LIVE MUSIC
Shanghai Independent Music Week Opening Night @ LIVERSE (Sept 30-Oct 6) -- Seven nights of indie rock, psychedelia, funk, emo, post-punk, reggae, dub, dancehall, bass, and more, with live bands from 9pm, followed by DJs and other sounds from Shanghai's independent music scene. Free entry.
YĪN YĪN (The Netherlands) @ Modernsky Lab (Oct 3) -- Dutch quartet YĪN YĪN brings their mix of West Coast psychedelia, Southeast Asian sounds, cosmic disco and vintage synths back to China on tour for their latest album Yatta!.
Starstar 星之星 @ Cedar Land (Oct 3) -- Kunming singer-producer Hu Jie moves from the cold wave of Cephalosis into loose, experimental electro pop under the Starstar moniker, with a showcase of her latest release, Five Little Pigs.
Destroy the Redemption, Dissolution, CIVILSTRIFE 火并, Oroborus, Heterogeneousrectalecho, K.A.P. @ Coven by Cave (Oct 5) -- A six-band metal bill spanning thrash, hardcore, grindcore, brutal death metal and crossover thrash, with acts from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Xiamen.
Long Arm, Cat Swimming @ Yuyintown Basement (Oct 5) -- Russian producer Long Arm brings his blend of electronic beats, hip hop, jazz, house and funk, joined by Xi'an duo Cat Swimming for a set of fuzzy ambient textures and more propulsive electronics.
Torturing Nurse, Shu Ride, 屎壳郎推屎, Extreme John, XDISTR, SCAR, KEIII, ArchBus, UmiNoOku, TripleWood @ FENRIR (Oct 5) -- DARK HAZE takes over FENRIR with a mix of harsh noise, hard techno, metal and experimental sounds, featuring live sets from Torturing Nurse and Shu Ride alongside a long lineup of DJs, producers and performers.
Sweet Tie @ Yuyintown Basement (Oct 6) -- Ningbo instrumental rock band Sweet Tie tours its new LPAnanke, leaning into heavier distortion and expansive post-rock built around themes of fate, mythology and fictional tales.
Brandt Brauer Frick (GER) @ REACTOR (Oct 7) -- Berlin trio Brandt Brauer Frick bring their live take on "acoustic techno," combining classical instruments, analog synths, strings, piano, horns and bass into club-oriented electronic music. Back in Shanghai after last year's show, this time at C-Park's REACTOR. - Buy tickets here
Jazz & Shows
Alec Haavik — Jazz History Fusion @ JZ Club (Oct 3) -- Alec Haavik leads a seven-piece ensemble through a mix of modern Jazz and Rock, with saxophone, guitar, trumpet, keyboards, electric bass, drums and violin.
Benjamin Grosvenor Piano Recital @ Shanghai Concert Hall (Oct 3) -- British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor runs through Mozart, Beethoven, Scriabin, Liszt and Chopin, including Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata, in a solo recital spanning two centuries of piano music.
Sandra Samuel Quintet: This Is Ella Fun! @ JALC (Oct 3–4) -- Two nights of Ella Fitzgerald classics from a five-piece Jazz lineup featuring vocals, piano, saxophone, upright bass and drums.
Yao Jiayu Quartet — World Fusion @ JZ Club (Oct 5) -- Singer-songwriter Yao Jiayu leads a multicultural quartet blending Chinese traditional music with Jazz, Pop and African rhythms, with musicians from China, France, Austria and Cameroon.
Kevin Maxim Quartet: Reflections @ JALC (Oct 5–6) -- Soul, R&B, Jazz, Gospel and Funk meet personal stories and memories as Kevin Maxim's quartet explores the songs, people and moments that have shaped him.
Vienna Boys Choir Concert @ SHOAC (Oct 6) -- The Vienna Boys Choir returns with Austrian classics plus opera, film, musical theatre and folk favorites, marking 100 years of touring and 55 years of China-Austria diplomatic relations.
When R&B and Soul Meet Contemporary Jazz @ JALC (Oct 7) -- R&B, Soul and contemporary Jazz collide on reworked Sade, Stevie Wonder and Lalah Hathaway songs, with warm vocals and Robert Glasper-inspired arrangements.
STAGE & Concerts
Candor Cabaret Presents: After Babylon @ Candor Cabaret (daily except Mon–Tue) -- The second chapter of Babylon brings new characters, elaborate costumes, choreography and immersive performances to a chaotic story of transformation and identity.
Say Dunhuang — Xuyan Immersive Dining @ Xuyan (North Bund) (daily except Wed) -- Step into Dunhuang with live performances, scenic installations and a curated meal recreating the Silk Road oasis through its grotto art, celestial murals and caravan-era atmosphere.
Immersive Virtual Reality Theatre: TAIXU DreamScape @ MIFA 1862 (daily) -- Strap on an Apple Vision Pro for 60 minutes of dancers, theatre and strange digital worlds as TAIXU DreamScape blurs the line between physical and virtual reality.
AFROWAVE Presents MFR Souls Live in Shanghai@ La Burg (Oct 3) -- South African Amapiano duo MFR Souls bring their Johannesburg sound to Shanghai, joined by DJs and live talent from across the city's Afro music scene.
PREP China Tour 2026 @ Star@ Culture Center (Oct 5) -- UK indie favorites PREP return to Shanghai with their expanded live show, blending R&B, Electronica, Funk and Jazz into their smooth, genre-hopping Pop sound.
ART & IMMERSION
Computer Worlds @ West Bund Museum (until Feb 14) – Nearly 180 works and archival materials trace the evolution of digital art from early computer experiments to AI, 3D printing, NFTs and machine intelligence.
Goldfish Theatre: Millennium Oriental Goldfish @ The Bund Finance Center (ongoing) – An immersive journey through Chinese goldfish culture, with live fish, digital projections, light, sound and 10 themed spaces.
Paradox Museum 2.0 @ The Central (ongoing) – 50+ interactive installations across five themed areas, mixing optical illusions, mirrors and playful spaces designed to mess with your perception.
Skate of the Art @ Fotografiska (until Oct 25) – Photography, video and multimedia works trace skateboarding from its California roots to the global skate culture of today, including China.
Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Crafts @ Power Station of Art (until Oct 31) – BVLGARI jewelry, archival pieces and contemporary art explore color, cultural symbolism and the way light changes gemstones and metals.
Johnny Depp: Figures of the Fringe @ Modern Art Museum (until Dec 13) – Paintings, texts, videos and installations offer a look at Johnny Depp's work as a visual artist, beyond his better-known film career.
CLUBBING / NIGHTLIFE
Defun First Anniversary @ Defun (Oct 3) -- Putuo's Defun turns one with dark melodic techno, live sets and hip-hop-leaning beats.
fRUITY Decks Open Decks w/DJ Conggor @ fRUITYSHOP Record Store (Oct 3) -- An afternoon of open decks and Asian rare groove at this Changle Lu record shop.
Hip-Hop Carnival · Autumn by MESS·AGE @ Doop (Oct 3) -- This is the first party at Doop, the latest underground club to exist in the basement of 298 Xingfu Lu.
Hardcore Afters @ Abyss Club (Oct 5) -- Shanghai's harder electronic crowd goes late with hard techno, bass, and a local-heavy lineup.
The Yard @ ZUP Pizza Bar (Oct 5) -- A daytime Jing'an block party with hip hop, house, R&B, pizza, and five local DJs.
松风入户 Pine Wind Comes to Shanghai @ Slurp&Sip (Oct 5) -- Kunming musicians Starstar and Lihao bring a Yunnan food pop-up, drinks, and a little DJ session to Jing'an.
Brandt Brauer Frick China Tour 2026 @ Reactor (Oct 7) - Berlin trio Brandt Brauer Frick brings its groove-driven "acoustic techno" to REACTOR, blending classical instruments with club-ready beats.
WITH KIDS
Hickory Dickory Dock — English Interactive Puppet Show @ Little Player Theatre (Oct 1–7) -- Two British actors play nearly 10 characters in an interactive adventure about time, mixing puppetry, comedy and classic English nursery rhymes for kids aged 3–8.
Paradox Museum (daily) -- Optical illusions, mirrors and mind-bending spaces take over 50+ interactive installations across five themed areas, with plenty of opportunities to explore, interact and take some very strange photos.
The Disappearing Pharaoh: VR Exploration of the Pyramid Builders' Mystery @ The VERS (daily) -- Travel into ancient Egypt through VR, exploring the Great Pyramid, its construction logistics and the mysteries surrounding the people who built it.
Madame Tussauds@ New World Building (daily) -- Snap pics with superheroes, pop stars, and VR-enhanced wax icons—plus a horror maze if your kids are brave.
LEGO Discovery Center @ Parkside Plaza (daily) -- 12 themed zones, 2–3 hours of brick-fueled chaos, and free entry for kids under 90cm.
Changfeng Aquarium @ Changfeng Park (daily) -- Shark tunnels, penguins, and a marine science playground 13m under a lake—plus it's near Joy City for post-fish snacks.