18 brilliant things to do in Shanghai this week

Photograph: courtesy Juju

Today may be Singles' Day, but there's more to this week than Taobao deals. Over the next seven days, we've got a few Hollywood blockbusters, the Rainbow Bike Ride is back to show your pride, plus The Kooks and The Drums are in town. Read on for our top picks this week.

Things to Do

Photograph: courtesy DKNSTRKT

Mentor Walks

The final and biggest Mentor Walk of 2019 will happen at M on the Bund, starting with tea and coffee. Mentor Walks brings together women of all backgrounds and experiences for a casual morning stroll where they can share their professional and personal successes as well as challenges and aspirations. To participate, donate 100RMB to Educating Girls of Rural China via RSVP.

📍M on the Bund, Seventh Floor, Five on the Bund, 20 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu. Sat 16. 9.30-11.30am. 100RMB. Extract the QR code above to book.

Commune Market x Yong Ping Lane

Have a stroll down Yong Ping Lane and savour artisan coffee and gourmet food in addition to browsing designs and crafts. There'll be patisserie, cocktails, mulled wine and a commune book swap where you can leaf through books while taking in the chill background music.

📍Yong Ping Lane, 199 Hengshan Lu, near Yongjia Lu. Sat 16-Sun 17. 11am-7pm. Free entry.

Autumn Rainbow Bike Ride

On this autumn bike ride, each colour of the rainbow flag is represented by one team of cyclists. The ride will start at major corners of Shanghai (like Suzhou River, Lujiazui, Xintiandi and Jinjiang Park) and eventually meet at Cotton's. The routes range between 5km to 12km, and although spots are limited, everyone is invited to join at midday at the endpoint.

📍Cotton's, Lane 294, 1 Xinhua Lu, near Panyu Lu. Sat 16. 9am-midday. 120RMB. Extract the QR code above to book.

DKNSTRKT Drag Workshop: Comedy in Drag

This event is a free introductory workshop with Shanghai drag performer, Lady N Gentlemen, plus another special guest, which invites all to explore the art of campy drag. Learn how to apply comedic elements in your drag performance through improv, props, character development, crowd work and so much more.

📍The Pearl, 471 Zhapu Lu, near Haining Lu. Sun 17. 6-7.30pm. Free entry. Extract the QR code above to book.

Midweek Walk: Old City Gods

Historic Shanghai is hosting a walk through some of Shanghai's historical buildings, allowing participants to learn more about the temples, gods and faiths of the disappearing old Chinese walled city, hidden 19th-century courtyards, Republican-era temples, halls of prayer and other sacred spaces.

📍Register at '[e-mail]' for venue info. Tue 12. 10am-tba. 150RMB (Historic Shanghai members); 250RMB (non-members).

Sustainable Consumption and Retail: Fad or Reality

This is Green Drink's 125th monthly forum and the topic of discussion this time is on the importance of sustainability in fashion and retail. Guest speakers from India and other countries will discuss luxury retail, marketing, fashion entrepreneurship and more.

📍WeWork, 328 Hunan Lu, near Gaoyou Lu. Wed 13. 7-9pm. 50RMB.

Eating & Drinking

Photograph: courtesy Juju

Friday Double Bubbles at Heritage by Madison

Celebrate the end of the week with a buy-one-get-one-free deal on a huge range of Champagnes and sparkling wines every Friday at Heritage by Madison. From 39RMB per glass of French Fizz or Aperol Spritz to bottles of classic, rosé, vintage and naturally processed Champagnes, just about anyone is likely to find something they are into.

📍Heritage by Madison, Unit N1-107 Bund Finance Center, 600 Zhongshan Dong Er Lu, near Dongmen Lu. Until Fri 29 (every Friday). 5-9pm. Free entry.

Guest bartender Matt Whiley at Ars & Delecto

Founder and head bartender Matt Whiley of No 28 on World’s 50 best bars 2019 – Scout London Bar – will be visiting Shanghai's Ars & Delecto for one night only on Tue 12. Enter the event for free, sit back and enjoy cocktails from the bold creator.

📍Ars & Delecto, 222 Jinxian Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu. Tue 12. 9-11pm. Free entry.

Free Flow BBQ at Juju

New Korean barbecue restaurant and ganbei joint Juju (by the same team behind The Nest, The Cannery and Rye & Co) opens at Three on the Bund and is offering free-flow BBQ for 198RMB (originally 288RMB) per person until Fri 15.

📍Juju, Three on the Bund, 17 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu. Until Fri 15. 10am-late. From 198RMB.

Late night set menus at Mr & Mrs Bund

Mr & Mrs Bund is bringing a new late night set menu starting from 240RMB for two courses and a side, or 300RMB for three courses with items like Arugula Mushroom Truffle, Picnic Chicken Ailloli and Tarte Tartin. Select drinks are half price, and entrance to Bar Rouge is free.

📍Mr & Mrs Bund, Sixth Floor, Bund 18, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Nanjing Dong Lu. Every Thu, Fri and Sat. 10.30pm-1am. From 240RMB.

Music & Nightlife

Photograph: courtesy 247tickets (Nirvana Tribute Concert)

Nirvana Tribute Concert

Come as you are to The Pearl’s tribute night to the mighty grunge gods themselves. Few bands scream 'the '90s' as much as Seattle’s superband Nirvana. Kurt Cobain’s spirit will be in the room all night long, so grab a cold one and don’t miss the theatre’s resident band The Red Stars doing him proud.

📍The Pearl, 471 Zhapu Lu, near Haining Lu. Fri 15. 9.30-11.30pm. Extract the QR code above to purchase tickets.

The Kooks China Tour

The Kooks is an English indie rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton. Its music is primarily influenced by the 1960s British Invasion movement and post-punk revival of the new millennium. The Kooks has experimented in several genres including rock, Britpop, pop, reggae, ska and more recently, funk and hip-hop, being described once by Allmusic as a 'more energetic Thrills or a looser Sam Roberts Band, maybe even a less severe Arctic Monkeys at times'.

📍Modern Sky Lab, Third Floor, Moon Shopping Mall, 188 Ruihong Lu, near Hongguan Lu. Fri 15. 8.30-10pm. 320RMB. Sales closed.

The Drums China Tour 2019

The Drums is an American indie pop band from New York City, currently oriented by its founding member Jonathan Pierce. Known for its quirky surf rock riffs, melodramatic tender melodies and catchy lyrics, the band cite its major influences as the Beach Boys, The Wake, The Smiths and Joy Division/New Order.

📍MAO Livehouse, 308 Chongqing Nan Lu, near Jianguo Zhong Lu. Thu 14. 8.30-10.30pm. 350RMB; 300RMB (presale). Extract the QR code above to purchase tickets.

Film

Image: courtesy House Productions

They Shall Not Grow Old

A documentary about the First World War directed by Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit), They Shall Not Grow Old shows real footage provided by the Imperial War Museum, most of which has never been shown before to the public. For the film, which was released last year to commemorate the war's centenary, Jackson restored and colourised footage of Tommies in the trenches, presenting it in 3D and augmenting it with audio gleaned from 600 hours of archival interviews with veterans.

📍On general release.

Charlie's Angels

The 1976 TV series has been made into two popular action flicks bearing the same title released in 2000 and 2003. The 2019 iteration (produced and directed by Elizabeth Banks) sees the female ensemble (Naomi Scott, Kristen Stewart and Ella Balinska) parachuting, car-racing and gun-fighting against the bad guy, this time someone who possesses a very dangerous technology.

📍On general release Fri 15.

The Legend of 1900

Catch a 4K restoration of Tornatore's classic on the big screen more than 20 years after its initial release. 1900 is the story of an orphan, left on a ship as a baby, who was eventually forced to learn how to survive on his own when his adopted father passed away and ends up displaying musical talent like no other. Tim Roth stars as the protagonist in this award-winning film that has scooped up 21 awards, including the Golden Globe for Original Score and other awards for its director, production design and more.

📍On general release Fri 15.

Art 

Photograph: courtesy teamLab

The Shape of Time: Highlights of the Centre Pompidou Collection vol.1

Kickstarting a five-year collaboration between the Centre Pompidou and the West Bund Museum (Shanghai), the 18-month opening exhibition titled The Shape of Time: Highlights of the Centre Pompidou Collection offers up a comprehensive introduction to contemporary and modern art history through more than 100 masterpieces from the world's major artists including Duchamp, Picasso, Kandinsky, Miro, Beuys, Ding Yi, Cai Guo-qiang and Li Yongbin.

📍West Bund Museum, 2600 Longteng Dadao, near Fenggu Lu. Until Sat 9 May 2020. Tue-Sun. 10am-5pm. 70RMB (Tue-Fri); 80RMB (Sat-Sun).

teamLab Borderless Shanghai

This is Tokyo-based collective teamLab’s first permanent outpost outside of Japan. The sprawling ‘museum without a map’ (covering 6,600sqm) is home to nearly 50 productions including ‘Forest of Lamps’, where a seemingly infinite number of lamps hang in mid-air in a mirrored room and ‘En Tea House’, in which flowers bloom indefinitely in the teacups visitors hold.

📍teamLab Borderless Shanghai, Unit C-2, 100 Huayuangang Lu, near Bansongyuan Lu. Until Nov 4 2020. 10am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri); 10.30am-10.30pm (Sat, Sun and holidays).

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