It was at a show last summer—allegedly while acting out the Foxconn suicides—that folk artist/avant-garde visionary Xiao He leapt from the stage… and broke his feet. Never one to cry over spilled milk (or broken heels) Xiao He used his time laid-up to create his latest masterpiece: "Silly’s Ballad," an epic, multimedia “musical artbook” that will be released this Saturday, September 24, at the Great Leap Brewery.

In case you aren’t up on your Chinese avant-garde folk artists, allow me to bring you up to speed. Xiao He is one of China’s most well-known and influential experimental musicians, having started out in the late 90s on Beijing’s then-nascent indie circuit with his band, Glamorous Pharmacy (labeled by Rock in China as “a Dada-esque performance art-rock troupe”). In 2002, Xiao He broke out on his own and released first solo album, “Birds That Can Fly High Don’t Land on the Backs of Oxen That Can’t Run Fast.” Xiao He spent the following seven years doing a mish-mash of projects, including experimental theater, film scores, art festival performances, and two Glamorous Pharmacy records. Then, in 2009, Xiao He broke out on the international stage, accompanying the release of his second album, “Performance of Identity,” with tours of Europe and the U.S.

These days, performances by the folk-art Renaissance man are fewer and further between—but, even with no more than an acoustic guitar and effects pedals, they’re always visceral romps through the weird terrain of Xiao He’s mind, featuring a mix of traditional folk and modern experimentalism teetering on the edge of beauty and coherence.

The books—which feature original paintings, videos and tracks (to be listened to on custom-made sound-canceling headphones and a built-in mp3 player)—will be available for sale at the release party for 388 RMB (100 less than the usual price tag). Xiao He is slated to perform around 5 p.m., but come early to be one of the first 100 guests to grab a free, micro-brewed beer.

DETAILS

What: Xiao He “Silly’s Ballad” Book Release

Where: Great Leap Brewery

When: Saturday, September 24, 3 p.m.-7 p.m.

How Much: FREE