not only is the 2nd installment of this year's CQ beer festival this weekend featuring musical performances all 3 nights, but you also have a chance to see one of western china's best djs in action.  it all kicks off friday july 31st with the "Shan Cheng Pi Jiu  Rock & Roll Evening Party(20 RMB)," featuring the bands Perdel,  Thin Man Band (瘦人 Shou Ren), and Escape Plan @ the CQ beer festival (Ba Guo Cheng in jiu long po district).  then on saturday the 1st is the "2nd Shan Cheng Beer Cup hip-hop tournament (20RMB)" also at the beer festival, and on the late night CQ native (via chengdu) DJ Geezer will grace the turntables for "My House is Your House" @ CiCi Park.  i've been fortunate enough to see geezer play on a couple of occasions, and anyone into dancing is guaranteed to enjoy his high-energy mix of electronic music(even if you're not into dancing, geezer's selections will outdo the music at any other bar in CQ, and CiCi's couches and patio are a great place to relax and have a drink or 7).  sunday brings the weekend to a close with none other than a "closing ceremony[and evening party](60 RMB)," featuring among others, CQ natives and one of china's most renowned punk bands The Wheels, which brings an end not only to this year's beer festival, but also a "weekend worth waiting for."

mark your calendars y'all 'cause here it comes.  the 7th annual(well almost annual last year's was canceled due to the olympics) chongqing beer festival.  and this year the event spans 2 weekends, begening the weekend of  july 24-26, in yuzhong (at the sports stadium near the hilton), and the following weekend july 31 - Aug. 2, in jiu long po "panama city."
i've not been to a cq beer fest, but i here the shancheng flows like the jialing(though much safer for swimming), so be prepared to drench your belly from the inside and out, as word on the street is that as the day wares on, beer fights ensue.

details to come...

and as always, new music for y'all.  from their new e.p., Neon Indian's  "deadbeat summer." a perfect song for chilling out to on a steamy cq night.
dwnld or listen below.

...actually i prefer a mocha, more so an espresso.  and when i want one, i now know where to go thanks to cqscene reader Tiankong, who put me on to Holiland, which i am eternally grateful for.  Holiland, the bakery chain found throughout CQ, has good coffee/coffee drinks, at an unbeatable price. to quote tiankong,

"if you're on the go... the best cup of coffee is holliland... 6 kuai quick and deliciously caffeinated,"

 products range from espresso and americanos(goes great with a dico's doughnut), to mochas and vanilla lattes, at a cost of 6 -12 kuai.  and to top it off, the coffee they use is one of my personal favorites, illy.  and if you happen to be in longhu/xin pai fang, the holiland there has tables and free wi-fi, though it lacks atmosphere, its well suited for your coffee sipping web-surfing needs. 

and as you know by now, i take any chance i get to share music with you that i can tie into my posts(however 'loose' the knot may be').  this song has been on my summer playlist non-stop since i came across it.  the Super Viral Brothers' "hot chocolate + polar bear rug" (dada life rmx).  download the song here.  

p.s. if a you have any suggestions, tips or questions, please leave them as comments or email us through the contact page. 

a rare weekend is upon us here in Chongqing.  a weekend of options.  starting tomorrow, you have the chance of catching a weekend full of live music, begining with a free outdoor concert featuring a couple of local rock bands at hongya dong in jeifangbei.  Also tomorrow at nuts club in shapingba folk/rock singer Xiao-Li makes a stop on his national tour featuring local band Uncle Hu as an opening act.  and on sunday "arena rock" outfit Luohan Band, all the way from Norway, will be playing the nuts club as well. 
so for anyone who says there's nothing to do in CQ, i beg to differ, as this weekend promises to be a lively one.
for more details, go here

and in spirit of having the freedom to choose, we're giving you a song that make is clear that, "you can get with this, or you can get with that..." a hip-hop classic, Black Sheep's "The Choice is Yours." [dwnld]