The Descendents to Amadou & Mariam: BJ's Best Upcoming Gigs

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Whether you’re a diehard punk, more partial to post-rock, or a dream pop devotee, there’s a Beijing gig to tickle your fancy this spring. An increasingly robust and eclectic list of foreign acts will make their way to the capital in the coming weeks, and while one of the best of the bunch had to cancel their gig because of visa issues, a number of other alternatives should be more than ample consolation. Below we round up our most anticipated spring gigs.

Let’s Start with a Huge Gig Announcement

Apr 28: Descendents

We were treated to some very sweet news indeed this week when legendary punks Descendents revealed their upcoming capital gig. The pop-punk pioneers first formed all the way back in 1977 in California, and have not only managed to stick around but have also been cited as a major influence by just about every band that has trodden in their pop-punk shoes since.

RMB 280. Mao Livehouse

How the Rest of Beijing’s Music Season Is Shaping Up

Mar 16: Gang of Four

Descendants aren't the only veteran band making their way to Beijing. Leeds post-punk elder statesmen Gang of Four, who coincidentally also formed in 1977, are iconic in their own right. As we recently noted, Gang of Four are often credited with taking elements of punk and making them more high brow and danceable.

RMB 330, RMB 280 (advance). Tango

Mar 17: Amadou & Mariam

This critically lauded Mali duo have collaborated with beloved bands like TV on the Radio, and opening for none other than Coldplay on their Viva la Vida tour. They've overcome plenty of adversity over the years: both members have been legally blind from a young age and met at a special needs school, but now the duo has built a global fanbase with their bright and inspiring West African rhythms.

RMB 220, RMB 180 (advance). Tango

Apr 9: MØ

When you not only collaborate with Diplo, but also prompt the start producer to shout you out in an interview with a major magazine like Esquire (esquire.com), then you know you're doing something right (and charge RMB 480 a ticket!). Such is the promising trajectory of 30-year-old Danish popstar MØ. Critics have compared her style to that of Lana Del Ray and Siouxsie Sioux and Janet Jackson which should make for an eclectic and surprising gig.

RMB 480, RMB 380 (advance) . Tango

Apr 12: Wild Nothing

Virginia dream pop act Wild Nothing formed about a decade ago, and in that time they've earned plenty of praise for their soothing, ethereal sound. Even notoriously hard-to-please music blog Pitchfork (pitchfork.com) can't contain their excitement about these guys.

RMB 360, RMB 280 (advance). Omni Space

Apr 13: Toe

Like fellow Japanese post-rockers Mono (who graced the stage at Tango earlier this month), Tokyo quartet Toe is considered a titan of the genre. That being said, songs like "孤独の発明" and "c" are far more melodic and subtle than many of the noise onslaughts that other instrumental acts are known for, even though they contain the same sort of dynamic shifts and bottomless multitudes that post-rock fans pine for.

RMB 280, RMB 240 (advance). Omni Space

May 10: Explosions In the Sky

Another must-see for post-rock fans, this 20-year-strong Texas band is sure to dazzle Beijing attendees of their Tango show with elaborate guitar playing and pummeling rhythms. As the promoters put it: "Easily one of the most intense live bands ever, their sound proves to be every bit as triumphant as their name implies."

RMB 420, RMB 360 (advance). Tango

Cloud Nothings [CANCELED]

Sadly these fast-rising Cleveland punks had to cancel their highly anticipated Beijing show (originally slated for Mar 23). That disappointment is all the more acute for frontman Dylan Baldi, who told TBJ that as their previous Beijing show had been a bit of a mess, adding, "I'm excited to come back and play a better show this time!" Hopefully, Cloud Nothings have more luck booking another Beijing gig in the near future so that they can finally attain redemption.

Photos: NPR.org, Courtesy of the promoters

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