Curated, Opinionated Shanghai Living

News, updates, everything we've got...
- Blue Note Jazz Club Finally Has A Place And A Date
  
  Developments! After the original date was postponed from spring to fall (called it in 2018), Blue Note Jazz Club is due to open in Shanghai in September. Originating in New York, Blue Note has grown into a global chain known for hosting all kinds of big names, from Quincy Jones to Herbie Hancock. The one in Beijing has been open since 2016. The Shanghai branch occupies a three-floor space in Citic Plaza on Sichuan Bei Lu, a stone's throw from North Bund and a ten-minute walk from the Bvlgari Hotel. Coincidentally, its immediate rival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, is also a stone's throw from the Bund and not far from a big-name hotel.
- Yuyintang Probes Deep Into The Bowels Of Hell For Summer Slaughter
  
  Shanghai's very own knock-off version of the most extreme metal tour in North America, Summer Slaughter is showcasing incestuous noises from Chongqing-based symphonic goth-metal band Hydraslug, hell-spawn thrashers Blood of Life, the malevolent fiends of Many Faced God and groove-death metal group Hitobashira, whose name means the sacrificial act of burying someone alive in the foundations of a building in Japanese. So dark! So metal. All four will be mercilessly thrashing eardrums to pieces at Yuyintang on July 27. If you make it to the end of the gig with all your limbs (and ticket) intact, there’s an afterparty at Inferno where you can finish the job with a 15% discount on drinks. So that's like... 5rmb off an Asahi? Tickets for Summer Slaughter are available on SmartTicket. Hail Satan.
- Sinan Mansion Boxing Cat Brewery Reopens Tomorrow After Brush-Up
  
  After a brief refurb and a thorough steam-clean for the upholstery, Boxing Cat Brewery at Sinan Mansions is official reopening tomorrow. What's changed? New decor, tweaked menu, and twice as many taps! Double taps! It's actually been reopened for a little while, like a soft reopening, or a re-soft opening? Whatever, it's open, but it's going to be extra open tomorrow. Wide open on those new taps, ie. free-flow beer for 128rmb per person. Go say hi to Lee.
  
  1
- Lambs to the Slaughter: New Internship Position Coming Open!
  
  Interns of the country! Unite! Er, rather, don't unite... Splinter! Break off one intern and send them our way! I mean, what we're trying to say is: SmartShanghai has an internship position for a native English speaker coming up in late August. This is a paid internship (though not very much) that will require a minimum six-month commitment and result in some dreadfully boring data entry AS WELL AS published articles on this very website. We will coach you. We will guide you. We will ask you to peel our fruit and cut the crusts off of our sandwiches. We'd like it if you had at least a conversational grasp of Chinese, and you'll need to be able to work four days a week, six hours a day during business hours. Interested? See the full requirements here and then shoot us an email explaining why we should choose you. Good luck!
- Lebanon Hanover Hit Shanghai, Gloomy Mist Descends On MAO Livehouse
  
  If Ian Curtis, Robert Smith and Siouxsie Sioux met in a nightmare and made a record on Kraftwerk’s old Korg MS-20 synth, you’d end up with an album by Lebanon Hanover. The post-punk, cold wave/minimal wave/dark wave goth duo is made up of Larissa Iceglass and William Maybelline, who first started working together when Swiss Iceglass visited Maybelline in Newcastle, his hometown. She credits it as a stimulus for their music, being “such an uncultivated and lifeless place.” Fantastic. Tickets for their Shanghai gig at MAO Livehouse on September 6 are available on SmartTicket, starting at 150rmb. Brightly colored clothing not advised.
- R.I.P.: Shanghai’s Shortest-Lived Vermouth Bar
  
  In a record even for Shanghai, Spanish vermouth bar Mentrida has gone into the history books a short three and a bit weeks after opening. Originally the brainchild of an owner who imported all the vermouth from his Spanish hometown (Mentrida), it is now just a bar serving Estrella after he and his team pulled out of the venture and took their vermouth with them. A shame, as the endearing joint was banking on sweet vermouth on the rocks with a twist becoming Shanghai’s new favorite aperitif. Personal issues — “internal investor complications” — were to blame.
- [Movie Night]: Five Film Screenings This Week, With More To Come
  
  Seems like the movie nights have begun in earnest. Lots of screenings this week. Especially tonight! The Pearl is showing The Hateful Eight as part of its film screening series, while Inferno continues its regular movie night with Mr. Lonely. Later this week, we've got a documentary about over-population screened by Green Initiatives, Farewell My Concubine over at The Pottery Workshop, and the start of Glam's Summer Movie Nights. They're showing The Great Gatsby, old boy. Read on
- Shawn Mendes Bringing THE Tour To Mercedes-Benz Arena In September
  
  Grammy nominated, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes is adding a date to the Asia leg of his tour promoting his self-titled album. That date is September 28 at Mercedes-Benz Arena. The Canadian pop singer/songwriter first got big around 2013, releasing song covers on Vine, which now exists only as meme compilations on YouTube. In a classic Social Media to Riches tale, that won him a record deal and, fast forward a bit, becoming one of only five artists to debut at number one on the UK charts before the age of 18. Big hits from the nubile crooner include "Stitches" and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back." Last year, he performed for Queen Elizabeth's 92nd birthday (big get for Her Majesty). If you'd like to hear Shawn sing about how he can treat you way better than your current bf, SmartTicket has tickets to Shawn Mendes starting at 480rmb.
- End of an Era: Brad Turley Closed Hai by Goga Over the Weekend
  
  Brad Turley came to Shanghai as a chef in 2003, and made a Turley-sized imprint on the city's dining scene almost immediately (239, Maneo, the opening chef of Maya, for the old-timers). Now, sixteen years later, his last venture in China, the terrace restaurant Hai by Goga seven floors above Yueyang Lu, is "taking a break" to figure out his next step. No plans to start a new, permanent restaurant again. For many of us, and for Turley himself, it's really the end of an era. Read on
  
  2
- Musical Collision Warning: Titanic and Dreamgirls Are Coming To Shanghai
  
  Musicals galore! Shanghai Culture Square really spoiling us with the singing and the dancing. First we had Matilda, and now we've got two Broadway shows with more Tony awards between them than Audra MacDonald. Dreamgirls, a soulful and soul-filled tale of showbiz and Motown, and Titanic, the story of forbidden love between an ice-cube and man's hubris rendered in steel. Set to Irish jigs and class warfare. They're happening in January and November, respectively. Tickets for both have just gone online over on SmartTicket. Read on
- Tomatito Reopens This Weekend In A Mall
  
  Good news, everyone. Willy's sexy tapas bar Tomatito 2.0 is reopening, after April's Zhangyuan closure consigned the original (and everything else in the area) to the dustbin of history. Their new digs are on the third floor of the Infinitus Mall just next to Xintiandi. And! They've netted a terrace, overlooking the bone-dry lake in Xintiandi Park. Read on
- We See You: Michelin Guide Inspectors In Town, This Is Where They've Been
  
  It may be a book I despise as much as Trump: The Art of The Deal, but there's no denying The Michelin Guide's influence on restaurants. (Way too much influence, I would argue.) In order to assign all those heavy stars, they have to tour the city every so often, eating and judging their way around town. Which they are doing right now! Where are they and how do I know? Read on
  
  1
- The Pearl Brings Back The Dark Circus Experience
  
  It's been two years since The Pearl last raised the curtain on its Dark Circus Experience, a variety show that got into some dark and ssssssssssensual stuff. After a couple years dabbling in the realms of mainstream concert sounds and theme-night parties, the Hongkou theater that made its name on cabaret, burlesque and risque circus acts is dipping its toes back in the hotsprings. The line-up again includes singers, acrobats, aerialist, dancers, actors, magicians, the works, but they've made it... bigger. They say they've made it... badder. They say it's... immersive. It's on this weekend, with tickets going for 180rmb on SmartTicket. Strictly adults only. Oooh. We're shivering with antici... Read on
- These Are The Fries Of Our Times: Royal Patat Serving Dutch And International French Fries
  
  Fengsheng Li abounds with venues delving deep into authentic, traditional cuisines. Tock's Canadian Deli. White Castle's All-American sliders. Taco Bell. Royal Patat joins the parade. A counter under an awning tucked down a side-alley next to a giant pair of clogs, Royal Patat has been commanding 15-minute waits for fries a la Hollandaise, as well as a la Americaine, Thailandaise, Mexicaine and, naturally, Spicy Chinoise. Reclaiming the fried chip from the Belgians! Read on
- Here's Something a Little Different: Masquerade Party in a Downtown Mansion
  
  Not your everyday event, this: arts outfit Elevate are throwing a masquerade party this Saturday at a hidden mansion on Gaoyou Lu. MasquerART, as its called (there will also be art, natch), combines music, live painting by artists Han and Yoky Yu, spontaneous dance performances by LifeImprovisor and Grupo ExPressão, and dinner for the early birds. Masquerade masks come with the ticket. Click here for details and pre-sale tickets!
MORE NEWS

Articles

ALL ARTICLES

WHAT’S ON

Today

22
Tue

23
Wed

24
Thu

25
Fri

26

The Effin B Brunch

To celebrate all the folks that keep the Shanghai restaurant and bar scene running, CAGES is throwing a Boozy Brunch. So whether you work in the industry, or just happen ...

Dining | Cages (Jiangning Lu)

Anje Weithaas Violin Recital

Prolific and talented German violinist Antje Weithaas started learning to play at four years old. Her musical career has seen her win prestigious awards such as the Kries...

Arts | Grand Theatre

Kathleen’s 20th + 1 Year Annivers...

The first Kathleen’s Shanghai opened in 1998 on Mao Ming Lu. To celebrate their 21st anniversary, they're offering 20rmb tapas and BOGO special cocktails all month.

Nightlife | Kathleen's Waitan
Hero

In ancient China, before the reign of the first emperor, warring factions throughout the Six Kingdoms plot to assassinate the most powerful ruler, Qin. When a minor offic...

Community | The Pearl

Tuesday Tunesday: Trip Hop Edition

Arts outfit Elevate occupy TY7 for their bi-weekly social night. It's an opportunity to drink, meet some creative people, and listen to some music. This week the focus is...

Community, Nightlife | TY7

Taco Tuesday

All you can eat tacos for 100rmb!. From 5pm to 10.30pm at one of Shanghai's most established taco shops.

Dining | Cantina Agave
BAZZI

Hit maker, cultural phenomenon, artist, singer-songwriter/producer, Andrew Bazzi is set to perform his first-ever live in Shanghai as part of his Asia Tour. Born to a Leb...

Nightlife | VAS Livehouse

Come Correct

The Come Correct Crew hosts the OG weekly hip hop and urban music night every Wednesday. Come Correct has been running since 2011 and has been a platform for many of the ...

Nightlife | Dada

Courtney Barnett

Australian indie artist does her first tour in China covering Beijing and Shanghai. The singer-songwriter mixes deeply insightful observations with devastating self-asse...

Nightlife | Modern Sky Lab
Deniro Farrar with DonMonique and T...

ALL goes deep on the Cult Rap, with Deniro Farrar and Trent the Hooligan, plus Brooklyn MC DonMonique. Deniro Farrar has collaborated with some of the most progressive yo...

Nightlife | ALL Club

Eating Music presents WHEELZ Vol.19

WHEELZ is a monthly Thursday night party at Elevator hosted by Shanghai independent label Eating Music. It has been running for 2 years with 18 times at old Elevator spac...

Nightlife | Elevator

Wine & Latin Street Food

American Wine Merchants are teaming up with Latin American restaurant La Mesa at More Than Eat for a wine tasting event. The event will run from 6pm-8pm and will highligh...

Dining | La Mesa
Noizu

Los Angeles based Noizu is quickly climbing through the ranks of house music. Making his debut on the Chris Lake and Skrillex curated ‘HOWSLA’ in 2017 with "Lasers’...

Nightlife | Arkham

Stone Brewing One Year Anniversary ...

The Stone Brewing Tap Room - Shanghai is turning ONE on Friday, July 26th, and pouring unique variations, vintage releases, barrel-aged brews, and other Stone-crafted bee...

Nightlife | Stone Brewing

Queen Tribute Concert

Queen! Men! Myths! Legends! Mixing stadium rock, metal, glam, and Freddie Mercury's operatic vocals, Queen exploded into the rock arenas around the world with the over-th...

Arts, Nightlife | The Pearl

ALL EVENTS

GALLERIES

- July 20, 2019
  
  Dj Tujamo
  
  @ Bar Rouge
- July 13, 2019
  
  DJ Gregor Salto
  
  @ Bar Rouge
- July 6, 2019
  
  2019 Punk Rock Tribes
  
  @ Yuyintang Park
- July 4, 2019
  
  Girls Night Out-July 4th
  
  @ Bar Rouge
- June 21, 2019
  
  It's the Ship
  
  @ SmSh Territory
- May 30, 2019
  
  SCIS Events
  
  @ Shanghai Community International School (SCIS) Hongqiao Campus
- May 30, 2019
  
  SCIS Campus
  
  @ Shanghai Community International School (SCIS) Hongqiao Campus
- May 28, 2019
  
  BISS
  
  @ British International School Shanghai (Puxi)
- March 22, 2019
  
  WISS DP Art Exhibition
  
  @ Western International School of Shanghai
- November 23, 2018
  
  Wellington Winter Christmas Bazaar
  
  @ Wellington College International Shanghai

[Essential Guide]: Sports

From ping pong to Chinese football and international tennis, it's everything you need to know about watching professional sports in Shanghai.

By SmSh

Apr 5, 2019

Sports & Recreation
MORE ESSENTIALS
[The List]: Gay Bars In Shanghai

Here's what's out there for gay bars in Shanghai. Cocktails and cruise control in the city's small but resilient gay nightlife scene.

By Andrew Cruz

Jul 26, 2016

LGBTQ
MORE BEST OF
[On The Radar]: BOR Eatery, Chili's

Dueling cuisines out there in the city: chef-driven Danish mini-hotdogs (and more) versus company-mandated baby back ribs (and more).

ALL RADAR

SMARTREVIEWS

18 Jul 2019

Try to read their menu without drooling

anitaeatsshanghai on The Commune Social

About 6 months ago a fellow smart-reviewer gave this place the ‘best brunch award’. Its fair to say that the Shanghai brunch game is getting pretty fierce so this was certainly a bold call, but with my curiosity peaked I was eager to see what set this place above the rest. The Com... Read more
17 Jul 2019

Lovely Place to Spend an Afternoon

tz209 on Dawn City Books

Located in the famous Columbia Circle, Dawn City Books is the perfect place to spend time catching up on some work or getting lost in a sea of books. Essentially a bookstore, café and restaurant combined, this place has got you covered for all of your needs. This place is also extremely a... Read more
15 Jul 2019

Eleven Years Later: The Beef Noodles Are Still Reliable, Still Around 30-40rmb

Heatwolves on Yolota (Mengzi Lu)

I first had Yolota back in 2008, when all I knew about beef noodle soup was dishwater Shanghai Lanzhou La Mian. Back then, Yolota was a revelation: thick beef cuts that tasted expensive, hearty soups – red wine soup! tomato soup! – and side dishes like braised tofu and braised vegeta... Read more