So yeah, activist/artist Ai Weiwei made a rock album. He just released the first single, "Dumbass," as a music video. The track is also up on AWW's soundcloud page, where it's tagged as "Heavy Metal." It's... uh... not that. I guess it could charitably be described as nü metal with subtle trip hop influences. But that's hardly the point, is it? As with that ridiculous "Gangnam Style" parody video he did (just Google it, I don't even want to link it), AWW proves he can at this point just phone it in, record that phoning in on his iPhone, post it online, and get it written about by the New York Times. Dude can make a haircut newsworthy.

As music, though, this song is a real stinker. It was presumably written by formerly awesome avant-rock star Zuoxiao Zuzhou (Weiwei's pink-clad co-star in the aforementioned Gangnam parody). For me, the sad part is that this will be the most internationally covered music to come out of China this year. Western journalists just love that dissident angle. All media wonks love writing about everything Ai Weiwei does, like shooting a music video featuring himself taking a shit. Hey, look: I just fell into the same trap!

Beijing house/d'n'b authorities Street Kids and Let There Be House team up for their inaugural Color Punch party. It's based on the Indian tradition of holi, which involves music, public revelry, and "dry colors throwing." That's pigment powder, flying in every direction. Don't bring nice clothes/expensive gear.

This goes down on Saturday, June 15 at 2 Kolegas and involves the usual 2K summer deal: outdoor lounging, BBQ, music. DJs include Kiran Patel, Florian Sedrob, and Ludo V from the Let There Be House side and Yauman, Blackie, Color Wolf, and Chronmaster from Street Kids. There's a free colored powder giveaway at 7pm and the COLOR PUNCHING commences at 7:30. Recommended dress code: "white/spent clothes/ swimsuit and bikini, even nothing." More details here.

New one up there at yon party picture gallery. Last weekend's Tease Boutique pop-up party in some forest somewhere by the 4th ring road. Click here for those.

The end.

Beijing-based yak wool adventure-wear outfitter Khunu has a special vacation offer for you: a high-end, week-long trip to the Tibetan plateau. Guides include Khunu co-founder Julian Wilson, photographer Brian Hirschy, and "Tibet expert" Jamin York. The trip involves an insider's view of Lhasa monastic culture and some of Tibet's premiere natural spectacles. And of course there's an obligatory visit with a yak-herding community, as that's Khunu's whole thing.

This will happen over the final week of October and they're only offering nine spots. Read more about the trip here and email Khunu for more info on pricing and itinerary.

Feel like parting with some of your hard-earned cash? Here's a few fantastic events coming up in the near future you should think about going to. Three summery type events for your consideration...

May 25: INTRO Festival

Welp. It's this weekend. "China's largest electronic music festival" is on at Shougang (Capital Steel Factory) with three stages of dance music purveyed by Beijing's finest. The 150rmb pre-sales are all gone, but you can still save some scratch at get the 200rmb ones.

June 8: Summer Wave 2013 Pool Party

Your friends at Eidos Entertainment have secured Purple Jade Resort for the 2013 edition of their summer pool party on June 8 -- sunshine, swimming, champagne, scantily clad people. Runs 3pm to 9pm that afternoon and a 200rmb pre-sale ticket gets you in. Click on that link for more details and to place your bets.

June 22: Haze Out 2013

Another excuse to get out of the city provided by Haze nightclub. This is their second annual trip to the wild, switching up a smokey nightclub for a canopy of stars. Sounds lovely. 100rmb early bird tickets are on sale now. Here's a trailer viddy to get you all jazzed and shit.