The best things to do in Beijing this weekend

Your weekend guide to the best of Beijing

The weather forecast may be looking fairly dreary, but there's still plenty to do in the capital. Check out our top picks for the best ways to spend the next couple of days in Beijing.

THINGS TO DO

Matt Davis

The Bookworm. Sun 22. 180RMB; 150RMB (presale); 100RMB (students)

Billed as 'not for the easily offended', American stand-up Matt Davis, as seen at Just For Laughs Montreal, San Francisco Sketchfest and more, comes to The Bookworm this Sunday to perform his brand of 'dirty but smart' comedy.

FOOD AND DRINK

Jing-Jing Beer Garden pop-up

The Opposite House. Until Aug 12

For those of you still mourning the loss of Jing A's courtyard in 1949 The Hidden City, the beer maestros have teamed up with Jing Yaa Tang (Jing-Jing, get it?) to serve up ice-cold beers and Chinese street bites at The Opposite House's Sunken Garden. Running throughout the remainder of summer, Jing A's set up their original 12-tap tower to offer a wide selection of beers plus Zeffer cider. The official launch kicks off tonight, Jul 19, with an extended happy hour running from 5-9pm (normal opening hours 5-11pm Tuesday to Sunday, happy hour every Tuesday to Friday 5-7pm).

MUSIC

Carl Barât

Tango. Fri 20. 400RMB; 330RMB (presale)

What became of the likely lads? Beijing gets to find out what one Libertines frontman has been up to since the celebrated lad rock outfit fell apart back in 2004 – and then reunited.

Chui Wan

Yugong Yishan. Sat 21. 150RMB; 100RMB (presale)

Having positioned themselves at the forefront of Beijing's experimental music scene, the indie psych-rockers and Maybe Mars stalwarts return to where it all began after a jam-packed world tour. Excellent Shanghai rockers Dirty Fingers support.

Hutong Bikini Party

School Live Bar. Sat 21. 100RMB; 50RMB (in a swimsuit); Free (in a bikini)

You know summer's here when people in swimwear start chucking water around School Live Bar. The annual Hutong Beach Day features plenty of killer music, pools on School's roof and walkways, water guns and more. The lineup features Click#15, punk rockers Xiaowang, indie electro project LST, hardcore punk outfit Hangnail, reggae ska band Early Bus and hip-hop collective HOG. A slightly questionable ticketing policy, but turn up in a bikini and you'll also receive free entry plus three beers (both men and women).

Chinese Football

Tango. Sat 21. 180RMB; 150RMB (presale)

Wuhan-based post-emo rockers Chinese Football return to the capital to share the stage with other scrappy up-and-comers, including Nova Heart, SNSOS, Last Goodbye, Island Mood and more.

NIGHTLIFE

Frau

Zhao Dai. Fri 20. 60RMB

Melbourne-born DJ Frau, aka Matt Hildebrandt, swaps Shanghai for Beijing this weekend thanks to the folks behind ByeByeDisco. Known for his varied sets, the vinyl DJ and selector mixes together different genres with little reliance on effects and tricks.

Tujamo

One Third. Fri 20. 120RMB

German producer Tujamo is currently ranked number 46 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list and his track, 'Booty Bounce', has over 10 million streams on Spotify alone. He returns to Beijing after making his blistering debut at Elements last year.

Broken English Club

Dada. Sat 21. 100RMB; 80RMB (before midnight

LIES-endorsed Oliver Ho, better known as Broken English Club, drops a live set at Dada as part of Say Yes' raucous third birthday celebrations. Expect avant-garde techno, house and 'brutal futurist' sounds. Support by rising British bass star Batu.

STAGE

Jin Xing Dance Theatre: Wild Flowers

NCPA. Fri 20-Sat 21. 180-680RMB

China's foremost contemporary dance company continues its visit to Beijing with a performance of Wild Flowers, their latest stunning production that displays the troupe's effortless ability to combine Western and contemporary Chinese dance.

Beijing Symphony Orchestra

NCPA. Sat 21. 80-480RMB

Renowned for the depth of its repertoire, the Beijing Symphony Orchestra performs a programme of Leonard Bernstein classics, including West Side Story and 'Glitter and be Gay' from Candide, lead by celebrated conductor Lihua Tan.

Roméo et Juliette

NCPA. Wed 18-Sun 22. 100-880RMB

Based on Shakespeare's masterpiece, Charles-François Gounod's five-act opera Roméo et Juliette first premiered in 1867 and quickly became one of Gounod's most famous operatic works. On the bicentennial of Gounod's birth and 125th anniversary of his death, the NCPA has invited Stefano Poda to handle the direction, set design, costume design, lighting and choreography. French opera conductor extraordinaire Patrick Fournillier also returns to the NCPA after Thaïs, and reproduces the romantic spirit of French music for a broad audience.

ART

Xu Bing: Thought and Method

UCCA. Jul 21-Oct 18. 60RMB

Globally renowned for his conceptual and installation pieces that explore communication and language, Xu Bing creates a space where viewers can immerse themselves within his world. Xu brings his keen observation skills to bear as he displays his unique insight, encompassing both a reflection on traditional East Asian culture as well as a nuanced view of contemporary societal changes.

Joan Cornellà

Parkview Green Art 798. Until Jul 28. 65RMB

'For me personally, it is fiction what allows me to laugh. Reality is quite creepy.' Spanish illustrator, cartoonist and artist Joan Cornellà is best known for his dark and surreal comedic comic strips that make clever, if a little absurd (and sometimes even offensive) social commentaries, and has amassed a huge social media following of nearly seven million. After a string of Asia exhibitions in recent years, this is his first Beijing solo show.

Shang Yang, Wang Chuan, Yan Shanchun: A State of Mind

Chambers Fine Art. Until Aug 12. Tickets tbc

Despite all being born during the '40s and '50s, artists Shang Yang, Wang Chuan and Yan Shanchun have forged notably distinct paths in response to China's '85 New Wave movement, yet share a similar interest in painter Cy Twombly's extensive oeuvre. This exhibition displays the latest work from these artists and explores their affinity for the American artist.

FILM

Skyscraper

In cinemas Fri 20

All Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson wants to do is live in his Hong Kong mega-tower in peace – so why won't these terrorists let him do it? Sounds like an updated Die Hard, but only time will tell if Skyscraper can match what is (in our opinion) the greatest Christmas movie of all time.

Dominion

Camera Stylo. Sun 22. 30RMB

An exposé into the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture, this acclaimed Australian documentary explores the numerous ways animals are exploited and abused by humans, whether it's for food, entertainment, clothing or research. Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara and Sia. 

Dying to Survive

In cinemas until Aug 4

This slick Chinese noir comedy (and an actual box office hit unlike the woeful Asura) loosely adapts the true story of a cancer patient who peddled imported medication in China. Think Dallas Buyer's Club, without the moustaches and Texas twangs, in the backstreets of Shanghai.

For more cracking things to do this weekend, hit 'Read more'. 

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