16 great gigs to catch this week
If your plans for Saturday don't currently include catching a gig or four, you might want to reconsider. This Saturday is absolutely stacked with shows - making for some tough decisions/your Didi account taking a hammering as you try and catch a bit of them all. Read on for our live music highlights for the week below.
WEDNESDAY 7
Tarra Conner Jones
Florida native Tarra Conner Jones has drawn comparisons to the likes of Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, knocking audiences off their feet with her varied repertoire of jazz and soul classics. Book a table early to avoid disappointment.
Heyday 50 Taian Lu, near Xinguo Lu. Wed 7. 9.30pm. Free.
THURSDAY 8
Little Wizard
After their original album release show was postponed due to permit issues, Little Wizard play a rearranged show at YYT. It took the Shaoxing-formed instrumental rockers seven years to get around to releasing their first proper album, but two years on from their debut LP they're back with a follow up, the straightforwardly-titled II.
Yuyintang 851 Kaixuan Lu, near Yanan Xi Lu. Thu 8. 9pm. 80RMB; 60RMB (presale).
FRIDAY 9
Air Guitar Championship
Inferno's Air Guitar Championship is back, this time with contestants shredding air in the hopes of taking away an actual electric guitar with them, courtesy of sponsors Monster Energy. Second prize is 1,000RMB worth of vouchers for Shanghai Tattoo and third prize is 100RMB to spend at Inferno. All participants get happy hour all night.
Inferno Unit 6-103, 658 Longhua Dong Lu, near Kaiping Lu. Fri 9. 10pm. Free.
Osaka Monaurail
Promising a 'feast for fans of ferocious funk', Japanese funk orchestra Osaka Monaurail hit Unico to celebrate 25 years of funking it up. DJs S.Kiv and Zulu provide support and the whole thing is gloriously free from 11pm-midnight if you throw out the password Coco at the door.
UNÏCO 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Guangdong Lu. Fri 9. 10pm-4am. Free with password 11pm-midnight; 100RMB
Lite
Japanese instrumental math-rock quartet Lite, who have worked with the likes of Tortoise, return to Shanghai courtesy of promoters New Noise. The band are plugging their new album Cubic.
MAO Livehouse 308 Chongqing Nan Lu. Fri 9. 9pm. 150RMB; 120RMB (presale).
Summer's Night Music Festival
Healthy eating catering service Saucepan put together a free outdoor music event with Space Rock Collective, Tiger, Natalie Pearce and Galēən performing live. Expect Americana, folk, acoustic prog rock and more to soundtrack your touring of the food and drink stalls.
Garden Office 161, Lane 465 Zhenning Lu, near Wanhangdu Lu. Fri 9. 5pm-10pm. Free.
SATURDAY 10
An Evening with Members of The Horde
Once one of Shanghai's finest folk acts, The Horde have been out of action for some time now due to a number of members leaving the city. But tonight The Horde's diaspora descends once more on their old stomping ground of Fennel Lounge for what ought to be a mighty good time.
There are a load of good shows on this night, but the boys will be playing until at least 1.30am (or so we're told), so carve out some time in your schedule to go and enjoy this one.
The Fennel Lounge 217 Zhenning Lu, near Dongzhuanbang Lu. Sat 10. 9pm. Free.
Foster Parents album release
Shanghai-based instrumental math-rock duo celebrate the release of their excellent record Grim with support from Halo Effect.
Yuyintang 851 Kaixuan Lu. Sat 10. 10pm. 50RMB.
LadyFest 2017 Concert
Locally based female-fronted Riot Grrrl punk act Ugly Girls headline this gig from the LadyFest organisers, with Thundersouls and Ennis F.W. also on the bill. A spin off from March's annual LadyFest, this show is all about celebrating and supporting freedom of self expression – that, and some good tunes as well.
Chair Club (Jingan) 555 Haifang Lu. Sat 10. 8pm. 100RMB; 80RMB (presale).
PK14
Quite simply one of the greatest bands in the country, Chinese post-punk godfathers PK14 play Shanghai as part of a nationwide tour before heading to Germany to record their new album.
MAO Livehouse 308 Chongqing Nan Lu. Sat 10. 9pm. 150RMB; 100RMB (presale).
Mohanik
Ulaanbaatar-based garage rockers Mohanik return to Shanghai bringing their Mongolian folk-infused sound to town once more. Round Eye, Big Butt and DJ Bo are in support.
Inferno Unit 6-103, 658 Longhua Dong Lu, near Kaiping Lu. Sat 10. 9pm. 70RMB.
Coco Zhao and the Possicobilities
Ever popular Shanghai jazz singer Coco Zhao performs an intimate set at Wooden Box backed by Huang Jianyi, Danny Zanker and Ryan An.
Wooden Box 9 Qinghai Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu. Sat 10. 9.30pm. Free.
Post-Rock Night
Shanghai instrumental rock quintet Pixel Prism perform an acoustic set along with Little Forest and Shimian Dao at Tivoli by 696 Live, the recently refitted and rebranded space inside Changshou Park.
Tivoli by 696 Live 260 Changshou Lu, near Xikang Lu. Sat 10. 8.30pm. Free.
SUNDAY 11
Barcella
French singer-songwriter Barcella comes to the newly-opened Modern Sky Lab, presenting a mix of poetry, hip-hop and contemporary guitar pop.
Modern Sky Lab 188 Ruihong Lu, Ruihong Tiandi. Sun 11. 8pm. 70-100RMB.
Faded Ghost Moon Mad release party
Shanghai-based producer Faded Ghost, aka ChaCha, releases her debut album Moon Mad at ALL, the new club from the people who brought you The Shelter. ChaCha has sought to realise her creative vision on all aspects of the album, designing the Faded Ghost image, hand-making outfits and self-shooting portraits. She's also drafted in frequent collaborator Nini Sum of IdleBeats to create a limited number of risograph-printed Moon Mad zines featuring 11 artworks to accompany the 11 tracks.
ALL 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu. Sun 11. 10pm. 50RMB
Liu Dongming
Chinese singer-songwriter presents his new album, New Edition of Songs for Goodness and Regrets.
MAO Livehouse 308 Chongqing Nan Lu. Sun 11. 8.30pm-10.30pm. 100RMB; 80RMB (presale).