Festival season is upon us, with Midi and Strawberry Festivals happening later this month and into May. We've chronicled the 12 rockers and DJs to "break out" and get their due here in the 'Jing.

Free the Birds

For years, Ziyo, one of the capital's freshest, most eclectic indie bands, was hailed as the Chinese band that would finally break onto the international scene. Then, a year and a half ago, they shut down operations, in need of a new start. Rising from the ashes, came the phoenix Free the Birds.

"We wanted people to forget us and start the memory with something new," front woman Helen Feng tells us. "That's why we changed our name." Fans of Ziyo will be happy to note that Free the Birds is still pumping out the same eclectic mix of sexy, sassy funk and soulful pop ballads, led by the brassy vocals of local Renaissance woman Feng (former frontwoman for Pet Conspiracy). How would Feng describe the band’s sound? "How about cinematic, prog-rock, shoegaze-punk, ambient-dance, electro-polka, pop-noise music." Sounds good to us.

Volume: 4 (Earsplitting)

CW Says: Free the Birds are a must for any indie fan looking to hear a smart blend of the East and West. See Free the Birds at Midi Fest, Apr. 30-May 2.

Misandao

They may be named after China's sweetest pastry, but that doesn’t mean Beijing’s favorite boot-boys Misandao won't hesitate to stomp on a few faces in a good old-fashioned mosh pit.

Formed in 1999 by front man Lei Jun (look for the big bald guy chugging cough syrup and hugging a bulldog), Misandao is one of China’s few skinhead bands, and among the first of China's punk scene.

"When we started, there were only a few punks in Beijing and they were all in Wudaokou," Lei Jun says. "Punk wasn't popular. It wasn’t a style, like now."

Don’t let the steel-toe boots scare you: Misandao puts on one of the most exuberant, rollicking shows of any punk band you’ll find in Beijing. Their surprisingly melodic music is dominated by anthemic sing-alongs full of dirty, fun guitar solos and driven by Lei Jun's growling vocals. For the more mellow punks out there, Misandao have a few sunny skinhead-Reggae songs and sensitive, saloon-y ballads featuring plaintive violin. Don’t forget your suspenders and Doc Martens.

Volume: 3 (Deafening)

CW Says: It doesn’t get any more old school than this. Misandao might not be as flashy as some of the younger bands around, but their shows are a rare treat, full of classic punk singalongs and fist-pumping Oi! See Misandao at Midi Fest, April 30-May 2.

The Gar

The Gar may well be the coolest band you've never seen. Since its formation in 2007, the band has released one album, performed a handful of times, and become one of the most influential bands in Beijing.

"I’ve never thought about why that is," says front man Zhan Pan. "But it’s true that the significance of the Gar has gone beyond just this one band." After releasing its self-titled debut in 2009, The Gar didn’t perform for nearly a year, but they are frequently cited as an inspiration for Beijing’s up-and-coming art rockers, mentioned in the same breath as such established luminaries as P.K.14 and Carsick Cars.

The Gar returns to the stage at Strawberry Fest, unfurling a new clean, sure-footed sound that balances carefully modulated distortion against classic melodic hooks. Zhan Pan’s soaring vocals float above the music, ethereal and remote as seagulls.

"The soul of our music is in the lyrics," he says. "Making music is my greatest love … I put everything I have into it. Creativity must come from the heart, to express things in a sincere way."

Volume: 3 (Deafening)

CW Says: This is your chance to catch one of Beijing’s most respected indie-pop bands as they emerge from the underground. Let’s just hope they don’t see their shadow and retreat for another winter. See The Gar at Midi Fest, Apr. 30-May 2.

Subs

With almost a decade behind them, Subs are still one of the most fiery yet underrated bands in the Chinese underground. The garage-punk quartet has consistently released some of China’s most original and harrowing music.

At the forefront of their electrifying stage show is singer Kang Mao, whose throat-raking vocals alternate between tortured screaming and hauntingly spooky croons. The result is something like Patti Smith if she were in a screamo band.

"When I was younger, I really liked Nirvana’s singer, but later it was bands like Fugazi," she says. "I liked the singers with a lot of power." Power is the key word with Subs, whose explosive tunes are tied tightly together by gorgeously grimy guitar and pummeling interplay between bass and drums. The best way to sum up their music? Their Chinese name is sha bu si (杀不死), meaning "killed but won't die."

Volume: 5 (Earthshattering)

CW Says: Kang Mao may be one of China’s best female vocalists, but that doesn’t make her any easier to see when she collapses, convulsing on the stage. Make sure to get a seat either right up front, or high enough for a bird’s eye view. See Subs at Midi Fest, Apr. 30-May 2.

Rustic

After years of cooler-than-thou bands with droopy eyelids and droopier sweaters, Rustic brings the fun back to Beijing’s rock scene. And so far, they’ve got everything they need to do it: polka-dot pants, hip-grinding guitar solos, and enough charisma to kill a horse—or at least cause it to duck-walk across a stage.

Accoutrements aside, this, my friends, is rock and roll for the pure of heart. Made up of three self-proclaimed farm boys from Shijiazhuang, Rustic are a whirlwind of energy and fun, with rollicking tunes that invoke the rebellion of classic punk and the glamorous excess of '80s guitar rock.

The interplay between outlandishly maned bassist Ricky Sixx and the equally outlandishly dressed front man Lucifer is awe striking. At any moment, the pair are likely to end up on the ground, playing their instruments with their teeth.

Volume: 4 (Earsplitting)

CW Says: Since winning last year’s Global Battle of the Bands, Rustic’s stage show has only gotten better and better. Get ready for more head-banging and hip-thrusting than you’ve seen since Axl got fat. See Rustic at Strawberry Fest on Monday, May 2.

LIman

While other DJs hide behind their decks and laptops, LIman often stands atop his—shirtless, wearing a Native American headdress and screaming at the top of his lungs. Even if you're not a fan of DJ music, it's hard not to be moved by LIman's stage antics. Having just released a spellbinding new LP, an infectious fusion of his old-school 8-bit sound and contemporary electro-tech à la Boyz Noize, LIman is ready to conquer every music fan on the mainland—clubbers and rockers alike.

Volume: 4 (Earsplitting)

CW Says: LIman may be a DJ, but he has the stage presence of Keith Richards, Ozzy Osbourne and Peaches combined into one. See LIman at INTRO, May 21-22.

Yaksa

Breaking down the boundaries between nü metal and the underground, Yaksa's spent 15 years on stage, making them one of Midi Festival's must-see acts. Having already collected a Midi Award for "Best Metal Performance" in 2010, the band has begun to venture into new territory.

"We were doing pure metal before, but we didn't want to be restricted in a certain genre. Before, our songs were fierce and full of power, rebellion and mania. Now, it gets more introspective and thought-provoking as we experience more and more in our lives," says vocalist Hu Song.

Volume: 5 (Earthshattering)

CW Says: Yaksa's claim that "music is religion" has deservingly found an army of acolytes in Beijing. See Yaksa at Midi Fest, Apr. 30-May 2.

Queen Sea Big Shark

If you haven’t heard of Queen Sea Big Shark (QSBS), it’s time to check your pop-culture pulse. Since blasting on the scene in 2005, QSBS have lit up Beijing's stages with their devastatingly catchy brand of dance-rock, driven by groove-bending surf guitar and electro/synth hooks straight out of the '80s.

Dominating QSBS’ explosive stage show is indie-rock diva Fu Han, who propels the songs forward with a powerful alto that alternates between throaty croon, and the shrieking growling energy of Karen O. She also graces our magazine cover this issue.

Perhaps sick of constant comparisons to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (ahem), in their latest release, Wave, the band has turned from the warm licks of surf-punk to the icy ferocity of '80s-inspired club pop. While the indie purists among their fans may not love QSBS’s new direction, the transformation was, if nothing else, a bold creative statement—one that few bands with the kind of success QSBS have had, would be willing to make.

Volume: 4 (Earsplitting)

CW Says: Fresh off a stint at SXSW and country-wide tour, Queen Sea will be landing back home just in time for May Day festivities. Catch them here before they blow up. See Queen Sea Big Shark at Strawberry Fest on Monday, May 2.

XLF

Having released two stellar EPs in 2010, DJ XLF is creating buzz in the local DJ community. His sets take the Acupuncture minimal tech sound up a notch, integrating delicious dance floor house for a sound that is entirely his own.

"Right now, I'm working on a new EP that's inspired by my toward the destruction of old Beijing," says XLF. "I will launch it after INTRO, then I plan to go on tour this summer." Send XLF off in style with tens of thousands of fans when Acupuncture unleashes its INTRO Festival on Tongzhou Canal Park.

Volume: 4 (Earsplitting)

CW Says: DJ XLF has long been a driving force behind Acupuncture Records, but he's recently defined his own lush tech-house sound that sets him apart from other capital DJs. See XLF at Acupuncture INTRO Festival, May 21-22.

DH and Hellcats

Beijing rock too often revels in the dark side, but DH and the Hellcats' distinctly local blend of swing and rockabilly is unadulterated fun. Decked out in chic, retro dresses, tattooed frontwoman Dizzy Hemmy croons over one of the tightest music outfits in the capital. You can't help but dance to the band's pulsing swing rhythms and creative covers of pop hits reworked into rockabilly—think MJ's "Beat It" reborn as the Hellcats "Swing It."

Volume: 4 (Earsplitting)

CW Says: Consummate performers, the Hellcats are one of the classiest acts in the capital. See DH and the Hellcats at Midi Fest, Apr. 30-May 2.

Voodoo Kungfu

Out from the depths of hell come this year's festival Goliaths, Voodoo Kungfu, producing awe-inspiring blood-soaked dramatics and a growl to match courtesy of their front man, Li Nan. Beijing Midi Festival 2011 embraces the fiery return of what they call "new age war music."

"I was born to perform this music. There doesn't have to be any real logic behind it," says the visionary vocalist of Voodoo Kungfu, Li Nan.

"Our music was, is and will always be about politics, religion and crimes against humanity," a controversial standpoint in Chinese music, and one that the band have often followed. Having rebelled against his former Catholic ways, the vocalist abides by his own commandments.

Not shying away from the gruesome to the utterly bizarre, the band's uniqueness outshines from the usual three guitars and drum kit combo, bringing to the musical altar instead an amalgamation of doom, demons and Mongolian instruments.

"Many people think I have a Mongolian style of singing, but the Mongols did not think so," says Li Nan. "It may be that all of the features are my own personal characteristics."

Giving birth to a dark new age of music, Voodoo Kungfu will be bringing to life World of Darkness, their debut album, which will be released on April 23. "We will be doing a very wild performance, playing some new songs. And our new 16-year-old drummer from North Korea will be performing with us for the first time, so you don't want to miss it."

Volume: 4 (Earsplitting)

CW Says: Blood-curdling shrieks? A fiery fusion of metal and Chinese folk? Voodoo Kungfu is one of the most original live bands in Beijing—if not the planet. See Voodoo Kungfu at Midi Fest, Apr. 30-May 2, and at their album release party on April 23 at MAO Live