34 excellent things to do in Shanghai this November

Photograph: courtesy Eating Music (Oddisee and Good Compny)

It's November, which means we're properly into autumn. Like, properly into it, guys. We're talking leaf-peeping in the park, wearing extra layers and warming up with hot pot. You know how autumn goes... As well as the usual seasonal goings-on, there's also a lot of great events going down around town.

Music & Nightlife

Photograph: Genevieve Medow Jenkins (Rhye)

Oddisee and Good Compny

Brilliant, soulful American producer and rapper – one third of Diamond District – brings his full live show to Shanghai, followed by an after-party at DASH with British DJ and producer Eric Lau, alongside Unown from Good Compny, plus local faces Gunknown and MMQ.

📍MAO Livehouse, 308 Chongqing Nan Lu, near Jianguo Zhong Lu. Wed 7. 8pm-late. 300RMB; 240RMB (presale). 

Festivus: PREP, Blue Hawaii and Lydmor

Spectacles of Sound's Festivus never disappoints, but this time they're bringing in a triple whammy of electronic pop goodness that it'd be a sin to miss. Expect electro-funk feats of strength from erstwhile Shanghai resident Lydmor, super cool duo Blue Hawaii (one half of which is Raph from Braids), and – making their Shanghai debut – soulful outfit PREP.

📍Yuyintang Park, B1, 1398 Yuyuan Lu, near Dingxi Lu. Thu 8. 8-11.30pm. 200RMB; 150RMB (presale).

Fort Romeau

After roof-topping all summer long, Alter. takes the journey to an indoor space where neon lights meets visuals, darkness embraces depth and music takes you into space. For their very first night dance, UK producer and DJ Fort Romeau takes the stage with moody deep house, ambient and techno, supported by local artists Lindberg and Konpha. Follow Alter. (WeChat ID: altershanghai) for more updates on the secret location.

📍Fri 9. Location, time and entry tba.

Mirrors

One of Shanghai's best bands play a home town show as part of their nationwide tour. That in itself ought to be enough to get you to this gig, but what makes this show especially intriguing is that Hei Mu will provide support for the band. Hei Mu was previously in Nonplus of Color with Mirrors members Da Bai and Daniel Nagels, and the band pretty much fell apart after they left. Seems like things are all rosy again now though, as they'll all appear on the same bill at YYT.

📍Yuyintang Park, B1, 1398 Yuyuan Lu, near Dingxi Lu. Sat 10. 9pm-late. 100RMB; 70RMB (presale).

Alter. Rooftop Party ft a Special Guest

For the very last of Alter.'s rooftop dances of the year, expect lots of B-side gems unearthed after years of crate digging around the world of classic house and techno with a rough, Chicago and Detroit bent interspersed with cheerful disco, enchanting Afro or timeless electro cuts. 

📍The Beach House, Second Floor, 758 Julu Lu, near Fumin Lu. Sun 11. 2-10pm. 150RMB; 120RMB (presale).

Rhye

After a short Asia tour in the spring and sets at Coachella and Pitchfork festivals, Rhye – the solo project of Mike Milosh – hit Shanghai for a live showcase of synthy RnB pop. The then-duo's 2013 debut album Woman picked up a lot of press, including the hallowed 'Best New Music' tag from P'fork. Milosh went solo for the soft rock-ish follow up BLOOD, which garnered less praise, but his mainland China debut still ought to get plenty of attention.

📍Modern Sky Lab, Third Floor, Ruihong Tiandi, 188 Ruihong Lu, near Tianhong Lu. Tue 13. 9-10.30pm. 300-450RMB. Extract the QR code to purchase tickets. 

Changjiang Green Music Camp

The team behind all things JZ are taking over Changxing Island (next door to Chongming) for two days of music surrounded by greenery. Acts include Duck Fight Goose, Zhang Le, and Wan Xiaoli with musical genres spanning everything from live electronic to folk and bluegrass.

📍Orange Holiday Resort (Changxing Island). Sat 17-Sun 18. 10am-10pm. 220RMB day tickets; 180RMB presale; 320RMB presale weekend pass.

DWP Festival

Celebrating its tenth anniversary in Indonesia this year (with The Weeknd headlining in Bali), DWP Festival makes a foray into China with this event out by Hongqiao Airport. No official details on the line-up just yet despite some tasty rumours.

📍National Exhibition and Convention Center, 333 Songze Dadao, near Laigang Lu. Sat 17-Sun 18 Nov. 2pm-late. 1,380RMB (one-day GA), 2,380RMB (two-day GA). Extract the QR code to purchase tickets. 

Feeling A Moment Tour: Feeder Live in Shanghai

Feeder is coming to Bandai Namco Future House to celebrate their 21st anniversary as a band. In the '90s, Londoner Grant Nicholas and Tokyo-born bassist Tara Hirose secured themselves a spot as one of Britain's most iconic rock bands. Their melodic pop-metal has won them six gold and platinum records in the UK and a global fanbase.

📍Bandai Namco Shanghai Base Future House, 179 Yichang Lu, near Jiangning Lu. Sat 24. 8pm-late. 380RMB (presale); 489RMB; 780RMB VIP. Extract the QR code to purchase tickets.

Guan

Exciting electronic producer from Hangzhou and a lynch pin of the Function Lab crew there (largely responsible for the city's emergence as something of a hub for interesting electronic music of late), Guan drops a new album on Douban's D Force imprint.

📍ALL, Second Floor, 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu. Sun 25. 10pm-late. 80RMB; 60RMB (presale).

Nu-Queens Saga

Shake keeps funkin' into the future, with a concert dedicated to the women pushing funk and soul steadily forward. The club's six-piece band and guest singers interpret the music of Mary J Blige, Alicia Keys, Janelle Monae, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Angie Stone and more.

📍Shake, Third Floor, 46 Maoming Nan Lu, near Jinxian Lu. Fri 23-Sat 24; Fri 30-Sat Dec 1. 10.30pm-2am. Free.

Food & Drink

Photograph: Bruno Kelzer via Unsplash 

Arrogant BBQ

Stone Brewing is teaming up with Heartland Brothers and Smoke KCQ to throw an outdoor BBQ party celebrating the 21st anniversary of Arrogant Bastard Ale. They’ll be serving a variety of Berkshire pork sausages and pork ribs cooked with Arrogant Consortia beer. There will also be a spicy sausage eating contest, and participants will have the chance to win Arrogant beer and Heartland Brothers products.

📍Stone Brewing Tap Room, 1107 Yuyuan Lu, near Jiangsu Lu. Sat 10. 11.30am-4.30pm. 30RMB; 100RMB (four tickets presale). Extract the QR code to book. 

Kombucha DIY Workshop

You've heard of it, you've seen it at the supermarket, but what exactly is kombucha and how do you make it at home? This workshop by PAPP'S TEA will teach you just that and why the fermented probiotic tea is so good for you. Every attendee will leave with their own SCOBY and home brewing kombucha kit.

📍naked Hub, Fifth Floor, 89 Taixing Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu. Sat 10. 4-5.30pm. 299RMB. Extract the QR code to book.

Fin de Siècle Cocktail Menu Launch

Colin Tait and Shake's bar team present a menu of brand-new classics inspired by the culture of the '80s and '90s. New cocktails and dinner from 6pm. Live funk and soul from 10:30pm.

📍Shake, Third Floor, 46 Maoming Nan Lu, near Jinxian Lu. Sat 10. 6pm-2am. Free entry. 

Niigata Rice Onigiri Workshop with Yamaga Yohei

Onigiri is a triangular shaped Japanese rice ball, often made with seasoned rice, fillings and wrapped with nori – a bento box staple or the perfect snack on-the-go. Wherever and however you enjoy it, this workshop will teach you how to make four different types of onigiri (tuna, kelp salt, ume and bonito) using the traditional technique. As well as, an insightful discussion about Niigata rice which comes from Yamaga Yohei's family farm in Niigata Prefecture in Japan.

📍Xime Japanese Restaurant, First Floor, 1-B, 989 Changle Lu, near Changshu Lu. Sun 11. 2.30-5pm. 120-150RMB. 

Philly Phresh Pop Up

Egg will be taking it back to the mid-90s, slinging cheesesteaks, sweet and savoury pretzels and 'fish house' punch at their Philadephia street party.

📍Egg, 12 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Julu Lu. Thu 15-Fri 16. 7.30-10.30pm. Free.

The 13th Annual Shanghai Baconfest

If you love bacon, you'll love this. Cages is hosting the 13th annual Shanghai Baconfest for chefs and amateurs to compete in a cook-off to create this year's best bacon dish. For 100RMB, spectators will get free samples and one free drink.

📍Cages Bar and Sports, Third Floor, Jing'an Sports Centre, 428 Jiangning Lu, near Wuding Lu. Sat 17. 11am-5pm. 100RMB.

Seedlip x Shake Pop-Up

Not drinking alcohol at the party? You're not alone. Shanghai's house of funk and soul is teaming up with the world's first non-alcoholic spirit, Seedlip, to introduce a special pop-up menu of five deliciously fun cocktails with none of the ABV. Dinner and drinks from 6pm, live funk and soul music as usual from 10.30pm.

📍Shake, Third Floor, 46 Maoming Nan Lu, near Jinxian Lu. Fri 23. 6pm-2am. Free entry.

Things to Do

Photograph: rawpixel via Unsplash

Free Chinese Classes with GoEast

GoEast is offering a free open class for beginner, elementary and intermediate level Chinese language students. Dependent on your level, you will be introduced to practical phrases and sentences, perfect your pronunciation and improve with a professional Chinese teacher. Join them for your first free hour of class on Sundays at 6pm or Wednesdays at 11am.

📍GoEast Language Center, 194-196 Zhengmin Lu, near Guoding Lu. Wed 4-Wed 28 (Every Wed and Sun). 11am (Wed) or 6pm (Sun). Free. 

US Midterm Elections Viewing Party

The Camel sports bar and Democrats Abroad China will be screening the US Midterm Elections on Wednesday starting from 7am. There'll be a breakfast menu and partisans and political junkies of all stripes are welcome to join in on the viewing party.

📍 The Camel, 1 Yueyang Lu, near Dongping Lu. Wed 7. 7am-midday. Free.

The Christmas Designer Market

Shanghai Creatives brings together a load of local and international designers, artists and artisans for its annual Christmas market. Think clothing, accessories, homeware, trinkets for kids and much more.

📍Shanghai Centre, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Tongren Lu. Thu 15. 10am-5pm. Free.

Commune Book Swap

Commune Market and Yong Ping Lane are bringing you a book swap with English, Chinese, Japanese and children's books. Discover new titles, dive back into a classic, sip on coffee and enjoy pastries from Yong Ping Lane. A candle workshop will also be hosted on Sunday 18.

📍Yong Ping Lane, 199 Hengshan Lu, near Yongjia Lu.  Sat 17-Sun 18. 11am-6pm. Free.

Aidan Killian: Stand Up Comedy Live In Shanghai

Irish stand-up comedian Aidan Killian comes to China, continuing his globe-trotting career that has seen him sell out shows across Australia, Japan, USA, Cambodia, Thailand and at the Edinburgh Fringe. A passionate, political comedian, he has appeared on BBC, Russia Today, Channel 4 and also at Glastonbury Festival.

📍Shanghai Comedy Club, Third Floor, Jingan Sports Centre, 428 Jiangning Lu, near Wuding Lu. Fri 23. 9-10.30pm. 120RMB; 100RMB (presale).

French Christmas Market

Sticking to the Parisian theme for its fifth year in a row, The Pearl puts on two days of gift stalls, mulled wine, waffles, live music and entertainment, and a visit from Le Père Noël, aka Father Christmas.

📍The Pearl, 471 Zhapu Lu, near Haining Lu. Sat 24-Sun 25. Midday-10pm (Sat); Midday-8pm (Sun). 20RMB; free for children under six. Extract the QR code to book. 

Brawl on the Bund: 10-year-anniversary

Shanghai's white collar boxing event Brawl on the Bund is celebrating its tenth year of amateur boxing with a Moulin Rouge-themed brawl at Hyatt on the Bund. Alongside the boxing, the glamorous black-tie event will feature cabaret dancers, magicians, live singing, world-class AV production, unlimited drinks, a four-course dinner menu and a charity raffle for breast cancer foundation More Than Aware.

📍Hyatt on The Bund, 199 Huangpu Lu, near Wuchang Lu. Fri 30. 7pm-late. From 4,500RMB (two seats). Extract the QR code to book. 

Jingan Christkindlmarkt

The traditional German Christkindlmarkt (Christmas Market) is back in Shanghai. The scent of baked apples, chestnuts, gingerbread and mulled wine, rum punch and tasty food fills the air, a festive glow, all the wonderful sounds of the season and delicious treats will be there. Beautifully decorated wooden stalls offer handicrafts and gifts, festive baked treats, Glühwein (mulled wine) and various other drinks to keep you warm.

📍Tonglefang, 537 Haifang Lu, near Xikang Lu. Fri 30-Dec 16. 4pm-9pm (Nov 30); midday-9pm (Dec 1-16), 4-9pm (Dec 7-14). 50RMB (includes one mulled wine); free for children under 12 with their parents. Extract the QR code to book. 

Film

Image: Venom, courtesy Sony Pictures Entertainment

Venom

Venom, a slick-skinned alien ‘symbiote’ who first plagued Marvel’s Peter Parker back in a 1986 comic, has a Wikipedia entry roughly ten metres long. That’s not to say that the villain deserves his own film... but he's got one. Flinching when it should be in-your-face and entirely surprise-free, Venom won‘t satisfy either uber-fans or the unconverted. Go for the CGI and accidental comedic value.

📍On general release from Fri 9. 

Last Letter

Japanese director Shunji Iwai's highly anticipated first Chinese language film is a story of missed chances and a long-drawn conflict lasting three generations. 

📍 On general release from Fri 9. 

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Find witches, wizards, magical creatures and Eddie Redmayne being ever so timid and ever so British as magizoologist Newt Scamander in the latest adventure from J.K Rowling's Harry Potter universe, also starring Johnny Depp, Katherine Waterston, Jude Law and Ezra Miller.

📍On general release from Fri 16.

Crazy Rich Asians

Bursting with attitude and heart, Hollywood's first Asian-centric rom-com in years makes up for lost time in a big way. A handsome Oxford-educated college professor, Nick Young (Henry Golding), flies his girlfriend Rachel (Constance Wu) to Singapore to meet his family and it turns out they pretty much own the place. Cue unfeasible extravagance that somehow manages to feel inclusive.

📍On general release from Fri 23.

Art

Image: courtesy Art+ Shanghai Gallery

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. 

The Fifth Edition of West Bund Art & Design 

This year the total exhibition space exceeds 20,000 square meters with more than 110 leading international galleries from 43 cities across Asia, Europe, North America and South America presenting the highest caliber of contemporary art.

📍 West Bund Art Center, 2555 Longteng Dadao, near Fenggu Lu. Thu 8-Sun 11. Times vary. 130RMB.

Storytelling

Prada’s gorgeous 1918 historical residence Rong Zhai is exhibiting a solo show by Chinese painter Liu Ye curated by Udo Kittelmann. In the artist’s oeuvre the stylistic features of fairy-tales coexist with the sense of humor and a parodic vein. Go for the paintings, stay for the beautifully decorated spaces of the building that give Liu Ye’s works a new layer of meaning.

📍 Prada Rong Zhai, 186 Shaanxi Bei Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu. Sat 10 until 20 Jan 2019 (Tue-Sun). 10am-8pm. 60RMB (advance booking necessary via WeChat ID ‘PRADA_OFFICIAL’).

Cindy Sherman

Not one to miss, this is Cindy Sherman’s first major retrospective in China. The exhibition features 128 iconic works that span the artist’s 40-plus-year career, alongside documentary materials and archival footage. Through photography, Sherman tackled power relations, identity and the impact of the male gaze. The exhibition tracks her creative development from the 1970s to the present and will also present nine new works for the first time anywhere in the world. 

📍 Fosun Foundation, 600 Zhongshan Dong Er Lu, near Dongmen Lu. Wed 7 until 13 Jan 2019. 10am-8pm (Thu, Sat); 10am-6pm (Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun). 90RMB. Extract the QR code to purchase tickets.

Art021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair

The sixth edition of this massive contemporary art fair returns. Four sections take of the Shanghai Exhibition Center, with highlights including a curatorial section investigating discourses from regions beyond the Euro-American fabricated geographic networks and canonized narratives as well as a public art programme.

📍 Shanghai Exhibition Center, 1000 Yanan Zhong Lu, near Shaanxi Bei Lu. Thu 8 to Sun 11. 11am-6pm. 150RMB, 100RMB (presale). Extract the QR code to purchase tickets.

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