Touted as a bar, a live venue, and a space for exhibition and dialogue by its founders, DDC is the new kid on the Dongcheng block and aims to cultivate youth culture through performance and experimentation.

Sprung from the imagination of a former Jianghu partner known as ‘69’, DDC represents a step up among Beijing’s small-sized live houses. Drawing on Jianghu as its spiritual predecessor both in terms of design and its program, which mixes jazz, folk and indie rock, DDC makes the most of its hutong digs, preserving and building on the original siheyuan structure.

Inside, DDC is divided into a performance space and bar area. The performance space, which is filled with tables that can accommodate around 40, boasts quality gear and a medium-height stage. Where it really shines, aesthetically speaking, is its bar area - a renovated courtyard featuring a stone and tile floor, trees growing up through the tables and a glass roof with lantern-style lights.

For a break from the action you can go upstairs to the veranda which has a couple of small, peaceful patios dotted with tables. Drinks include craft brews and imported beers (35-69 RMB) and a long list of single malt whiskies (35-69 RMB per glass).

Open: 1:00 pm - 2:00 am Tue-Sun

Tel: 86 10 6407 8969

Add: 14 Shanlao Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Source: Timeout Beijing