Talking Tunes: The Fray to Visit in November and a Look at Big Week Ahead

First to the big news, US middle-of-the-road pop rockers The Fray are to play Beijing in November. We received confirmation of as much yesterday, detailing that they will perform at Tango on November 14.

The Denver band have had big hits stateside and in the UK with their hits "How To Save A Life" and "Over My Head (Cable Car)", and have trod that well-worn path of US pop rock groups by having their music feature in soppy surgical drama Grey's Anatomy before catapulting to stardom.

The M.A.D. (Music and Design) Festival is now underway. The festival runs through till next Friday (Oct 5) and will feature a selection of design exhibitions and music performances as part of the 2012 Beijing Design Week.

M.A.D. by Day takes place at the CCD Pavilion and will brooch topics such as the DIY and "Underground" approaches to creation and marketing and will feature Chinese and international music labels, brands, artists, designers and musicians.

While M.A.D. by Night will bring together international and local artists spread across the city's top music venues and will include performances from acts like Wolfram (Austria), the KDMS (Poland), Mickey (Belgium) and local darlings Nova Heart.

Danish electronica dance duo Crash & Compute perform at 9pm tonight at Yugong Yishan. The duo - Emil de Waal and Spejderrobot - fuse live drums with electronic gadgetry to fine effect in their latest project.

As the golden week gears up, it's worth sneaking a quick glimpse at the next seven days and what aural delights they will throw up. Jazz band, the Martin Jacobsen Quartet, will play V.A. Bar on Friday night as something of a precursor to the jazz frenzy which is set to befall us later in October.

Australian singer-songwriter Cam Butler performs on Saturday and Sunday at XP. He brings his highly lauded live Save My Soul video concert in promotion of his new record.

Mexican post rock group Childs have been described as the American Sigur Ros. Monday (8.30pm) at Yugong Yishan gives you a chance to judge for yourself.

Belgian singer-songwriter Milow drops by MAO Livehouse on Tuesday looking to spread some of his signature pop vim in support of his new album North & South.

Beijing synth pop outfit Nova Heart are among the performers on Tuesday (9pm) at Yugong Yishan as part of the M.A.D. Festival.

UK grime royalty descends on Gulou on Tuesday when Terror Danjah performs at Dada (10pm).

And highly rated Melbourne folk punks The Smith Street Band hit Temple on Wednesday night as they push their new record Sunshine and Technology.

Here is the single "The Fighter" from The Fray. It's off their new record Scars & Stories, and is arguably their finest work.

Until next time.