Although our Beijing launch event this weekend is going to feature performances from musical heavyweights such as Major Lazer (featuring Diplo) and Sulumi, the program will also highlight some of the best in Beijing’s local music scene. Even if you can’t afford a plane ticket to China to attend the event, you can still get a taste of the local Beijing indie music flavor and discover some new bands that are sure impress even your most jaded friends.Rebuilding the Rights of Statues (aka Re-TROS)
These Chinese indie darlings may seem all sweet and melancholy upon first listen, but take a look at the explosive imagery in the above video and a close listen to their political lyrics, and you’ll begin to see that this is probably one of the most (if not THE most) subversive bands to come out of China in recent years. It’s hard to be an anti-establishment band in a country with such extreme censorship as China, but Re-TROS have found a way to circumvent the system by singing in English. For example, the song in the video above is called “Hang the Police,” which the group translates as “The Police Are Laughing” in their Chinese version. We applaud their courage and creativity, and hear rumors that the group is just as badass on stage as they are when sticking it to the man in their liner notes.Queen Sea Big Shark
If the above video clip of Beijing’s Queen Sea Big Shark performing live at the Rock Raiser Music Festival last year doesn’t get your adrenaline pumping and your booty shaking, you may want to check your vitals and make sure you’ve still got warm blood running through your veins. The electro no-wave quartet have drawn comparisons to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but as their live show footage indicates, these guys are crafting a style sound and performance style that is entirely their own. Layering buzzed out guitars, a raw punk ethos, electro beats, a lazer light show that gives Radiohead a run for their money, and a front-woman that flails around like a seizure victim onstage, these guys are sure to be a standout act this Saturday.New Pants
These guys started out as a punk outfit back in the day when they first hit the scene in 1996, but have since developed a pop-ier sound with synths and a glam-rock aesthetic. They’re one of the bands leading the rock assault on unsuspecting Beijing audiences, aiding in the city’s transition into a burgeoning underground rock music capital. Rumor has it, their live shows are supposed to be insane as well, as the band parades around in feather boas, tiaras, and break out into impromptu breakdancing performances.
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These Chinese indie darlings may seem all sweet and melancholy upon first listen, but take a look at the explosive imagery in the above video and a close listen to their political lyrics, and you’ll begin to see that this is probably one of the most (if not THE most) subversive bands to come out of China in recent years. It’s hard to be an anti-establishment band in a country with such extreme censorship as China, but Re-TROS have found a way to circumvent the system by singing in English. For example, the song in the video above is called “Hang the Police,” which the group translates as “The Police Are Laughing” in their Chinese version. We applaud their courage and creativity, and hear rumors that the group is just as badass on stage as they are when sticking it to the man in their liner notes.Queen Sea Big Shark
If the above video clip of Beijing’s Queen Sea Big Shark performing live at the Rock Raiser Music Festival last year doesn’t get your adrenaline pumping and your booty shaking, you may want to check your vitals and make sure you’ve still got warm blood running through your veins. The electro no-wave quartet have drawn comparisons to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but as their live show footage indicates, these guys are crafting a style sound and performance style that is entirely their own. Layering buzzed out guitars, a raw punk ethos, electro beats, a lazer light show that gives Radiohead a run for their money, and a front-woman that flails around like a seizure victim onstage, these guys are sure to be a standout act this Saturday.New Pants
These guys started out as a punk outfit back in the day when they first hit the scene in 1996, but have since developed a pop-ier sound with synths and a glam-rock aesthetic. They’re one of the bands leading the rock assault on unsuspecting Beijing audiences, aiding in the city’s transition into a burgeoning underground rock music capital. Rumor has it, their live shows are supposed to be insane as well, as the band parades around in feather boas, tiaras, and break out into impromptu breakdancing performances.