The Gar is switching up with girl group Ourself Beside Me to headline D-22's New Year's Eve Eve Party this Friday.

It’s fitting that on such a poignant night of beginnings and endings as D-22’s possibly last New Year’s Eve show, the club is hosting the holy trinity of saints and ghosts—P.K.14, Carsick Cars, and The Gar. For music lovers, this is a triple-lemon on Beijing’s live show slot machine, featuring arguably the best lineups of the year: three older-statesman bands, two of which are moving into the international arena, and two of which are riding out their second, third or fourth lives.

P.K.14 are hot off an Australia tour, and Carsick Cars are settling into a new lineup, but perhaps the best reason to head to Wudaokou this December 31 is the latest resurrection of underground heroes The Gar, veritable yetis of the Beijing music scene. For the past couple years, sightings have been rare, leading to rumors of their demise. But could this strategically timed show—their first in a year—indicate a comeback for the band?

“I wouldn’t say that,” says Zhan Pan, Gar frontman and professional killjoy. “I haven’t thought about it that much. I just want to try my hardest to prepare fully and make this show as good as possible.”

Spoken like a true athlete. But Zhan Pan is right to be cautious—every show the trio plays ignites speculation that The Gar have returned. It’s all a part of the cursed legacy that has trailed the band since they released a kickass album, became one of the most influential bands in Beijing, and then promptly disappeared.

When you hear their music, it’s no wonder that The Gar’s fame has outweighed their abbreviated lifespan. Their debut combines the best of contemporaries like Hedgehog and Carsick Cars: tunefulness with noisy, experimental breakdowns, tied up with an ethereal indie-pop bow. This blueprint has been a boon for younger bands like Birdstriking and Mr. Graceless, in whose screaming vocals and distant melodicism you can hear echoes of The Gar’s signature sound.

“I think the recorded music of The Gar is at the same level or even better than other bands of their generation who have seen more success,” says Josh Feola, creator of Pangbianr and booker at D-22. “But their long hiatuses detract from this quality, and it’s hard to get a sense of their progress.”

But according to Zhan, The Gar haven’t been in complete hibernation: after spending more than a year trying out bassists, they settled on Zhu Boxuan (formerly of Hedgehog), and have been rehearsing and working on new material for an EP that they hope to release this spring.

But Zhan, ever the realist, warns that this doesn’t mean The Gar is back back: “We’ll be performing more once the new songs come out, but it still won’t be that frequent.” In other words, catch them while you can.

DETAILS

What: The Gar

Where: D-22

When: Dec 30, 10pm

Tel: 6265-3177