Beijing Beats: 5 Parties to Dance in the Year of the Pig
Beijing Beats brings you the best in Beijing nightlife each weekend so that you can soothe the woes of a long and stressful week with some out-of-body gyrating and some experiences you'd rather forget come Monday. Check the weekend's full list of nightlife events here.
Things certainly quiet down over Chinese New Year and Dada diehards will be disappointed to hear that the Gulou club will be closed throughout the holiday, but look at it in a positive light: you now have plenty of time to get a taste of what's on offer at one of the many other clubs in the capital. Below are some of the best nights leading up to the Year of the Pig.
READ: 2019 Beijing Spring Festival Bar and Restaurant Opening Hours, Feb 4-10
Friday, Feb 1
Ciel
If you've yet to dip into the basement of Zhao Dai, Friday may be just your ticket with one of Toronto's biggest underground acts, Ciel (pictured at top). Co-founder of collective It's Not U It's Me, Ciel released her debut Electrical Encounters EP in 2017 and has been one to watch ever since, blending a heady mix of colorful, dreamy, and at times, melancholic progressive house. RMB 100, RMB 80 (advance). 10pm doors. Zhao Dai
Rodrigo Vieira and Rosh
Friday also sees a DJ double-bill at One Third from Rodrigo Viera (resident DJ at the Balneário Camboriú super club Green Valley in Brazil) and Rosh (who heads evenings at One Night in Amsterdam). Price TBA. 10pm. One Third
Saturday, Feb 2
Nu Beatz
Tidy Bar Street's club of choice Aurora will be open throughout the holiday (see more below), providing a haven for anyone wanting to party deep into the night next week. On Saturday they host Nu Beatz, a new project whose "purpose is to provide young and powerful DJs with a chance to perform, so that new faces can be involved [in the scene] and more fresh blood will be injected into it." First up are DJs WAYDE and RaffaL. Free. 10pm. Aurora
Club Night
Lantern will be open on Friday and Saturday for some of their late-night techno antics. On Saturday, it's the turn of DJs Alex 8, Weng Weng (pictured above), and Jackson Lee to keep you out until sunrise and help "chase off the Spring Festival blues for one more night." RMB 50. 10pm doors. Lantern
Sunday, Feb 3
Pre-CNY Dinner
For something a little different this Spring Fest, head to Aurora where they'll be hosting a pre-CNY dinner for anyone who wants to revel in good food, fine drink, and some superb company. There'll be a range of finger food, Mexican grub, and of course, dumplings between 7-10pm before the lights go out and Julianna Lima, Kornel Szennovitz, Pancake Lee, and Mario Yu take to the decks. Busy on the 3rd? They'll also have a dumpling making session followed by an afterparty on Feb 4. Good on Aurora to keep the parties raging. RMB 165, RMB 80 (children). 7pm. Aurora
And then there was an eerie silence...
Want to go escape the city, see some live music, or just eat yourself silly this CNY?
The world is your oyster over in our Events.
Photos courtesy of the promoters
