Photograph: Jim Strasma via Unsplash
We might be only day two into a six-day working week, but as per, Shanghai is pretty much bursting with events to keep you out and about this week. Go all out red, white and blue (even if you're not American) at parties across the city for the USA's Independence Day, dance like nobody's watching while raising money for Lifeline as un-choreographed party Dancelife returns, catch the first edition of Commune Reserve's Beer University and lots more.
Flyers courtesy venues and promoters. Click to enlarge.
APM Big Clearance Sale
Independent charity A Pleines Mains (APM) are running a big clearance sale this week with kids' clothes going for 5RMB, adult clothes for 10RMB and 50-percent-off all home deco tableware.
📍APM Qingpu, Room 8215, Second Floor, Bldg 8, 59 Xude Le, near Mingzhu Lu. Until Wed 1 Jul. 10am-midday. Free entry.
Queer Trivia
Roxie's monthly quiz night, with a heavy emphasis on the Q, is back. Fabulous prizes from sponsors like Spread the Bagel, The Pearl, Laiba and many more. All gender expressions and sexual orientations welcome – knowledge has no limitations! Bring your own team or join one on arrival.
📍 Roxie, Second Floor, 359 Kangding Lu, near Shaanxi Bei Lu. Thu 2 Jul. 8pm. Free entry.
Very Integrated Mic
Spoken word, poetry, music... any form of creative self-expression is welcome at this special edition of open-minded mic night Very Open Mic, set to the theme of 'integration and awareness'. Sign up for performers is first come, first served.
📍 Yuyintang Park, B1, 1398 Yuyuan Lu, near Dingxi Lu. Thu 2 Jul. 7.30pm. Free entry.
Light in the Dark
Improv troupe Zmack are putting on a special charity musical set to themes of light and dark and donating proceeds to emotional support helpline Lifeline.
📍 Lucca 390, 390 Panyu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu. Thu 2 Jul. 8pm. 100RMB (includes one drink).
Vegan Dim Sum Cooking Class
Channel your inner chef and get creative with this hands-on vegan cooking class. Learn how to make traditional Chinese dim sum and colourful spring rolls and feast on them after. Taught in both English and Chinese, the class costs 198RMB per person and places are limited.
📍 Chinese Cooking Workshop, 370 Wulumuqi Nan Lu, near Zhaojiabang Lu. Sat 4 Jul. 4pm. 198RMB.
Dancelife
Dance like nobody's watching at this one-hour un-choreographed party that raises funds for Lifeline. No worries if you have no dance experience, it's a judgement-free and substance-free party, set to a freshly curated playlist, so dancers can let loose and express themselves. Children are welcome but must be supervised.
📍 M's Dance Studio, Room C, Third Floor, 1 Maoming Nan Lu, near Yanan Lu. Sun 5 Jul. 5.30pm. 50RMB.
Commune Reserve Beer University: Sour Power
Pucker up sour beer lovers, Commune Reserve’s first edition of Beer University is all about it. One for beer nerds and noobs alike, there's a tasting of six sours – ranging from traditional styles to experimental small batches – paired with a lesson covering the history of sour beers, the wild yeasts and bacteria that make beers sour, how to properly taste sours and all things fermented and carbonated.
📍 Commune Reserve, 1107 Yuyuan Lu, near Fenggang Lu. Wed 1 Jul. 7pm. 148RMB.
All Smoked Up
Boxing Cat celebrates the diversity of the US this Fourth of July with a 'free-flow' barbecue bringing flavours from all over the globe, grilling up the likes of 'all-American' burgers and brats, K-Town kalbi, smoked barbecue jerk chicken wings, beef koobideh and garlic shrimp tacos. It's also a chance to register to vote with Democrats Abroad for the upcoming November election. It’s non-partisan so all are welcome. Reservations recommended at 6431 2091.
📍 Boxing Cat Brewery (Yongfu Lu), 82 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Yongfu Lu. Sat 4 Jul. 2pm-late. 198RMB.
4th of July Party at The Rooster
Dig out your stars and stripes and head down to The Rooster for country music, American movies and deals on bourbon shots, corn dogs, chicken wings and all that good stuff for the USA’s Independence Day.
📍 The Rooster, 455 Shaanxi Bei Lu, near Beijing Xi Lu. Sat 4 Jul. 11am-late. Free entry.
Backyard BBQ
Celebrate Fourth of July with a big ol' backyard barbecue at Cages. Expect food tents turning out American barbecue favourites, backyard games like cornhole and giant Jenga, live music and a charity hot dog eating contest. It’s all topped off with American-themed karaoke from 6pm till late.
📍 Cages, Third Floor, Jing'an Sports Centre, 428 Jiangning Lu, near Wuding Lu. Sat 4 Jul. 100RMB (presale, includes six food and drink tickets).
4th of July at The Hop Project
Tuck into deals on grilled cheese sandwiches, Bloody marys, house wine and lager – starting at 10RMB each from midday-1pm, 15RMB from 1-2pm, 20RMB from 2-3pm and 30RMB from 3-10pm. All craft beers are 35RMB until 10pm and catch live music from 6pm.
📍The Hop Project, 372 Dagu Lu, near Chengdu Bei Lu. Sat 4 Jul. Midday-10pm. Free entry.
Sweatshop presents Siesta Loca
Revered Shanghai bass belle DJ Siesta (also of Pie Society fame) celebrates her birthday with a two-hour set curating the best tunes that soundtracked her D&B journey over the last 23 years. She'll be joined in support by the rest of the Phreaktion Music family including Daniel Power, Fractale, Resinate and Blanca.
📍 ALL, Second Floor, 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu. Fri 3 Jul. 10pm. 80RMB; 40RMB (before midnight).
Red Stars and Stripes
Don your studded stars and stripes for The Pearl's Red Stars and Stripes summer rock concert, with live music from the Red Stars band (think covers of Aerosmith and Nirvana to Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam and Jimi Hendrix) as well as burlesque performances. This adults-only night will be hosted by Miss Liberty (Cocosanti) and features vocals from guest rocker Mark W (Chicago).
📍 The Pearl, 471 Zhapu Lu, near Haining Lu. Fri 3-Sat 4 Jul. 6pm-late. 120RMB, 100RMB (presale).
EDITION Roof Garden Opening
Soak up the lush surrounds of The Shanghai EDITION's Rooftop Garden while watching the sunset over Shanghai at this season opener from MVP Events and Freelance Lovers. Entry includes one drink.
📍Roof Garden, 29th Floor, The Shanghai EDITION, 199 Nanjing Dong Lu, near Henan Lu. Sat 4 Jul. 150RMB; 120RMB (presale); 100RMB (early-bird).
CINEMQ 32: CHROMA
Queer film screening and party series CINEMQ presents CHROMA, a night of short films to celebrate pride followed by an afterparty with music and visuals from Medusa's Michael Cignarale and Mengki. Films with Chinese and English subtitles.
📍ALL, Second Floor, 17 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu. Thu 2 Jul. 8.30pm-late. Free entry.
Under Lockdown
Photograph: courtesy Xime
A solo exhibition at Xime by artist Jaime Ekkens, whose two series of drawings Street Food Portraits and Almost Empty Spaces were completed during Shanghai’s loneliest months at the epidemic’s height this year.
📍 Xime, First Floor, 1-B, 989 Changle Lu, near Changshu Lu. Until Fri 17 Jul.
crypto_manifold
This group exhibition of global artists explores the panoptic application of blockchain technology, placing technological topics, such as DAO (decentralized autonomous organization), cryptocurrencies and tokens, smart contracts, and crypto algorithms into dialogues with wider social and cultural context. If these words haven’t made your head dizzy already, this one is for you.
📍 Chronus Art Center, 50 Moganshan Lu, near Xi Suzhou Lu. Until Sun 25 Oct (closed Mondays). Free entry.
A Misty Gaze Into Infinity
A graduate of the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, Tang Jie’s medium of choice is the natural world – water, wood, sand and stone. In a solo exhibit at Powerlong Museum, across a dozen installations, the young Chinese artist looks beyond human interpretations to explore how natural elements like fire and water tell their own stories about life, the universe and natural order.
📍 Powerlong Museum, 3055 Caobao Lu, near Xinzhen Lu. Sat 4 Jul-Sun 24 Aug (closed Mondays). 60RMB; 40RMB (presale before Jul 3).
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