18 great things to do this week in Shanghai

Image: courtesy Marvel Studios (Avengers: Endgame)

It’s Monday (again), but here’s the good news – we’re only a week away from the Labour Day holiday and just like every week in Shanghai, there’s a ton of events and activities wait for you. This week, we’ve got the Commune Market, the last Avengers movie and plenty of live music to get you dancing your way to May.

Things to Do

Image: courtesy Commune Market

Earth Day 2019 Special: Better Water Campaign Launch

Join Green Initiatives in support of Earth Day as it launches the Better Water campaign to encourage business owners to make the switch from bottled to filtered water. Comprising short film screenings, presentations and discussions, the event is an open call to the Shanghai community to help reduce plastic waste.

📍One Museum Place, First Floor, 669 Xinzha Lu, near Shimen Er Lu. Tue 23. 6.30-9pm. Free entry.

Stand Up Comedy Showcase: UK vs USA

Watch Shanghai's top British and American comedians battle it out to see which nation is funnier. On Blighty's side, China International Comedy Competition finalist and winner Adam Hopkins and Josh Tyas. Waving the stars and stripes for 'Murica is China International Comedy Competition finalist Kurt Dunsing. Hosted and mediated by neutral Canadian friend Eric Alexander.

📍Shanghai Comedy Bunker, Third Floor, Jingan Sports Centre, 428 Jiangning Lu, near Wuding Lu. Sat 27. 10-11.30pm. 80RMB; 70RMB (presale).

Dancelife

Dancelife is a new series of monthly, hour-long, un-choreographed dance sessions. Here the aim of the game is all about letting go and giving yourself some space to unwind to feel-good, easy-dancing music.

📍Z&B Fitness, 14th Floor, 1219 Changle Lu, near Wulumuqi Zhong Lu. Sun 28. 5-6pm. 50RMB. 

The Commune Market

The Commune Market is back, showcasing local vendors, designers and charities. There’ll be live music, cocktails, a BBQ, a book swap and more.

📍The Cannery, Room 106, Bldg 1, 1107 Yuyuan Lu, near Jiangsu Lu. Sat 27-Sun 28. 11am-6pm. Free entry.

Music & Nightlife

Photograph: courtesy McKinnon Hotel

Sascha & Laurent Jazz Duo from Luxembourg

A night of improv jazz brought to you by German-Luxembourger vocalist and actress Sascha Ley and French double bass player and composer Laurent Payfert.

📍Yuyintang, 851 Kaixuan Lu, near Yanan Xi Lu. Thu 25. 9-11.30pm. 60RMB. 

Peter Piek Shanghai Tour

German singer, multi-instrumentalist, writer and performance artist Peter Piek brings his indie sound to Yuyintang. His music is hard to define, but one thing’s for sure – he's a one-of-a-kind artist.

📍Yuyintang, 851 Kaixuan Lu, near Yanan Xi Lu. Wed 24. 9-11.30pm. 60RMB. 

44KW pres Orphx & Kmyle

Catch Orphx (Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey), one of the most highly respected techno acts and Samy, aka Kmyle, a signed artist on French techno label Skryptöm, who have a unique, raw style this week at Found 158.

📍44KW, 158 Julu Lu, near Chengdu Nan Lu. Fri 26. 9-11pm. 100RMB; 80RMB (presale). Extract the QR code above to purchase tickets.

Gatti and the Gang

This show at the McKinnon Hotel's Manderley Bar sees Cristina Gatti of Postmodern Jukebox performing yet again in Shanghai. Incorporating popular modern music into a variety of vintage genres like swing and jazz, Postmodern Jukebox is a YouTube sensation with 3.8 million subscribers.

📍McKinnon Hotel, 1013 Beijing Xi Lu, near Jiangning Lu. Fri 26. 10.30pm-12.30am. 280RMB. 

Bar Rouge pres DJ Throttle

Having racked up 5 million views on his tracks and catapulting to fame since 2013, the young and aspiring beat maker has since worked with industry top dogs like Avicii and Oliver Heldens.

📍Bar Rouge, Seventh Floor, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Nanjing Dong Lu. Fri 26. 10pm-midnight. 300RMB; 200RMB (presale). Extract the QR code above to purchase tickets.

Eating & Drinking

Photograph: courtesy Blackbird

Hops for Hunger

Bring in any canned food or non-perishable food item to donate, and receive a free tap beer. All donated food items will go to Green Food Bank in Pudong. 

📍Stone Brewing Tap Room, 1107 Yuyuan Lu, near Jiangsu Lu. Mon 22. 11.30am-11pm. Free entry.

Skin on Skin: Wednesday Wine Tasting

This wine tasting session at Blackbird will include five selections: three styles of skin contact wines (aka amber/orange wines) from Alsace, Tuscany and Sicily, as well as two different types of rosé from Rhone and Greece. Reservations suggested.

📍Blackbird, First Floor, Bldg 8, Columbia Circle, 1262 Yanan Xi Lu, near Panyu Lu (187 0199 0479). Wed 24. 6-8pm. 190RMB.

Boxing Cat Grand Opening

Join the Boxing Cat for its grand opening on Fuxing Lu this Sunday, with free flow on select beers from 1-6pm.

📍Boxing Cat Brewery, 82 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Yongfu Lu. Sun 28. 1-6pm. 100RMB.

Film

Image: courtesy Marvel Studios

Avengers: Endgame

The last film from Marvel's Avengers franchise. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to undo Thanos's actions and restore order to the universe.

📍On general release from Wed 24.

CINEMQ: DISCO

Queer short film screening and party series CINEMQ presents DISCO, a night celebrating queer influence on dance and club culture.

📍ALL, Second Floor, 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu. Thu 25. 8.30-10.30pm. Free entry.

A Plastic Ocean Screening

Zero-waste beeswax wrap brand BEEZIRO is organising a free documentary screening session of A Plastic Ocean at un Caffè Bar, which will be followed by a discussion and a lucky draw for zero-waste gifts. Written and directed by journalist Craig Leeson, A Plastic Ocean traces the detrimental effects of plastic waste on blue whales.

📍un Caffè Bar, Seventh Floor, 77 Jiangning Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu. Thu 25. 6.30-9.30pm. Free entry.

Art

Image: courtesy Noeli Gallery

Li Li: Girl Power

Noeli Gallery presents Lili’s solo exhibition – Girl Power. After giving birth to her second daughter, the artist’s signature colourful, cartoonish girl character is much different than what it was in her earlier works. 

📍Noeli Gallery, Bldg B, 150 Yueyang Lu, near Yongjia Lu. Sat 27 Apr-Thu 16 May (closed Mondays). Free entry.

Who Needs Men Anyway?

island6's exhibition attempts to loosely blend the categories of science, art and literature to playfully explore an answer to the question – who needs men, anyway?

📍island6, Second Floor, Bldg 6, 50 Moganshan Lu, near Xi Suzhou Lu. Until Mon 17 Jun. Free entry.

Liu Xi: Earth in My Hands, Fire in My Heart

Art + Shanghai Gallery presents a solo exhibition by emerging Chinese artist and sculptor Liu Xi, who integrates subjects like femininity, gender equality and social structures into her abstract porcelain creations.

📍Art + Gallery, 191 Nan Suzhou Lu, near Sichuan Bei Lu. Until Sun 02 Jun (closed Mondays). Free entry.

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