Decisions, decisions. Time was, choosing your live music for the night in Shanghai was easy: you headed to Yuyintang, occasionally the Dream Factory if there was something big on. Maybe, if you were into something a bit different, you'd head out to Live Bar. Generally speaking though, there was one stand out gig on a weekend and it was a pretty straightforward choice. Well, no more, if this weekend is anything to go by. We're not saying this is a brave new world yet, just that we hope it's a sign of things to come. If it is, picking your weekend gigs is going to get a lot tougher. But don't you dare go complaining that there's too many options. more ›

The last few weeks have seen a steady stream of great gigs on the Shanghai live scene, something that is set to continue this weekend. Does this mean that the city needs more gig venues? We're not so sure, but there are a few signs of some more live options coming our way. First, a certain underground rehearsal studio has started putting on the occasional show and will host Torturing Nurse's 5 year anniversary in a few weeks. Second, Soma - the people behind the Indie Top label, which hosts bands such as Momo and The Mushrooms - are reported to be looking at opening a live venue as well. Of course, this is a sign of the increase in recent months in the number of talented local bands capable of putting on a great live show, but we'll wait to see whether such expansion is sustainable. more ›