Rock Clubs

A small punk bar run by members of three Beijing bands, Wasted Laika, Xiao Wang, and Hang Nail.

Blinding Elephant has a full selection of liquor, a fridge with a wide variety of beer, two taps, and a menu full of snacks perfect for a night of drinking.

It's a community first and foremost, predicated on a love of music and good times.

Red party cups, 3L towers of beer, and a space that takes the proficiency of the now-defunct Gulou Dongdajie Mao Livehouse and the scrappiness of School, 80 Music is a rock venue with bucketloads of charm located a little further out than the usual Gulou haunts.

A pretty unique venue nestled on the seventh floor of Yashow and connected to CYT Tattoo Parlor, Snake Livehouse is a rock-oriented addition to the mass of alternative music performance spaces continuing to open around the city.

Venue operated by Chinese indie label Modernsky in the basement of Galaxy Soho.

Rock and folk bands every weekend.

Mid-sized venue for live concerts and other events. Has a 5-meter high model of Transformer Optimus Prime.

Stylish live music venue in an unlikely setting; hidden behind a bus station on the East Fourth Ring Road. Founded by veterans of Beijing’s live music and design scenes, The One rivals the likes of The Star Live and MAO Livehouse with its quality sound system. It also boasts a swish, modern layout and feels less smoky than some of the other live houses around town.

Out of the way live music venue with performances from lesser-known Beijing punk and metal bands.

Liu Lixin, metal guitarist (he plays in Junxiesuo – Armory) and former manager of Nameless Highland, opened this Wudaokou venue in late 2004, and with it, brought real rock back to the 'hood where it all began. Their sound system, according to one able-handed tech, is "the most powerful in town." Of course, our able-handed tech doesn't often make it out to Wudaokou. But a healthy number of Beijing's best live acts – and some mediocre midweek fill-ins – do. The sweat-soaked atmosphere comes complete with mugs of local draft beer and table football.