14 fantastic things to do in Shanghai this week
Photograph: @honeysoundsystem via Instagram
Ready to get freaky Shanghai? The weekend was major, but Halloween is still upon us, bringing with it the likes of Glam's circus-themed extravaganza, a witch gathering at The McKinnon Hotel and THE DEATH OF SPECTERS. Beyond Halloween, YouTube-sensation-turned-popstar Charlie Puth will be bringing his catchy chart-topping tracks to the Mercedes-Benz Arena for one night and the annual Shanghai Chili Cook-off returns. Read on for more things to do this week.
Food and Drink
Photograph: Calum Lewis via Unsplash
Shanghai Chili Cook-off 2018
Get your chef aprons on for the 13th Annual Shanghai Chili Cook-off. Teams of four will compete to make the best tasting chilli to win over the judges and people's choice for the title of the chilli cook-off champions. If cooking ain't your thing, watch the competitors battle it out and stay for the unlimited chili samples and live music. Register teams by contacting Ken Walker (WeChat ID: ShanghaiBubba) or purchase general admission tickets by extracting the QR code below.
📍 Cages Bar & Sports, Third Floor, Jing'an Sports Centre, 428 Jiangning Lu, near Wuding Lu. Sun 4. Midday-5pm. 200RMB for teams; 100RMB, 90RMB (presale).
XIME One-Year Anniversary Celebration
XIME Japanese celebrates its one-year anniversary with a bang. There will be music from PCJ, Sacco, Man Alive, TAXI, MMQ, YUKI and XIME's very own head chef and DJ JUN DFJ. A free keg will kick off the party at 4pm. Special celebration dishes will be sold for 1RMB throughout the night, in spirit of the true Japanese anniversary tradition.
📍 XIME Japanese Restaurant, First Floor, 1-B, 989 Changle Lu, near Changshu Lu. Sat 3. 4pm-midnight. Free.
Music and Nightlife
Photograph: Catie Laffoon
Charlie Puth: Voicenotes World Tour 2018
The multi-platinum singer, songwriter shot to fame as a YouTube sensation and after appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show singing a cover of Adele's 'Someone Like You'. Since then, he's had a string of successful chart-topping singles such as 'Marvin Gaye' featuring Meghan Trainor and was nominated for 2016's 'Song of the Year' at the Grammy Awards for his collaborative track with Wiz Khalifa, 'See You Again'.
📍 Mercedes-Benz Arena, 1200 Expo Avenue, near Gaoke Xi Lu. Wed 31. 8-10pm. 380-1,580RMB.
Welcome to the Circus: Halloween party at Glam
Glam is taking Halloween to the circus with a 'freak show' complete with performers, face painting, DJs and Peddlers Gin cocktails (50RMB) all night long.
📍 Glam, Seventh Floor, Five on the Bund, 20 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu. Wed 31. 8pm-midnight. Free.
Honey Soundsystem
US DJ trio Honey Soundsystem descend upon DADA, bringing one of San Francisco's biggest LGBTQ parties to Shanghai. Michael Cignarale of Medusa fame and Tobias Patrick provide support.
📍 DADA, 115 Xingfu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu. Fri 2 Nov. 10pm-late. 100RMB.
GG Lobster EP Release
There's a lot of great music coming out of Hangzhou at the moment, with Function Lab at the heart of a significant portion of it. One of their key talents, GG Lobster, hits Shanghai this weekend to celebrate the release of his Voodoo Drums EP. Guan, who mastered the record, will provide support along with Luka and Blitsoll. Note that ALL is operating on slightly earlier hours than usual due to the forthcoming Import Expo, so no need to get there fashionably late late late.
📍 ALL, Second Floor, 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu. Thu 1 Nov. 9pm-late. 30RMB.
THE DEATH OF SPECTERS
Pour one out for soon-to-be-shuttered fiercely loved punk and soul bar Specters this Wednesday night as it rounds off its week of closing events 'Specters! DEATH WEEK!' with a Halloween screening of cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show and then 'onwards into oblivion'. This one should be very, very messy.
📍 Specters, 1485 Beijing Xi Lu, near Changde Lu. Wed 31. 9pm-late. Free.
Things to Do
Photographs: (L-R) Denis Sdobnov (Fantasia Valentina); Eugene Hsu courtesy The Pearl (Cocosanti); S-Ma (Dorian T Fisk)
DKNSTRKT Drag Movement workshop
In this free introductory workshop taught by Shanghai drag artists, Miss Uni Vers and Cocosanti everyone will learn how to pose and turn in heels, how to walk like you own the runway, how to sashay away in style and simple choreography. This workshop involves movement so non-restrictive clothing is required. Participants are encouraged to bring their own high heeled shoes and any costume items they wish, such as hats, wigs, clothing etc.
📍 The Pearl, 471 Zhapu Lu, near Haining Lu. Sun 4 Nov. 3-4.30pm. Free. Register by extracting the QR code.
Ladies Who Drink Masterclass: Baijiu
Every country is connected to a distinct alcoholic beverage. Mexico has tequila, in Russia it's vodka, Japan is synonymous with sake, and for China, it's baijiu (white spirit). In this masterclass, Healer bartender and owner Phoebe Han will take you through six unique and flavourful Chinese spirits, and finish with a baijiu cocktail. Strictly limited to 30 seats. Both men and women welcome.
📍 Healer, 30 Tianping Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu. Thu 1. 7-9pm. 290-340RMB. Extract the QR code to book.
Halloween Open Mic at Lucca
LGBTQ bar Lucca hosts a two-hour Halloween night open mic with a free buffet after ordering one drink. A complimentary drink for performers. All forms of inclusive and non-hateful expression are welcome.
📍 Lucca, 390 Panyu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu. Wed 31. 8-10pm. Free.
Film
Image: Garuda Film & TV Culture Communication (Ala Changso)
Ala Changso
Ala Changso won the screenplay and grand jury prizes as the recent Shanghai Film Festival for its deeply intimate, but not overly sentimental, story and how it captures Tibet's awe-inspiring natural beauty on screen. The film follows a family undertaking the ancient Lhasa pilgrimage on foot, where they tie wooden boards to their hands and must kneel for prayer every three steps, with hopes that their piety will change fortunes for their ailing wife and mother.
📍 Cinemas around Shanghai.
The Predator
The Predator promises to bring back everything you loved about '90s Hollywood action blockbusters, in particular those purring aliens with triangular death lasers. The film has received mixed reviews but certainly fans of the franchise will want to see it for at the very least a fleeting whiff of the good ol' days.
📍 Cinemas around Shanghai.
Art
Photograph: courtesy Art+ Shanghai Gallery (Be by my Side, Huang Yulong)
Altered State: Deciphering Urban in the Art of Chen Xuanrong and Huang Yulong
Art+ Shanghai Gallery presents a duo exhibit of two artists influenced by hip hop and street culture, Chen Xuanrong and Huang Yulong. Their works make statements about their identities and surroundings, not attempting to establish guidelines for urbanity in China, but rather expressing a fascination with it. Huang sculpts a 'new face' with Chinese iconography in hoodies, while Chen paints urban graffitied environments on canvas. Together, the pair creates a modern concept of individuality in China.
📍 Art+ Shanghai Gallery, 191 Suzhou Nan Lu, near Sichuan Bei Lu. Until Sun 30 Dec (open Tue-Sun). 10am-7pm. Free.
Stage
Photograph: Steinar Engeland via Unsplash
Coven: The Wake
From the Punchdrunk creative team behind the immersive performance Sleep No More comes a Halloween special cabaret – Coven: The Wake. On October 31, an annual gathering of the witches will take place at The McKinnon Hotel, celebrating the life and death of Agnes Sampson who was burned at the stake during the North Berwick witch trials of 1591. Dress code is white.
📍 The McKinnon Hotel, 1013 Beijing Xi Lu, near Jiangning Lu. Wed 31. 10.30pm-late. 350RMB. Extract the QR code to book.