Thursday:

Alec Haavik and The Friction 6-8

Man were they robbed at the battle of the bands. It’s nothing against Uighur, who are entertaining performers, especially leadman Hassan, who has an undeniable stage presence, but The Friction Six really killed it that night and are in another class from the other performers on the night. The cards were stacked against them with the eight minute time limit. Also, rocky as they are, they were clearly two jazzy for the crowd who were looking really for straight rock/pop. We pick them all the time and it’s because they’re one of the best and most original bands in Shanghai. The Illusion trio play the early set.

JZ Club, 46 Fuxing Lu near Yongfu Lu

9:00-1:30ish

No cover

Friday:

SSO “Mad for Maisky”

Cellist Mischa Maisky studied with Rostropovich and has performed with the likes of Bernstein, Ashkenazy, and Barenboim, so he’s a heavyweight cat. Also that picture is INCREDIBLE. (Check out the rest of Dan Porges’ photography. There’s some awesome stuff in there). The program looks tasty as well: Shostakovich Festive Overture, Cello Concerto 1, and Tchaikovsky Symphony 4, which I’m pretty sure is the one my violinist friend (who just auditioned into the Boston Philharmonic after long bouts with tendinitis and ulnar nerve entrapment. Congratulations Matt!) only needs an exploding car in the finale to be perfect. Check it out! The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will also play a brunch concert of Vivaldi the next day.

Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, 425 Dingxiang Lu by the Pudong Science and Technology Museum

Tickets available at 50, 100, 150, 380, and 580RMB. Call 62172426 or 62173055 to book.

7:30 start

Saturday:

Sweatshop feat. Chilton Gaines

Sweatshop is back in effect at the end of this vacation when the weekend really starts after what I realize is a fake Friday for many of you. Chilton Gaines is coming in from Toronto to join the local crew in rocking the shelter down to sub-basement 4, where the top-secret biological experiments take place. JJ MCs and the support DJs are Siesta , Girafas, and Viceroy

The Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Xi Lu

9:00 start

40 RMB cover

Yellow Bananas and Slick 50

Due to Friday being a fake Friday I’ve subtracted an event there and added it over here. As with other Xingfu Lu events, you can go without having to totally commit to either as neither has a cover and they’re right next to each other. Bananas are doing their usual risque theme thing, as well as a pun (Ben HUANG=Yellow + Bananas). Should be a rocking fun night with excellent techno from one of Shanghai’s favorite DJs and two Shanghai’s favorite party impresario dudes.

Slick 50 of London threatens to drop the “heaviest sub, the bootiest rhythms and the shakiest snares. Off-beat danger jazz mixed with smooth smack grooves and freestyle soundscapes.” Sounds right up my alley. Split Works are making a departure from their usual indie thing to bring this guy over. That’s 50 Layabozi points for genre flexibility. Collect 10,000 points and you can redeem them for the layabozi snowboard!

Yellow Bananas at LOgO, 13 Xingfu Lu near Fahuazhen Lu

11:00 start

No cover

Slick 50 at Dada, 115 Xingfu Lu near LOgO and Fahuazhen Lu

10:00 start

No cover

Sunday:

HoB&J Jam Session with The Mike Null Blues Band

With the band in there now it’s definitely going to be a blues jam rather than a jazz jam. As always the drinks are a lot cheaper if you sit in and play a tune. Mike shreds and so does his band so check it out.

House of Blues and Jazz, 60 Fuzhou Lu near Sichuan Lu and the Bund

9:30 start

No cover