Japan's embracement of reggae and dancehall has always been one of those things we've found delightfully peculiar. Luckily, their love for the island sound has actually produced quite a few listenable acts - one of which will be coming to the Shelter tonight. more ›

So if last weekend was all about local bands for local people, this weekend is dominated by wai di ren. Whether it's "ghost punks" from some little hamlet in the US of A, northern monkeys from the capital or a band from the harmonious region of Xinjiang, there's a distinct outsider flavour to the next couple of days. more ›

The Channel One complex on Changshou Lu is teaming up with Soma for a summer concert series. Despite our natural misgivings about rock bands playing in shopping malls, the line-up is a good one. Things start this weekend with Pinkberry and The Mushrooms on Saturday and Da Fresh and Momo on the Sunday. Spread out over four weekends, the concerts will see eight of the city's finest young bands in various combinations. more ›

There's not exactly tumbleweed blowing through Shanghai's live music venues this weekend, but it's fair to say that compared to the steady steam of bands we've had in recent months, this weekend seems a quiet one. Of course, Torturing Nurse's NOIShanghai show will ensure it is anything but, while SOMA are bringing together some of the city's brightest young bands tonight. more ›

Yeah, we know we put them twice in the headline, but that's how excited we are about the Hard Queen EP release. We don't normally go in for bias - we try to give you an overview of all the live music taking place in the city. But this weekend, there's really only one gig to head to. If you can't get into Hard Queen's music then we have to seriously question your ability to hear. more ›

This week's big music story in Shanghai has clearly been the Oasis debacle (even if some people insist on misreporting it). Local music hacks have really gone to town on the British theme, cracking out puns like they were auditioning for a job with The Sun and even indulging in some classic tabloid-style "exclusive" wars and bitchiness. more ›

Maybe Shanghai's local music scene people were all at last Sunday's Oscars and are thus still sleeping off the hangovers, but things are pretty quiet in terms of live music this weekend. Still, thankfully, there is a little something for all you band lovers to attach yourselves to. more ›