hail the people’s congress?

It’s already Tuesday and I’m still reeling from the events of last weekend. On Saturday, I stopped by the Nike 706 Space in the Dashanzi Arts District for their Force of Love party, which was… I’m not sure what it was. There were DJs, breakdancing and alot of free booze and food, and also a gallery displaying works from Korea, Taiwan, NYC, Paris and Germany. On the whole, as one spectator dryly noted, “alot of fucking work for… you know, a shoe.” but still highly enjoyable no less.

I also finally got into gear and went to Yugong Yishan both Friday and Saturday night, and the new venue is definately a step up in class from the old. Thankfully, drink prices are still the same and the sound system seems much improved. A little concerning though, was the open turtle tank plus turtle currently occupying the second floor bathroom –  it doesn’t seem to me that a small turtle should have to live in a place where it’s entirely possible that he will be peed on at some point in the night.  Just saying is all.

The Friday night Busdriver show was of epic proportions, with openers The Red Hand Jazz Band and the dubiously named The Beijing Live Hip Hop Experience playing long sets before the main event, leaving the crowd fidgeting and restless. Los Angeles born Regan Farquhar, the man behind Busdriver, alongside his DJ Antimc (otherwise known as Matthew Alsberg) did surprisingly well despite flying in to the Middle Kingdom at 5am that morning and spending the day at the Forbidden City.

Saturday, the Joyside boys were wildly drunk and the crowd equally so, and I’ve never seen such a display of nihilism as I did that night. Drunk girls collapsing on the floor, a furious mosh pit (don’t get me started on the Chinese concept of “moshing”) that seemed to start and stop at random, empty glasses, beer bottles and apple cores thrown and crashing onto the stage, slippery floors, sweat and cigarettes fueled the set and after a whirlwind twenty minutes, I was ready for it all to end and to head back home for a long night’s sleep.

In other news, Micheal Pettis, Professor of Finance at the prestigious Peking University, part owner of the famed D-22 music bar in Wudaokou and general champion of Chinese rock music, alongside Yang Haisong, who most people know as the charismatic lead singer of post punk Nanijing/Beijing legends PK14, have teamed up together to form Maybe Mars Records, and you can buy their latest three releases (Carsick Cars – S/T, Joyside – Booze at Neptune’s Dawn, Snapline – Party is Over, Pornstar) at The Sugarjar, Freesound and at D22. Watch for this week’s edition of City Weekend for a review of the new Snapline album!

This week, watch out for Jon Digweed and more awesomely, NU:TONE and MC Wreck at Vics, brought to us by the fabulous people at The Syndicate and Hospital Records.

Tags: antimc, busdriver, city weekend, d22, hospital records, jon digweed, joyside, matthew alserg, maybe mars, mc wreck, michael pettis, nu:tone, pk14, recan farquhar, the syndicate, yugong yishan