16 fantastic things to do in Shanghai this week
The weather this week might be looking like a bit of a downer, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying the usual weekly supply of Shanghai shenanigans. Over the next seven days we've got a plethora of events to keep your spirits up from a Hawaiian bloc party at The Cannery, the release of Luca on big screens across the city, a big Mexican-themed party at La Barra and La Mezcaleria, an extravagant exhibition from Chanel and much more.
Flyers courtesy venues and promoters. Click to enlarge.
Things to Do
#thefutureof Series: Endangered Species
Head to M Glam this Saturday to hear young scientist, conservationist and photographer Binbin Li share stories behind her photography that feature some of the world’s most endangered species. The talk will explore the impact of issues and solutions like increased meat consumption and sustainable farming as well as how photography and storytelling can help bring out positive behavioural change. Click here to buy tickets.
📍M Glam, Seventh Floor, Five on the Bund, 20 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu. Sat 28. 4-6pm. 280RMB (talk and cocktails); 580RMB (talk, drinks and dinner).
East Meets West Drag Show & Party
Can’t get enough of drag? The Pearl is gathering the city’s fabolous talent for a night of fashion, styling, choreography and performances. Expect a bilingual variety show where five local and foreign drag performers bridge the cultural gap with their unique styles and personalities. The Pearl’s Red Stars will also be performing dance classics from the ’70s right up to current hits.
📍The Pearl, 471 Zhapu Lu, near Wujin Lu. Sat 28. 9-11pm. 180RMB; 150RMB (presale).
Eating & Drinking
Rosé Day
Pink wines will be flowing at Perch this Saturday from 3.30pm till sunset with rosés, pink gin, rosé cocktails and more to cool you off. 100RMB will get you three drinks. Dress code: pink and summer casual.
📍Perch, Room 107, 445 Jiangning Lu, near Wuding Lu. Sat 28. From 3.30pm. Free entry.
Italian Wine Tasting
Ombra is teaming up with Vitae for an Italian wine tasting evening. You’ll be trying out a five-course menu that starts with a glass of prosecco paired with homemade bread, then onto bianchello with starter, salbanello with pasta, syrah with steak and, to finish, moscato with dessert.
📍Ombra, Block A, 550-37 Shaanxi Nan Lu, near Shaoxing Lu. Wed 25. 7pm-late. 298RMB.
Le DAiLY Industry Night Ep 3
Sasha Wijidessa from Empirical Spirits will be at Le DAiLY tomorrow serving delicious cocktails like The Blacker The Berry (The Plum I Suppose, blackberry, coriander seed, lemon balm), That Easy (The Plum I Suppose, green apple, yuzu, shiso) and more.
📍Le DAiLY, Room 106, 550 Wuding Lu, near Shaanxi Bei Lu. Tue 24. 8pm-late. Free entry.
Hawaiian Bloc Party
Catch those last summer rays before the season ends at The Cannery's bloc party on Saturday. There'll be Hawaiian food to feast on, tiki cocktails to get carried away on, and a variety activities that include belly flop and beer pong competitions and hula dancing. The pool party starts at 2pm and the after-party begins from 8pm onwards.
📍The Cannery, Bldg 1, Room 106, 1107 Yuyuan Lu, near Jiangsu Lu. Sat 28. 2pm-late. Free entry.
Hakkatini NGT Friday
Mark Lloyd, the man behind the bespoke drinks at J. Boroski, will instead be behind the bar at Hakkasan on Friday. He'll be mixing up cocktails (68RMB) using the new Crimson Pangolin x J Boroski Craft Gin as his base and beforehand giving a masterclass on the spirit from 7.15pm. Scan the flyer to sign up for the masterclass.
📍Hakkasan, Fifth Floor, Bund 18, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Nanjing Dong Lu. Fri 27. 7.30-8.30pm (masterclass) , 8.30-11.30pm (guest bartender shift). Free entry.
Music & Nightlife
Alter Rooftop Party and Savvy Exchanger Market
Shanghai partymakers Alter. are hosting a two-day extravaganza this weekend on the seventh floor of Jingan Gaohe Building that overlooks Jingan Temple. On Saturday you'll hear Medusa’s Michael Cignarale and Mau Mau with support from Tofu and Rachel, while on Sunday music comes from Tom Yeti and the Alter. Soundsystem backed by a synth session from O-Mori and loopio. Single tickets include one drink and two-day passes include two drinks.
📍Seventh Floor, Jingan Gaohe Building, 2 Huashan Lu, near Yuyuan Lu. Sat 28-Sun 29. 2-10pm. 150RMB; 120RMB (presale); 200RMB (two-day pass presale).
X Factory
On Saturday, X Bar will be reliving the disco-fuelled debauchery from Studio 54's short-lived but legendary two-year heyday. Taking inspiration from the iconic New York club, Daily Vinyl's DJ Endy along with Bellamonstro, Enzo Grasso and XDD will be on baseline duty, while local artist Jeff Tian will be decking the space out in a neon art installation. You can also expect appearances some of Shanghai's top drag queens.
📍X Bar, 7 Donghu Lu, near Yanqing Lu. Sat 28. 9pm-late. Free entry.
Love Bang Compilation Release Party
Celebrating the release of Love Bang’s new album Energy, Elevator is hosting a party with a star-studded lineup including Dirty K, Gouachi, Sierra Lima, Graphic Violence, Vorbi, MMQ and Heatwolves, bringing original sounds, hip hop, club trax, R&B, footwork and bold visuals to the dancefloor.
📍Elevator, B1, 265 Nandan Dong Lu, near Caoxi Lu. Sat 28. 9pm-2am. 80RMB.
Soundtuary de Oaxaca
Festival-inspired party concept Music Ecstatic Culture returns on Saturday with a Mexican-themed bash. Set across two stages - the first takes place on the terrace of La Barra with a lineup of Tys, Marcos Godoy and Lina K, while you'll find the second opposite on the same floor at mezcal bar La Mezcaleria with Akasatki, Karni Vlad and Mulan donning the decks. Dress code: Fedora hats, Mayan prints and Frida Kahlo-inspired everything.
📍La Mezcaleria, Second Floor, Bldg 5, Lane 110, 273 Jiaozhou Lu, near Yanping Lu. Sat 28. 3pm-3am. 180RMB; 150RMB (presale).
Film
The Guilt Free Cinema Club pres Haxan
The latest Guilt Free Cinema Club screening takes place at Inferno tomorrow night with 1922 silent documentary Haxan, soundtracked by DJ BO. The horror charts the history of witchcraft and will be set to a soundtrack of Lou Reed and Metallica's Lulu and David Allan Coe and Cowboys From Hell's Rebel Meets Rebel. There'll also be happy hour until 9pm.
📍Inferno, M101, United Valley, 462 Changle Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu. Tue 24. 8.30pm-late. Free entry.
Art
Kaos Trip: A Color Journey by Okuda San Miguel
Rainbow-coloured geometric patterns of animals, skulls, religious iconography and human figures: welcome to the world of the Spanish painter Okuda San Miguel. First debuting in Guangzhou's K11 Art Mall this July, the exhibition is at Bund 18 Jiushi Art Gallery for the next two months with 20-plus large-format pieces such as paintings, sculptures, embroideries and more charting the artist's career.
📍Bund 18 Jiushi Art Gallery, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Jiujiang Lu. Until Sun 24 Oct (closed on Mondays). 68RMB.
Yaacov Agam – Living Images
It's your last chance to discover the wealth of Yaacov Agam’s creativity in an exhibition designed for both adults and kids at the Playground inside West Bund Museum. Adapted from Agam’s installation 'The Salon Agam' that is currently housed in the Musée National d'Art Moderne inside Centre Pompidou in Paris, Living Images transforms the Playground into a kaleidoscope of shapes and colours in perpetual transformation as the viewer moves. Click here to buy tickets.
📍West Bund Museum, 2600 Longteng Dadao , near Longlan Lu. Until Sun 29 (closed on Mondays). 30RMB.
Chanel Correspondences: A Perfume Exhibition
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Chanel N°5, the French fashion house is hosting a massive exhibition that centres around seven of its signature perfumes. If you've ever wondered what the stories were behind the luxury brand's perfumes, this is a chance to dive into the head of Coco Chanel and hear its present perfumer Olivier Polge share the inspiration for his creations. Click here to register.
📍Shanghai West Bund Art Center, 2555 Longteng Dadao, near Longlan Lu. Until Thu 23 Sep. 10am-7pm. Free entry.
Family-friendly
Luca
Catch Pixar's latest animated adventure that pays tribute to out-of-the-ordinary friendships, in this case one between a boy and a sea monster disguised as a human.
📍On general release.
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