The best parties and live music in Shanghai this week
Photograph: courtesy Elevator via Facebook
LA-based, Phoenix-native, Mija stands out in a scene that's obsessed with bangers. Her EDM sets cross genres and play with tempos in unusual ways. She's in Shanghai this weekend headlining Linx in addition to Noizu, another West Coast act mentored by Skrillex. Things are getting sticky down at C's dungeon with the tenacious funk of The White Rabbit Committee. Plus, there's a queer-themed block party on a big chunk of Shaanxi Bei Lu and Elevator is embracing the ball scene. Here are our top picks.
Fri 26
Photograph: courtesy 247tickets (ORPHAN™ x 2.0 Music Festival: Jonas Blue)
SHFT pres Noizu
Los Angeles-based Noizu is quickly climbing through the ranks of house music, making his debut on the Chris Lake and Skrillex-curated ‘HOWSLA’ in 2017 with ‘Lasers’ before catching the eyes and ears of French label boss, Tchami. Noizu’s first official remix came when he was asked by DJ Snake himself to tackle his Lauv featured smash, ‘A Different Way’.
📍Arkham, Found 158, 168 Julu Lu, near Chengdu Nan Lu. 10pm-late. 160RMB; 120RMB (presale). Extract the QR code above to purchase tickets.
BARBARISM Vol 14
A monthly club night for civilised barbarians. BARBARISM is an escape for those who work hard all week and need to experience rawness and real emotions. Expect dancefloor-filling and boundary-pushing new hip hop, club trax, forgotten classics, familiar vocals in strange new contexts, and songs you never knew you needed.
📍Le Baron, Seventh Floor, 20 Donghu Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu. 10pm-4am. Free entry.
Mija
Based out of Downtown Los Angeles, Mija has established herself as an innovative and fresh new DJ/Producer of this era. Her genre-defying mixtapes and bassline productions led to a breakthrough performance at Kalliope, a Burning Man art car within Bonnaroo Music Festival. It was on that car where she serendipitously met Skrillex and played a sunrise set. Just a couple months later, Mija won a mix competition to play on the Black Butter Records stage at TomorrowWorld. Support from GG Magree.
📍Linx, First-Second Floors, 98 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Xizang Nan Lu. 10.30pm-late. 180RMB.
ORPHAN™ x 2.0 Music Festival
ORPHAN™️ X is taking bass house to a whole new level with two days full of summer beats, head banging and dancing through the crowd. Expect less dubstep, more house, more drum n bass, more trap. The line up includes Jonas Blue, Jordy van Egmond (professionally known by his stage name Dyro), ASUKA, Louie Louie, 2R, EU and more.
📍FIRST-X Shanghai, 118 Square, 1685 Jinshajiang Lu, near Zhonghuan Lu. 9-11pm. 350RMB; 320RMB (two-day presale); 280RMB (one-day presale). Extract the QR code above to purchase tickets.
Sat 27
Photograph: courtesy Electric Circus (VHS Memories)
Medusa x House of Kawakubo Pres Club KID Ball 2019
Medusa/House of Kawakubo have officially Kai Kai’d... and gurl a Vogue Ball is born. To celebrate your inner Party Monster, the theme of the evening will be Club Kid Fantasy. There will be categories for all the legendary children to stomp the runway, kiki and snatch trophies in the fiercest gender bending creations. The categories begin at 10.30pm sharp and voguing music from all dimensions will begin afterwards.
📍Elevator, B1, 265 Nandan Dong Lu, near Caoxi Lu. 10pm-5am. 80RMB; 50RMB (before 11pm).
The White Rabbit Funk Committee
Get down with The White Rabbit Funk Committee – veterans DJ BO and Captain Batty – as they return to C's basement space for a sticky 'n' sweet all-vinyl set. The two dish out rockabilly-funk, northern Soul and snappy disco with a gleeful vengeance – all smashed up with a block party sensibility. Free entry.
📍C's, B1, 685 Dingxi Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu. 10pm-late. Free entry.
Paint The Street Rainbow Block Party
Shaanxi Bei Lu is getting fabulously lit for Sumerian's Paint The Street Rainbow Block Party. From 3pm until late, participating venues (The Rooster, Sumerian, Jin Hua, Ole Kitchen and Roxie) will be serving up a special themed cocktails in association with Peddlers Gin. Pick up your LGBTQ passport at Sumerian Coffee next door, and then swing by The Rooster to collect your special stamp. Once you collect five stamps, you'll receive surprise goodies at select venues.
📍Sumerian, 415 Shaanxi Bei Lu, near Beijing Xi Lu. 3pm-midnight. Free entry.
VHS Memories
Break out the leg warmers and off-the-shoulder tops and frizz up your hair, DJ Thomas & DJ Leonard (Singapore) will have their work cut out for them, squeezing a decade of memorable hits into just a few hours of partying. The setlist includes hits from INXS, Bonjovi, DEVO, Eurythmics, Bowie, Farnham, Toto, Dragon, Cold Chisel, Noiseworks and Queen to name a few. Dress-up welcome, dance floor euphoria compulsory.
📍Electric Circus, 199 Nanjing Dong Lu, near Henan Zhong Lu. 11pm-4am. 100RMB; 80RMB (presale). Tickets include one drink.