pop fly across the sky. Free. 8pm. Hot Cat Club

Gangzi Tuliguer
Mongolian khoomei accompanies you through the frosty winter wind. Free. 9.30pm. Zuiyuefang Bar

Hey, Sex Pistols!
Punk bands show their love – or anger. Lineup includes Misandao, Old Doll, Sucker and Los Crasher. RMB 60, RMB 50 (advance, students). 8.30pm. MAO Livehouse (6402 5080)

Micoo
Nanjing garage band brings their new album, Nucleus and Qing Jiang join in. Price TBD. 9.30pm. 2 Kolegas

Sucker, Old Dolls, End of the World
Young power from other cities comes to rock Beijing. RMB 40, RMB 30 (students). 9pm. D-22 (6265 3177)