The best things to do in Beijing this weekend

Image: Totemo by Eilon Bregman

Your weekend guide to the best of Beijing

This weekend brings us remarkable live gigs and DJs, from Bassjackers to Struggle Sessions. Add to that the stage, art and film happenings, and you have another incredible weekend line-up in our ever-giving capital.

MUSIC

Marian Hill

Tango. Thu 9. 330RMB; 280RMB (presale)

This Philadelphian duo make their China debut this Thursday. Jeremy Lloyd and Samantha Gongol incorporate jazz, blues and delicate vocals to create a sound that has earned them top ranks for their hits 'Lips' and 'Got It', not to mention their worldwide hit 'Down' which featured on the iPhone 7 and Apple AirPods adverts. 

Totemo

Omni Space. Sat 11. 120RMB; 80RMB (presale)

Hailing from Tel Aviv, Totemo has created waves in the music scene with her full-bodied sound, delicate vocals and the intimacy she infuses into her lyrics. Check her out this Saturday as she stops in Beijing to play breathtaking tunes such as 'Hits' and 'Origami'.

Struggle Session + Octopoulpe + Machines + Strike on the South Wall

School Live Bar. Sat 11. 80RMB

Beijing's own 'brutally fun hardcore' bunch Struggle Session ventured off to South America at the end of June and played a pretty intense 33 shows in 37 days across 7 countries. They've emerged as one of the best live acts in the city over the last two years, so welcome them back with fists, booze and lots of love this Saturday. 

Mike Shinoda

BJ-Expo Theater. Sun 12. 480-1,280RMB

Co-founder and vocalist from the multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning rock bank Linkin Park comes to Beijing this August for his first solo concert in China. Performing songs from his brand-new debut album Post Traumatic, Mike Shinoda is set to provide insight into the difficulties he experienced after the death of his friend and Linkin Park co-vocalist Chester Bennington.

Akira Yamaoka

Tango. Sun 12. 450RMB; 380RMB (presale)

Best known for producing the Silent Hill series, Japanese composer Akira Yamaoka performs the kind of darkly ambient music that made his video game scores such a success. He’s set to be joined by veteran voice-over artist and singer Mary Elizabeth McGlynn.

NIGHTLIFE

Bassjackers

One Third. Fri 10. 180RMB

The DJ-producer combo exploded onto the electronic music scene back in the early 2010s, with hits such as 'Mush Mush', 'Hey' and 'Crackin' earning them a devoted following worldwide. With newer hits such as 'Fireflies', 'These Heights' and 'Memories', the pair has come to be ranked 35th on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs. 

Say My NameSir Teen. Fri 10. 100RMB

Hailing from Los Angeles, Say My Name, otherwise known as Dayvid Sherman, has been dubbed the 'godfather of hard trap' by numerous sources. As he found his niche in these hard-hitting sounds, he began a movement characterised by his enthusiasm and passionate energy. Championed by the likes of The Chainsmokers, DJ Snake and Skrillex, Say My Name is a DJ who towers not only over the deck, but distinctly over the genre's movement, creating new fans wherever he goes.

Beijing Exam Trip

Dada. Fri 10. 50RMB

Beijing Exam Trip features a variety of Chinese DJs, heading to Dada in Beijing and Shanghai. Expect an impressive range of music styles from Guz, Fei, DJ Mouse and Martn*!mperia, Xinjiang's Ankar Arken, Yinchuan's DJE and Zhengzhou's DJ Stu and DJ Aki.

STAGE

Stereoptik: Dark Circus

NCPA. Fri 10-Sun 12. 180-300RMB

Known as Stereoptik, Jean-Baptiste Maillet and Romain Bermond create a world of theatre like none else. Using sounds and images projected onto a screen, Stereoptik create a live film on stage. The Dark Circus story follows a sad circus undergoing a series of catastrophes. Check out this innovative form of theatre and experience a circus like you never have before.

Matthew Bourne: Cinderella

Tianqiao Performing Arts Centre. Tue 7-Sun 12. 99-880RMB

Matthew Bourne has made ballet into big business by remembering a very simple lesson – that dance, originally, was about entertainment. His production of the iconic fairytale is set in London during World War II with Cinderella's prince reimagined as a young RAF pilot. And like everything else he does, it's a hit.

Cirque du Soleil: Toruk – The First Flight

Cadillac Arena. Aug 1-12. 280-880RMB

Toruk – The First Flight ends its Beijing run this Sunday. The show is an immersive, live multimedia spectacle that brings to the stage the breathtaking world of James Cameron’s Avatar like you have never seen it before. 

ART

From Comics to Paintings 

Image: Star Gallery

Star Gallery. Until Sep 1. Free

This third instalment of works by Yan Cong and Wen Ling showcases their artwork inspired by comics and their exploration of how comics can transform contemporary painting. Comics in China have had a tense, if not hostile, relationship with more traditional forms of painting over the years. These two Beijing-based artists therefore seek to understand and transform that relationship, pulling out the positive impact comics can have on contemporary art.

Private Talent

Image: Des Arts

Des Arts (above Destination). Until Sep 26. Tickets tbc

The Contemporary Art Culture Centre hosts Private Talent – an exhibition of Chinese artists curated by Pierre Alivon. Through the deft use of various mediums, from paint to sculpture, the artists express their own unique experiences within Beijing's queer community. 

FILM

The Meg

Image: Apelles Entertainment

On general release Fri 10

We know what you're thinking – not another shark movie. Expert sea diver Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham) is on a path to redemption after he has a second chance at taking down the 70-foot-long mega shark that cost him his crew, career and marriage.

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

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