More unfortunate, and, frankly, pretty damn frustrating news for Shanghai nightlife -- two of Shanghai's LGBT dance clubs have closed down in the last two weeks. Dance dungeon Shanghai Studio, which was packed with sweaty boys for nine years, shut down unexpectedly on Thursday, December 11. The very next night, (beloved) pansexual live house 390 (same owner) received a visit from The Man, who shut down the party at 2am and summarily carted off all the DJs and staff to jail, and were released after 20 hours.

The Panyu Lu bar opened the next night and for a few more days but has been closed since December 16, when authorities returned on a comedy night and suggested closing up early at 9pm. City Weekend incorrectly reported that they're open for food but are unable to serve alcohol. Pretty sure it doesn't work like that. We spoke with 390's management, who said, "Basically, until we can figure out what’s the current reason for the continued early closing requests, and how we can comply in any way possible to our local police friends, we will remain closed".

It appears that Changning district authorities have been pursuing basement bars for the past year. Hopefully C's can withstand the heat. Hopefully, everyone can withstand the heat. Indeed, it would be safer to take Studio out of the underground and onto street level, and a new Shanghai Studio location is planned to open around the corner after Chinese New Year, still firmly, resolutely, in the gayborhood.

Silver lining.

Why this is all occurring now is anyone's guess. One theory is most likely these closures have to do with annual police clean ups and end-of-year quotas. Hopefully, this blows over after the new year, lest the gayborhood be pushed out to Minhang or Baoshan, or out further still... as in "of existence".