Oh hey kids! Satan here. I'm the darkness that lives inside each and every one of you. I'm the reason you spend all your tutoring money on white lines. I invented violence, disease, and tech-house. And WeChat. It's my birthday again! Now I know you're busy getting those Mario Bros. costumes and sexy nurse outfits ready, so I broke down my favorite parties into handy categories.
Shanghai, you've just got so much going on this year!
And a lot of it's gonna suck. I mean…?
Raves
1. SHFT / 1LVSH Warehouse Rave OOOOOO Trap music! That's Satan's shit. SHFT have a Halloween rave in a "haunted abandoned warehouse" near Xujiahui. They've got rap / trap producer Lex Luger (Gucci Mane, Juicy J from the 666 Mafia), with support from Conrank, Cavia, Mau Mau, Busy Gang, and many many more. They dropped a lot of coin on a soundsystem, stage, and visuals for this one. Looks large. Crowd is likely a bit younger. Cover is 120rmb pre-sale, 200rmb at the door. 2. Acid Rain Halloween (Friday) & S.T.D. 8th Anniversary (Saturday) @ Arkham Down in the darkness, where the oxygen runs low, Arkham has huge bookings all weekend. Both nights will cost you 100rmb. Not bad at all considering the lineups. On Friday, Rainbow Disco Club and Co:Motion team up to bring in three house, techno, and disco headliners who usually play at clubs like Berghain and Trouw: Solar (your favorite DJ's favorite DJ), Borrowed Identity, and JENILUV. Nice visuals by The Texture Group, who just made the new neon sign for Hell's Gates. Then on Saturday, promo crew S.T.D. celebrates eight years in the game with a serious lineup, including Mumdance, Beijing's Howie Lee, a DJ Set by UK band The Horrors, and local support from R3, ADO8, and Downstate. Expect this one to be packed. 3. Trick Or Treat @ The Mansion Hey it's Satan's lil' nest in Hongqiao! This place is terrifying when it's not Halloween. They got over 1000 young souls through the door last year, earning them a spot on the rave list for Devil's Night and Halloween night. Expect mild house and techno and a younger crowd raging until dawn and beyond, when the sun rises and transient youth pass out drooling on couches.
Rock / Live Music
1. 2015 Halloween Tribute Show @ Yuyintang
Every year, some Shanghai bands dress up as classic rock bands and pay tribute to The Lord Of Darkness (me). This year, it's Jackanapes and members of The Machinery Of Other Skeletons and XXYY as The Offspring, Hitobashira as Marilyn Mansion, Spill Your Guts as Andrew W.K., and The Arcbane as Cannibal Corpse (my favorite band ever). This is always a good time, and a good jump-off before hitting one of the raves or something. Recommended. Starts at 9pm. Cover is 50 bones.
2. Halloween Night @ Harley's
One of Shanghai's original rock bars is back from the dead this Halloween, with three Shanghai bands: Shu Ying (solo project by former Undress For Success keyboardist), Great Bear (indie rock), and Undress For Success (dance punk / indie pop). Doors at 9pm. No idea how this one is gonna go, but props to Harley's -- that's been a crucial venue for keeping Satan's presence felt in Xujiahui. No cover, but they're accepting donations.
3. Halloween @ Fennel Lounge
For something a bit chiller, Fennel Lounge has face pumpkin carving, fortune telling, and live music all night long, which starts at 9pm. Music will be more on the folk / bluegrass kinda vibe. Cover is 178rmb, including a welcome drink, finger food, and three cocktails. Music starts at 9pm. Maybe a good low-key one to take your date who doesn't like big crowds of drunk people.
Posh Shit
1. Diisneey Trash @ Bar Rouge Every year, Bar Rouge transforms from a posh Bund club into a fucked up fairy tale with twisted Disney characters, psychos, perverts, and other nasties. Now, Walt Disney has been hanging with the evil one in the abyss for years now. Naming the black crow in Dumbo "Jim Crow" and putting those racist-ass Siamese cats in Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers is what really got him in. Party starts at 9pm and goes till dawn on Saturday and Sunday. Crowd is Bund people. Price: 100rmb, or free before midnight with the password "Miss Rouge". 2. Glampire Ball @ Glam A bit posher, grown-and-sexy crowd for this one. With the International Literary Festival kicking off this Saturday, Glam might be the jump-off for bookish types and people who collect art. No cover. Champagne is on discount. Soft-serve ice cream! Starts at 7pm. 3. Hotpot Halloween @ LeBaron Some have called LeBaron hell and I find that offensive. For Halloween, they've got DJ Wordy dropping hip hop, twerk, trap, electro, and more turnt-up shiz, along with HBD and guest pop singer / socialite / KOL Jeff Kung (孔令奇). No dress code per-se. Maybe say you're on The Dark Lord's guest list.
Just Cheap
1. Donghu Lu Here's a nice choice for you lil' derelicts. Donghu Lu has a few convenience stores, a new park, and a bunch of free parties. Lune has Discosmic Adventure, Craft has some hippie-themed party, LeBaron is free (but the drinks ain't cheap), and Karma probably won't have a cover charge either. Lots to get into on Yongfu 2.0. 2. Zapata's Halloween Ok this is only on the list because you can actually make money at this party (without tricking). It's a good ol' fashioned costume contest. First place wins 3000rmb, second place wins 2000rmb, and third wins 1000rmb. Cover is 80rmb and includes two drinks. Ladies in costumes can get in free before midnight. Maybe more of an FOB / business creepers kinda crowd -- lots of my people up in here. 3. Love Bang Halloween @ Dada Bar Love Bang uncles playing hip hop, club trax, horrorcore, and more at classic dive-bar Dada for Halloween 2015. No cover, mixed crowd, messy times. Goes from 9pm-sunrise. In the same neighborhood, C's Bar has house and techno from the Brazen crew.
Free Flow
1. Annual Halloween Piss-Up @ Boxing Cat (Sinan Mansions) This is just five hours of free flow craft beer, house wine, wickedness, and mixed drinks for 150rmb, with some house music by Press Play. Very high value here. 2. Swedish Beer Club's Halloween @ 700 Huangpi Nan Lu These Scando-heathens do this every month -- this one just happens to fall on Devil's Night. So, 150rmb at the door gets you free-flow on Swedish beer and food from 7pm-midnight. 3. Halloween @ The Rooster (Both) Even Lucifer dreads the sight of roving packs of laowai on a daytime bender. Straight up all-you-can-drink madness at both Rooster locations. The 150rmb cover gets you all-you-can-drink Heineken, mixed drinks, and house wine from 4pm until the wheels fall off. There's a party bus going from Yongkang to Jing'an at 9.30pm for 50rmb as well.
We Don't Have A Category For These But They Deserve Mention
1. Halloween: The Rhythm Of Change @ Cambio Coffee
Now, normally Satan is not down with charity events, but this daytime Halloween jam organized by Cambio Coffee gets a pass. All proceeds from the 50rmb ticket and 15% of vendor proceeds go to the Chi Heng Foundation, which works with AIDS-impacted children in China. So much going on here...live acoustic music, dance performances, comedy, games and workshops, prize giveaways, face painting, a clothing market, and lots more. Finally, there are two free kegs of Asahi. The party happens at 425 Yanping Lu, near Changping Lu. Looks great, and family friendly.
2. The Rocky Horror Halloween Party @ Inferno
Someone had to do it! My favorite metal dive Inferno is showing the cult classic film and playing some of the music as well. Anyone dressing up in Rocky Horror style gets a free drink, and there's 20rmb shot specials all night long. No cover. Goes from 6pm-4am.
3. Basement6 Haunted House
Oh fuck yes. Those evil little spirits in the Basement6 / Uptown / IdleBeats lair are turning that cellar into a haunted house. Expect some trippy installations, chill tunes, and a eclectic, friendly crowd. Starts at 7pm and goes until someone shows up and turns the party off. No cover.
4. ShanghaiLGBT Halloween Pub Crawl 2015
Now, a lot of religious folks give me credit for gay marriage, but that was all God! (and Obama!) Check this one: two buses rolling to six venues around town, which all provide free entry, free shots, some drink deals, and trivia gifts. There's also prizes for best costunes. Pre-sale tickets are 150rmb before Oct 27, or 180rmb after. Updates and more info available on ShanghaiLGBT's WeChat account (ID:Shanghai-Pride). Starts at 8pm and goes late. Turnout was good last year, this should be a banger.
Have fun kids! Flood the streets with bloody angel wings, body parts, acid rain, and regret! See you in hell Amber Lounge!
All GIFs via Giphy
