Live Music This Weekend: Battles, Banana Monkey, and Polish grunge

Bam! Bam! Bam! Nope, that's not the sound of Midi hopes being quashed, it's the sound of three straight weekends of great gigs coming your way. Forget all that tiresome festival nonsense and look forward to Battles this weekend, the brilliant Hard Queen next Saturday and then Hedgehog promoting their new album the weekend after.

Tonight
In a week when we've become used to seeing cancellations and dismissals, it's good to know that Rock Never Dies. That's what Yuyintang tells us anyway, as they host 5 Pointed Star, Jiao Ke (Joker) and Brit-pop rock outfits Hanging Gardens and Da Fresh (that's Da as in big, not as in some sort of nod to Ali G).
¥30, 9pm, 1731 Yan'an Xi Lu (entrance on Kaixuan Lu), 延安西路1731号 (入口在凯旋路).

Saturday
More cancellations here. But wait! PK14 may have had to pull out (drummer Jonney broke his foot, which admittedly makes it hard to play the drums), but the good people at Split have gone and thrown in two extra acts to make up for it. And not just any old acts either. First up, Mr Particle will be doing his thing for the environment by celebrating Earth Hour with a lights-out, candles up, acoustic set. Next, PK14 lead singer Yang Hiasong's proteges LAVA|OX|SEA will get things rocking before Wuhan buzz band AV Okubo do their electro-rock thing. And, as if that wasn't enough for you, all the way from NYC, headliners Battles will close the night out with their own brand of rock 'n' weird-electro-noises.
¥120, 9pm. Zhijiang Dream Factory, 4/F, Building B, No. 28 Yuyao Lu, near Xikang Lu. 余姚路28号B4楼, 近西康路

Get to Live Bar a bit early on Saturday (7:30pm) and you can catch indie-film Guo. The story follows two young groupies and a twisted tale of revenge as they obsess over the same rock singer (incidentally played by Ordnance Band's Ying Peng). If you miss it, 021 are showing the same film on Sunday (¥60, 8pm, 2925 Yangshupu Lu, near Dinghai Lu, 杨树浦路2925号, 近定海路). After the film, there'll be support from Kidney Stone before Polish grunge band Roan take to the stage. If you want to get a sneak preview, you can have a listen by clicking that link, but the last word on this event has to go to Live Bar's website: "It is the third time that Roan is invinted [sic] by Chinese officials! Handsome members with very nice music, superstars from Poland."
¥40, 9pm, 721 Kunming Lu, near Tongbei Lu, 昆明路721号近通北路

Meanwhile over at YYT, local favourites Banana Monkey and Crazy Mushrooms/Mushroom Brigade/plain Mushroom are combining for what's being billed as a silk stockings party. There's a 50% discount for girls in mini-skirts and (guess what?) silk stockings so long as those mini-skirts are 15cm above the knee. 30cm above and you get in free. There's no mention of what price guys in similar dress will get.
¥40, 9pm, 1731 Yan'an Xi Lu (entrance on Kaixuan Lu), 延安西路1731号 (入口在凯旋路)

If none of the above floats your boat, then you've got yet another option for some live music down at LOgO where German-Japanese dance-rockers Pitchtuner will be throwing down their electronica/J-pop/groove-rock sound (they cover a lot of genres) in the corner with Ziyo and Pet Conspiracy frontwoman Helen Feng. Afterwards, the STD DJs will keep things bouncing long into the night.
¥30, 10pm, 13 Xingfu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu. 幸福路13号, 近法华镇路

Sunday
Shanghai's premier noise outfit Torturing Nurse head the line-up for the 24th installment of NOIShanghai. MTDM and Birth Proof join in the harsh noise fun and games before Torturing Nurse and MTDM hook up for a noise collaboration. Following Jia Die's departure to Sweden in January, Youki has also left the country temporarily meaning this Sunday Torturing Nurse will consist solely of founding member Junky. We don't expect that to dampen the spectacle in the slightest though.
¥30, 2:30pm, 721 Kunming Lu, near Tongbei Lu, 昆明路721号近通北路

That video right there? Battles' Tonto. Hit play and enjoy