Thursday: Swedish Radio Symphony w/ Frank Peter Zimmermann Daniel Harding conducts Mahler’s first Symphony (awesome bass part alert!) and Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 2. Zimmermann is a pretty big deal violinist, so it might be hard to get tickets, or cheap tickets at least, at this point. SmartShanghai has them, or you could try the scalpers outside the concert. Mahler and Bartok are awesome. Oriental Arts Center, 425 Dingxiang Lu, near Century Boulevard 7:30 start Tickets are 180, 380, 580, 880, 1280, or 1680 RMB

Friday:

Bajo Fondo

This popular tango-fusion band of Argentinian and Uruguayan musicians will be performing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Expo. They’ve got DJs, they’ve got bass and drums, they’ve got bandoneon, and Mache says it will be good. Sometimes compared to the Gotan project.

Exposition Square, Puxi side

8:00 start

Only expo entry is necessary, 90 RMB for a night ticket, more for the whole day

The Subs Andy Best’s favorite Chinese band. These Beijing punk rockers bring big energy and drama to the stage. They come to drop a new album and party with Boys Climbing Ropes and Pinkberry.

Mao Livehouse, 570 Huaihai Lu near Hongqiao Lu

9:00 start

80 RMB cover

King Khan and BBQ Splitworks brings this chaos-garage Montreal duo to Shanghai to rock YYT back to the 60’s and into the future. Hijinks aplenty. Opened by Fever Machine and the Beat Bandits. Morgan has lots more.

YuYinTang, 851 Kaixuan Lu near Yan’an Xi Lu

9:00 start

60 RMB cover

Saturday: Sweatshop does Crack 3 Dubstep, dub, and bassline house. Straight up. Mau Mau, Milan J, Siesta, and JJ MC.

The Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Xi Lu

10:00 start

30 RMB cover

JZ Big Band There have been so many special events that it’s been a lifetime since I picked a regualr JZ night, but Saturday is still the most epic JZ night, from the mysterious opening band (sorry, blame JZ’s notoriously bad PR) to the spectacle and power of the big band, to the surprise and variety of the JZ Old School Jazz Jam into the early hours.

JZ Club, 46 Fuxing Xi Lu near Yongfu Lu

10:00 opening band, 11:30 Big Band, 2:00 Jam session

30 RMB cover until 1:30 or so

Sunday: Technasia – China Red Tour Paris-bred Hong Kong-bed DJ Technasia stops by, courtesy of Ben Huang. Support from Ben Huang and Mickey Zhang. Techno.

The Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Xi Lu

10:00 start

60 RMB cover