Summon some inner peace and piece together your best indie outfit for Shalanaya Open Air Festival's return to Shanghai. The three-day music cleanse on the banks of Dianshan Lake seeks to unite people spiritually through various genres of music, from psyctrance to acoustic performances with indigenous overtones. This year will bring bigger acts than ever before, with some of Europe's best undeground DJs and a few up-and-coming Chinese musicians set to make impressions.
The festival will go on day and night (with plenty of options for accomodation and transportation on the Shalanaya website – click below) and will have three separate genre-specific stages to choose from. With plenty of top DJs, you'll probably need a break from all that spiritual bopping sooner or later. Cultivate that inner woke-ness and take an acroyoga class, join a healing circle designed to increase positivity, or choose from any of the throng of activities designed to calm your spirits.
Originally organised by a group of expats who felt that Shanghai lacked 'soul', the Shalanaya festival seeks to be a 'journey of music and dancing, exploration, odd coincidences, synchronicities, meeting and making new friends, reconnecting with old ones and on a deep and satisfying level', according to Blaine, one of the event's founders.
Here are some of the events you can expect at this year's festival.
DJ Fugui
This Chongqing native brings that Sichuan spice to trance music and a self-crafted genre he dubs 'carefree party'. Inter-weaving concepts of heaven and earth across vibrant synthetic sounds, DJ Fugui is a pioneer of Chinese electronic.
Shamatic Sound Journey and with Shantih Shala and Healing Session by Natalia
You've been meaning to get into meditation but never got around to it, and you're finally ready to confront that inner self you so successfully avoided all these years. Making use of traditional Tibetan instruments and the sound of your own voice, this meditation circle is designed for beginner yogis to learn the basics of breathing and contemplation.
Mandala painting by Frankie
Mandala art is a ritualistic form of 'sacred gemoetry' often used in Hinduism and Buddhism that represents the universe and supposedly connects its creator to a sacred hypnotic space. Learn how to make these beautiful figures with an expert and focus on the art of personal evolution.
Intro to Flow Arts and Fire Spinning by Partner Poi
Your mama told you never to play with fire, but she never knew that you could take lessons from professional fire flirters. Considered part spectacle, part meditation, part exercise and just overall awesome, learning a skill that will make you look like a true badass at parties is nothing short of an ego boost.
Elfany
Beijing-based DJ Elfany brings funk and good vibrations to the spinning table, with a philosophy of positivity behind her music. While she still woos those deep basses and bangs the trap snares like the big boys, she does so with singular edge.
And much more...
Hoola-hooping class, professional massages, belly dancing, gratitude classes... you name it. Every hippy in Shanghai and their creative auras will be at Shalanaya.
Shalanaya 2017 728 Jinshang Lu, Jinze Town, Qingpu. Tue 3-Thu 5 Oct. 11am. 480RMB (presale).