They say the best way to get over jet lag is to go to INS and then go to C-Park, push through the wall, get a taco or some peanut noodles, and then walk home in the purple rain.
They say the best way to cure a broken heart is the same.
This is our weekly, human-curated shortlist of what's on. As always, hit up smartshanghai.com/events/nightlife for much more. Listing events is free - hit us up if you've got something planned.
After a strong ten-year run, restaurant/lounge/bar The Cannery is saying goodbye to its Yuyuan Lu location. They're looking for a new location, but first, they're clearing out their stock. All bottles - and we're talking everything - are 50% off. If you wanna stop by one last time for a drink and some fish, this is your last night to do it. Hats off to The Cannery, may they find a new spot soon.
Very solid deal at this club on the corner of Fumin Lu and Xinle Lu - aka The English Corner aka The Triangle of Sadness - on Thursdays this summer. For 98rmb, they're doing free-flow drinks all night long, soundtracked by hip hop, house, R&B, and pop from the club's resident DJs. The deal includes unlimited prosecco and house mixed drinks and shots, but not premium cocktails.
Excellent booking at Abyss on Friday. Safety Trance is the club-focused alias of Venezuelan producer Cardopusher, who blends reggaeton, dembow, industrial, techno, and rave into some fierce, high-pressure, and darkly sexy dance music. He’s a frequent collaborator with Arca, and his sets blend Latin rhythms and underground club sounds into something raw, fast, and unmistakably his own. He’s also one of those fairly rare producers that's also a really good DJ. Support from Goga, Discipline, Guso, and XDISTR. Recommended.
Paul Wolsch is a Costa Rican DJ, producer, and vinyl collector whose eclectic sets blend house, techno, and acid into deep, genre-spanning journeys. A longtime resident at Club Vertigo, he’s shared the booth with leading underground artists while also founding the influential platforms GAG, SPUNK, and WARP Festival, helping shape Costa Rica’s electronic music scene. The local support might be even better: Nanjing's Mariio and Shanghai-based DJ Huan Huan.
C-Park club Illum hosts hyperpop artist SEBii, who has worked with Frost Children and Billionhappy and even got a repost from Carti. You might know him from the viral meme song "Play Poker Remix". This is just some straight up sugary music from the internet's mainline – turnt up, melodic, and pretty fun. Support from V, Kino, ambii, chenpol, and is it raining in your mouth? playing everything from witch house and trap to dancehall, underground EDM, and more. Big offline night for the internet musics.
Sugar House, the promoter known for R&B, hip hop, edits, and community vibes, is back at this neigborhood bar on Friday night with an open decks session. Here's what they're saying: "All Shanghai‑based DJs are welcome to spin tracks, connect and have fun.DJs joining the open‑deck session also stand a chance to land official gig invites from SUGAR HOUSE.DJ sign‑up via WeChat: sugarhouseparty. Please send your set demo or DJ performance video. Music style: BPM suited for intimate party vibes. All genres that keep the crowd good‑spirited are welcome." According to the founder, the most suitable BPM for intimate party vibes is 140 or under. These parties start right at 9pm and often go a lil bit later than their official ending time of 1am.
Big double headliner night at C-Park club reactor this Saturday, with house producers Jacques Greene and DJ JM, plus a solid lineup of local support from Kin J, Siesta, Sai G, Ikke, and Guz. Jacques Greene and DJ JM take two different routes to the same destination: the dance floor. Greene blends house, UK garage, and R&B into warm, emotional club music, while DJ JM’s hard drum sound is all syncopation, low-end pressure, and raw physicality. Looking like a solid night for fans of bass, R&B-infused club music, and UK club sounds.
This looks real good. Shanghai radio station/community platform byyb heads out to a roller rink in the suburbs - Qingpu to be exact - for a radio takeover by the young label 大地360. The rink looks cool and old school, and also has a Cantonese restaurant. There's no cover, just venue ticket and skate rental fee, which is around 45rmb on Dianping or 90rmb at the venue. The kids from the label are super cool, and pushing new Asian underground club music and a bit of pop. They just did another broadcast from an arcade this week. Fun times. Address: 哇咔溜冰场, 2F, Bei Qu, 5386 Jiasong Zhong Lu, near Yinggang Dong Lu, Zhaoxiang Zhen, Qingpu District.
