15 great gigs and parties to check out this weekend
Here are the parties and gigs to get to as you dodge plum rain showers and drunken football fans in the streets this weekend.
Thursday 21
Ivan Smagghe
Photograph: courtesy organiser
Yeti's disco spin-off brand Yeti Dis:Ko brings in eclectic, always crowd-pleasing disco don Ivan Smagghe for a welcome return to Shanghai. Altieri and Allan Marshall provide support.
All Second Floor, 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu. 10pm. Entry tba.
Friday 22
Ansome
Photograph: courtesy Elevator
A dark night of marauding techno lies in wait at Elevator as Misloop brings in a British producer with quite the live reputation.
Elevator Fourth Floor, 218 Xinle Lu, near Donghu Lu. 9pm. 100RMB; 70RMB (presale).
The Jungle at Bar Rouge
Photograph: courtesy organiser
The Jungle returns. By City Moments, Bar Rouge will turn into a rainforest for Shanghai's party animals, bringing the flora into the city, leaving you to bring the fauna. Get wild, primitive and use your animal instincts to dress up to the code: Wild animal.
Bar Rouge Seventh Floor, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Nanjing Dong Lu. 11pm. 100RMB.
DJ Kentaro
Photograph: courtesy organiser
The former DMC world champion and first ever Japanese DMC world champion comes to China once more to show off his turntablism.
Arkham Found 158, 168 Julu Lu, near Chengdu Nan Lu. 10pm. 150RMB; 100RMB (presale).
Staying Out for the Summer
Photograph: courtesy organiser
Modern Life is Rubbish returns with a new name for the summer. Expect classic tracks and rarer cuts spanning the last 50 years of Indie, Brit-pop, Mod and Soul. Extended happy hour until midnight; selected drinks for 30RMB.
My Place Ruin Bar 1788 Xinzha Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu. 9pm. Free.
Unchained 2 Year Anniversary: Total Science
Photograph: courtesy organiser
Shenzhen nightlife powerhouse Unchained celebrates its second birthday with long-running DnB duo Total Science at ALL. Support comes courtesy of Daniel Power, Lyndon Jarr, Immuno, Arkaik, Turner and Shanghai's own Siesta, while MC Jado will be on the mic and 3eyesnuts will be rocking the visuals.
ALL Second Floor, 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu. 10pm. 80RMB.
Fete de la Musique 2018
Photograph: courtesy organiser
Three Francophone acts join three local artists for the annual global music celebration. Cléa Vincent (pop chanteuse from Paris), Ghost of Christmas (electronic duo), and Pony Pony Run Run (trio mixing electro-pop with Britpop), will combine with Shanghai's own RMBIT, Mirrors, and Running Blue.
Minsheng Art Museum 1929 Expo Avenue, near Tangzijing Lu. 5.30pm. Entry tba.
Suuns
Photograph: courtesy organiser
This Secretly Canadian-signed quartet’s slinky, shape-shifting sounds have seen them pick up all manner of genre tags – from post-punk and art-rock to free jazz and straight-up pop – along with comparisons and nods to everyone from Demdike Stare to Frank Ocean as reviewers have grappled with how to describe them. Whoever wrote the blurb on Bandcamp for the band’s latest, groove-infused album Felt (which dropped in March) was even driven to suggesting that, ‘you’re going to learn something about your body’, listening to the record. Should make for an interesting night at YYT.
Yuyintang 851 Kaixuan Lu, near Yanan Xi Lu. 9pm. 167RMB; 147RMB (presale).
Upstream Gaze Vol 2
Photograph: courtesy 三籽酱
This ‘noise and shoegaze and psychedelic’ festival has a great clutch of bands performing with bouncy Beijing rock act Birdstriking and Guangzhou’s hotly-tipped Meikadeer joined by Baihu and Kingdomofrain.
Modern Sky Lab Third Floor, Ruihong Tiandi, 188 Ruihong Lu, near Tianhong Lu. 8.30pm. 150RMB; 130RMB (presale).
Saturday 23
Alter: This Is Not A Pool Party
Photograph: courtesy organiser
PCJ, Blissed Out, Clef G, and Yu Yang combine on the decks to soundtrack this pool party that 'is Not a Pool Party', being held near The Bund. Alter. are teaming up with Sweaty Crew for a pre-party aqua fitness session in the pool at midday, and then from 1pm there'll be 'killer beats, plus a whole load of inflatables' as the pool party proper gets underway and runs until 8pm.
Tickets include one drink. The venue is atop the Yifeng Galleria complex just by the Rockbund area: 99 Beijing Dong Lu, near Yuanmingyuan Lu.
Yifeng Galleria 99 Beijing Dong Lu, near Yuanmingyuan Lu. 12pm. 180RMB; 150RMB (presale).
Apocalyptic Fantasies: Physical Therapy
Photograph: courtesy organiser
New Jersey producer and DJ Physical Therapy joins Hyph11e, 20Euro20Euro, Amen and HYMN for a night of abstract, progressive club sounds at ALL.
ALL Second Floor, 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu. 10pm. 80RMB.
Infected Mushroom
Photograph: courtesy PR
A name synonymous with psy-trance, Infected Mushroom return to Shanghai, bringing their hands-in-the-air tunes to Fusion.
Fusion 5F, Building 6, South Block, 123 Xingye Lu, near Madang Lu. 10.30pm. 180RMB.
Medusa: Pride
Photograph: courtesy organiser
A special Pride edition of Shanghai's go-to glitter-fuelled pansexual party brings regulars Michael Cignarale and Mau Mau together for an all-night set 'exploring the inner and outer depths of soul, hole, and hedonism' – yum.
Elevator Fourth Floor, 218 Xinle Lu, near Donghu Lu. 10pm. 50RMB.
Deniz Tek and Keith Streng
Photograph: courtesy Anne Tek
Deniz Tek, best known as the guitarist with '70s Australian punk act Radio Birdman, makes his China debut with The Fleshtones' Keith Streng as part of his band. In support are Round Eye (last show before they tour the US), Pinball City (last show ever), and DJ BO (probably not the last we see of him).
Yuyintang 851 Kaixuan Lu, near Yanan Xi Lu. 9pm. 200RMB; 150RMB (presale).
Sunday 24
NTS Radio Live from Shanghai
A fantastic afternoon line-up for NTS Radio Live from Shanghai, with Yehaiyahan (aka ChaCha) playing a live set from 3pm, followed by a Chinese film soundtrack special in honour of Shanghai International Film Festival from China Social Club. Then Guangzhou-born, Xiamen-based producer Knopha takes over from 4-5pm before Medusa mastermind Michael Cignarale finishes things off from 6pm.
Uptown Records 'n' Beer 131 Yongfu Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu. 3pm. Free.
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