SH Weekender Oct 22-25: 25 Shows, Parties, Concerts, and Markets to Hit

Writer, producer, founder of the music label/collective, Love Bang, and a Shanghai character since 2007.

Anything-goes DIY wonderland Cedar Land in C-Park hosts a showcase by Indonesian modular synth artists Parakuat and DEA HMGNC, "blending aggressive, minimal, ethereal, noise, anime inspired with textured pop." This is the Shanghai stop on their China tour. Looks fresh.

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Bass music/house/UK night Bouncy Bouncy celebrates five years in the game with ten DJs, producers, and artists on the lineup at this chill C-Park institution, including Aus artist LOIF and Bouncy Bouncy boss, echocatcher. Hats off to Bouncy Bouncy. Full lineup on the flyer.

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Former club System are now one of the biggest promoters in the city, known for hosting multi-room parties in spaces like theaters and shipping yards. This weekend they're at The Garage at K11, which has a really nice roof. Pretty eclectic lineup for this one, including guest DJs Cici and Saud coming in from abroad plus Shanghai mainstays Zhuo, Suiki, Velvet Robot, QiuQiu, and the Shanghai-based band, handycam. Read on

VOID is probably China's longest running techno night. It started at The Shelter way back in 2007 and has stayed underground and true to its roots ever since, dealing in Detroit techno and electro and booking countless artists from the global techno underground and giving a platform to Shanghai artists. They're celebrating their 19th anniversary at this new Changning basement club this month, with a proper VOID lineup: special guest and former Shanghai resident, Provoda (aka Rostov’s finest), Shanghai Ultra (VOID co-founder, playing a live hardware set), Ma Haiping (Axis Records USA / Modular Records UK), and newer VOID resident, Naxin, who also runs a night called Vaccum. Read on

Honey, the club night powered by Sugar House, returns to Candyshop near IAPM. Expect hip hop, R&B, afrobeats, edits, and good vibes from Sugar House residents and guests.

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If you like art, conversation, gardens that feel like Wuthering Heights, and experimental electronic music, this one is for you. This collaboration between Remote Company and DayJreamer is happening at what is low-key one of the chillest yet grandest bars in the city: Keep It Quiet, and it's part art project, part conversation with a panel of artists, part party with live sets and DJs. The music session starts at 9pm, with sets from User_DayJreAmeR, Yihan Xu（Live), SAK7II（SERAPHIM，Chengdu), and Migu (Live).

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Episode 36 of the Yuyintang Channel series continues to spotlight emerging (or unsung) bands over at their Basement space - and it's got an eclectic spread of rock, synth punk, and more, including Guji - a spirited glitter bomb of synth punk and new wave that’s playful, sardonic, and sharp as a knife. Meanwhile, Foolish Hill from Nanjing brings their chaotic brand of indie rock, blending grunge, post-rock, shoegaze, and jazz into something fresh. Finally, KAKERA sings out the most direct cries of the contemporary era with pop-punk. Read on

New Zealand indie rock band The Beths, known for impulsive, hook-filled indie rock inspired in part by the punk-pop of their youth, look to make some beautiful noise at VAS this Friday. Pairing bright guitars, fast drums and crunchy melodies and an irresistible rhythm section with razor-sharp lyricism about anxiety, self-doubt, relationships and the less-than-perfect parts of growing up, the Auckland-raised band, led by singer and guitarist Elizabeth Stokes, has become a juggernaut in the indie world. The band has performed at festivals including Coachella, Primavera Sound, Newport Folk Festival and Bonnaroo, supporting acts like Pixies, The Breeders, and Death Cab for Cutie. Read on

A Chinese post-rock fan’s dream lineup - SPEAK UP! features some of the best in the post-rock scene - bands that have put in the work, slowly building their fanbase and expanding their sound. Sparrow bring a sly, modest touch to their sound, one that unfurls at its own pace and is imbued with a texture that is at once delicate and brimming with vitality. Read on

Los Angeles thrash metal veterans Evildead - known for their unrelenting, lean, and assured vintage West Coast thrash make their way to China this week. Formed in the late 1980s, the band has been to hell and back over the years - always reassuring audiences with their hard-hitting sound - packed with speed, aggression, and crossover energy. For their Shanghai stop, they’ll be joined by the Wuhan thrash metal band Choleraic. Read on

Esteemed guzheng player and composer Yu Miao has been a staple of the classical and avant-garde scene for years. Known for her delicately assembled and lushly atmospheric arrangements, her music operates at that sublime intersection between electronica, contemporary classical music, and traditional Chinese music without ever coming off as gimmickry. Never bogged down in its details or ornamentation, Yu Miao composes some truly haunting compositions here - rich in their narrative and emotional pull whilst breathing new life into the ancient instrument. Read on

The machine may keep on churning but rock and roll continues to rally and rise its arms against the tyrannies - both big and small - of daily life. A lost cause, perhaps - but a waltz we’ll continue to dance till this planet’s last breath. So rise up! Read on

Esteemed Taiwanese folk musician Gou Mao - who blew to fame in the 1990s before migrating to Beijing in the early 2000s, becoming a figure among heavyweight hitters like Miserable Faith, Muma, and Tongue- brings his raw, spirited, and fiercely honest catalogue to Future Hall. Though acoustic guitar is often his weapon of choice, there’s always been a punk rock vitality to the singer - whose lyrics are known for being cynical, rebellious, and deeply observant. Expect a folk show with a bit more punch than usual.

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Rosas danst Rosas is a landmark contemporary dance work by Belgian choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, first created in 1983. Four female dancers repeat and reshape everyday movements such as sitting, standing and raising an arm, turning simple gestures into a tightly structured 100-minute performance that explores the female body, discipline, individuality and the collective.

Berlin's Schaubühne returns to Shanghai with Thomas Ostermeier's stage adaptation of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's landmark film The Marriage of Maria Braun. Led by Ursina Lardi, the production follows one woman's life in post-war West Germany, where personal ambition and national history become inseparable.

This is a high-definition cinema screening of the National Theatre’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated comedy. Directed by Max Webster, this contemporary staging stays true to Wilde’s sharp wit while adding physical comedy and modern theatrical energy.

Super Bund Music Carnival returns to the Bund, turning Yuanmingyuan Road into a multi-area music and entertainment experience. The festival brings together different styles of music, three performance areas, food and drink experiences, and activities across the historic neighborhood.

The Starry Nights Chamber Music Festival brings together legendary musicians Martha Argerich, Maxim Vengerov, and Steven Isserlis for two evenings of chamber music. The program features works by composers including Liszt, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Ravel, and Piazzolla, performed together with Theodosia Ntokou, Marios Papadopoulos, and Lyda Chen-Argerich.

Contre-nature is a contemporary dance production by French choreographer Rachid Ouramdane that explores aerial movement and the expressive possibilities of the human body. Ten performers from Compagnie de Chaillot combine dance and aerial performance through movements including falling, floating, lifting and supporting one another.

Queen! Men! Myths! Read on

Trumpeter Daniel Migliosi brings his quartet to Shanghai, joined by pianist Levi Harvey, drummer Kai Craig and bassist Géraud Portal. The group draws on different musical influences while combining jazz tradition with modern elements and their own individual styles.

A little penguin from Antarctica gets swept into an unexpected journey around the world in Once Upon a World, an award-winning physical theatre production by The Train Theatre. Through inventive puppetry, movement and humor, two performers transform simple props into a parade of curious animals, inviting young audiences to discover the wonders of the natural world.

Community and event space 'Dialogs' on Suzhou Creek returns with their chess club event. No pressure, no trophies — just a great Sunday with chess and interesting people. Whether you're an experienced player or simply enjoy a casual game, come by for a few matches, meet fellow chess enthusiasts, and spend the afternoon in great company in a historic building on Suzhou Creek, right next to Fotografiska. Read on