&M The Agenda takes a sweeping look at the next month in Shanghai and selects the big events in the respective categories of dining, music, art, and more, more, more. Here’s your socio-culture calendar for the next month in Shanghai. The December victory lap for 2011 has a bunch of sights and sounds and smells on for you good people in Shanghai. Santa’s coming, Jewish Santa is coming, and we’re all gonna make out like bandits this year. Here’s what’s on the agenda for clubbing, concerts, dining, arts, shopping, blah, blah… Actually, first, let’s take a look at D-Day… December 10. Seems like every single promoter in Shanghai has something on for that night. Let’s watch!

Choose wisely, my friends. Kode9 @ The Shelter Hyperdub label founder, dubstep luminary, unflinching academic, and frequent guest of honor in Shanghai, Kode9 returns to town, dropping a Burial-only set between 10pm-11pm, and then returns later on into the night with his main set. SUBS @ Mao Livehouse Still going strong after several years on the circuit, one of China’s best live punk bands returns to Mao Livehouse. Feel the fury. MESH 2 Opening Party feat. Drop the Lime @ Rico Rico MESH 2, kicks off with bass maximum overdrive music from Drop the Lime at Rico Rico. He’s back in town behind his newest CD, Enter the Night, out on his own label, Trouble & Bass. He's got sweet hair. Trash a Go-Go pres. Dead Elvis @ Yuyintang Making his third appearance in Shanghai is one-man, zombie honky tonk, Elvis man-band, Dead Elvis. Last time he was here he got so hammered he broke his guitar, fell off his chair, and had to be physically removed from the stage. It... was awesome. Straight outta of Disgraceland: Dead Elvis back at ‘Tang. Booskabash pres. Nova Heart, Super VC, The Word, Friend or Foe, Studio 188 Something for everyone at the closing of the Booshkabaash shaker. Psychadelic-ish, disco, post rock, electro pop from Nova Heart (Helen Feng’s side proj.), super popular Brit pop band, Super VC in from Beijing, and an eclectic mix of local talent to rinse it out. Split Works pres. Chad Valley + Hamacide, Jay.Soul The big one coming at the end of Split Works’ Five-Year Anniversary concerts. Chadwick Valls, doubling down on shows in Shanghai, joined by locals Hamacide and Jay.Soul. More info here. *** And on with the show...

December is a relatively quiet month on the F&B front. There will, of course, be a bevy of annual Christmas and NYE dinners and parties. As of now, only the hotels have anything planned. You can count on most of the restaurants in town putting things off until the 11th hour, at which point we'll post a fully-fledged article with all of the details you need. In the meantime, however, you can keep checking back right here as the deets come trickling in. One happening to watch out for: Yucca's getting a makeover. Laris has decided to nix the mod Mex theme with the masked wrestler motifs (so 2009) and expand the brand name to "Yucca Artisan Bar & Provisions." He's also snatched up Ryan Noreiks, formerly of The Alchemist, to run the bar, so expect lots of creative, boozy molecular concoctions. Watch for a reopening December 9. That very same day over near that expat enclave, Sanhe Huayuan, Cali Burger is slated to softly open. Among Shanghai's Yank contingent, there's been quite a bit of buzz surrounding this place, due to the “drawing of inspiration” from the famed California chain In-N-Out Burger. Expect all of Shanghai to sound off on that with the vociferousness only a burger restaurant opening can command. Finally, Lolita was a bust, but the guys behind Lola have found another option. They've gutted out King Coffee down the street and replaced it with a new concept called Pepito. It's standing room only concept, serving a menu based on "traditional tapas, nothing fancy" and the like. We're curious to see if the Lola's popularity as a nightlife spot will translate into dining. Super secret soft opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm to midnight; Sunday noon to 6pm. Closed Mondays. And also... The COOK in the Kerry Hotel presents the Mega Laksa Challenge. All December, they're serving gigantic, five-man bowls of laksa. Finish one off by yourself within an hour you dine for free, get immortalized with your name engraved on a plaque, and some kind of unnamed "prize." Remember: Heartburn is temporary. Glory is forever.

Look at Bob Sinclar. He’s all, “HOOOO! I invented French house music, you guys!” And that random model chick is all like, “Grrrr, Bob Sinclar, you spell your name so weird and shit, and it aggravates me, and turns me on so much, and I'm naked and I wanna get all nasty with you, Bob Sinclar! Love generation, Bob Sinclar!” So, yeah, Bob Sinclar [sic] is your big clubbing event this month -- looking a bit like "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan at the senior prom, to be quite frank. Which is being held on a cruise ship. Tickets are a million RMB -- buy them here! -- and it’s on a Thursday, and people don’t even care because it’s just about completely sold out. Thursday. December 8. Bar Rouge. Yes. Feel the French touching you. And also... Packed line-up for the Shelter Anniversary and on into the month, as they round out 2011. All these are big-time bookings: December 1 is Shigeto, December 2 is Quantic, December 3 is DJ Krush, December 10 is Kode9. December 24 is the MESH 2 Closing Party feat. Goldie. Drop the hammer. And also, also... DJ Jazzy Jeff is a way cool guy, we hear, because he still gets people bugging him about Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and his tumultuous relaish with Uncle Phil and stuff -- I would ask him, for instance, if he ever bagged Hilary, as his attempts to do just that were oft a source of much comedic amusement on Fresh Prince -- but he's also a real good DJ. He's at Zeal on December 2. Get tickets here. And finally... Too early to tell about the big night, New Year's Eve, but we hear UK clubbing brand, Gate Crasher will be in town, yet another TICT warehouse party is in the works, and the other, other, other, other, other Black Eyed Pea will be doing a DJ set. Early prediction: it's gonna be a good, good, good night. Check back later on-ish for NYE par-tays.

Brought to you by local promoters Three Chord Truth, this Booshkabaash thing, their third such event, is rounding out a busy year of live music in Shanghai with a bit of eclecticism -- rock bands, DJs, hip hop groups, jazz and blues musicians sharing multiple stages and bills with a sort of Christmasey feeling of togetherness. Seasonal glow provided by sponsors, Heineken. Full line-up and tickets, right here. Dates are December 7 to December 10. Lots of muscial goodness on offer. Pictured is one of Beijing's Super VC, who will be rounding out the thing on the last day on December 10 at The Mixing Room. If he doesn't crack his head open walking into a wall first. Get a haircut, hippy! And also... a pair of local milestones (or kidney stones, depending on your musical tastes, ka-pow) to look out for this month: local loop-head, space travelers, Duck Fight Goose release their latest full-length record "Sports" at Yuyintang on December 16. Last chance to see them for the year before they take that sucker up for a test drive in Beijing. On top of that, the kings of Shanghai rock and schlock (and occasional exposed cock) Top Floor Circus celebrate their 10-year anniversary at Mao Livehouse on December 24. The whole city will probably turn up expecting theatrics... and even if they don't end up getting any they'll go away satisfied: "Man, Top Floor Circus were great last night. They didn't even really do much. It was crazy!"

Christmas is a-coming, and to ring in the festive season there's a veritable Santa sack of Christmas Markets popping up around town promising yuletide treats and gifts galore for the seasonal shopper. Now in its fifth year, the big one will be at German pub Paulaner on Fenyang Lu, who kick off their their three-day Christkindlmarkt on December 9. Otherwise, there's one-dayers at Anfu Lu on December 8, and for Hongqiaoren, Bébémamie's Christmas bazaar will take over Mandarin City on December 6. The international schools are getting in on the act too, specifically SAS and Dulwich Pudong campuses on December 1 and December 3 respectively (the latter promises a bouncy castle). And also... if you're less glühwein and tree trinkets and more cool indie fashions, an alternative shopping fix is the monthly Night Market at Dada on December 14, this time round featuring the likes of Audrey's Vintage and Shanghai newcomer The Hat Lab. Or, on December 3 and December 17 head to Jiashan Market's Designers' Corner for established and emerging brands selling clothing, accessories, jewelery and more, as well as the usual spread of jams, baked goods and organic treats at the adjacent farmers' market. And also... hopefully those will solve most Christmas shopping conundrums, but if not, Singaporean pop-up nana&bird have just welcomed a slew of new creatives to their lanehouse store, whilst design emporiums Asig, Casa Pagoda and Kava Kava are hosting tempting December-time sales. And finally... Christmas isn't just about shopping though; there's partying to be done too, and for a suitably bling outfit, Versace have designed a limited and inexpensive line of clothing and accessories for H, on sale at stores throughout the city until January.

Lots going on this month for the creatively inclined, much of which is centered around the River South Arts Festival, kicking off this Thursday, December 1 with singer-songwriter, fashion designer, artist, and general all-round multimedia talent, Redic. The festivities span a full four days and we're especially looking forward to Saturday's launch of Middle Kingdom Underground, a second anthology of short stories from Shanghai by local indie publishers H.A.L. As well as readings, DJs and likely booze aplenty, they'll also host another of their poetry slams -- should be a good 'un. And also... back from their Euro-travels to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival earlier this year, theatre group, SRT are hitting the stage with a suitably magical performance of The Enchanted Circus of Grimms, running from December 9 to December 17 at the Ke Center. Expect the likes of Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty and Rumplestilzkin as you've never seen them before, and find out just what happened after each of their 'happily ever afters'... And also... art meets shopping at Foundry Gallery this December, thanks to screen printers extraordinaire IdleBeats. They'll be exhibiting some 80 original posters and prints including collaborations with international artists. Lots of 'em will be on sale from as little as 100rmb, making for pretty special Christmas gifts for cooler friends and family. One day only: December 10. And finally... NORDOX, or the Nordic Documentary Film Festival to give its full name is taking over Shanghai's Rockbund Art Museum until December 2. This is the first time the annual event has traveled beyond Beijing during its six year history, and celebrates creative, cutting-edge contemporary documentary films from Nordic nations. For the full details and schedule, click here -- highlights include the hard-hitting Tears of Gaza by Vibeke Løkkeberg and Jessica Nettelbladt's altogether lighter, I am my own Dolly Parton.