Rock Back in Beijing As Olympics Close

After a month of nothing, Beijing’s live rock music scene is back. Hopefully. Saturday night, August 23, “against many odds” say organisers, several of Beijing’s finest will take the stage at Dos Kolegas for a night titled the ‘Goodbye Summer Blowout.’ Dos Kolegas has been a ghost of its usual self the past month due to a blanket ban on live shows where drink is sold – a police precaution feared such alternative bars and tunes would be a magnet to pesky alternative types prone to protesting. It’s impressive that 2 Kolegas got the go ahead in advance of the Closing Ceremonies but then orgainsers behind the show is the irrepressible Tag Team Records blowout at 2 Kolegas. Bands to play: RandomK(e), Lonely China Day, Arrows Made of Desire, Fire Balloon. Another dynamo behind these gigs is percussionist and promoter Jon Campbell – he’s in both Black Cat Bone and Random K – whose YGTwo Productions brings a lot of gigs to China. There’s two more shows on August 30, one at Mao Live and the other at 2 Kolegas –the latter featuring blues stalwarts Black Cat Bone.