Just in time for summer, TALK recently visited five of Shanghai’s newest additions to the night club scene. From the Bund and Huaihai Lu, to Red Town and Gubei, we’ve got all the info to help you decide where to spend your hot summer nights.

M2

After the lease ran out on their Plaza 66 location last winter, M2 recently reincarnated in place of the old Rojam on the fourth floor of the freshly renovated Hong Kong Plaza. The tacky and cavernous Rojam has given way to a slightly smaller, industrial-chic M2. Concrete, naked support beams and iron lattice rule the night conforming to a recent trend in Shanghai club land – venues are starting to look more like those in Japan and Europe.

Fear not, bottle service and plush seating are still very much in vogue with two levels of choices surrounding a long, narrow dance floor, and seven VIP rooms to complete the amenities. M2 actually won a spot on DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs list, clocking in at number 38, before vacating their previous location and they’ll be holding a party to celebrate the award on 4 June. The club also promises to bring the world’s best talent to their hallowed decks with John Digweed and Ferry Corsten having already made the journey.

Muse Group’s brand director Albert Truong claims M2 is a natural home for party lovers. “We welcome everyone who loves to party, good music, and a great vibe. But the most important thing is not the venue; it’s the people who made the brand. People expect us to provide the city’s most upfront music and impeccable service, so our team does its best to provide these to our customers.”

Weekends are reserved for thumping electro and very large crowds, while midweek nights are all about live hip-hop shows and armies of models dancing the night away. Don’t forget your wallet: standard club prices apply.

4F, Hong Kong Plaza (South), 283 Huaihai Zhong Lu. Tel: 6288 6222. Web: www.museshanghai.cn

Lotus

Another club, another rebirth – this time the old Bling has been rebranded as Lotus. Sheltered in an elegant, heritage listed building in Yanzhong Park, next to the elevated roads intersection, Lotus has one selling point few others in town can match – two floors roughly equal in size playing different music. This dual floor advantage will appeal to indecisive clubbers who are fans of the hip-hop and mash-up downstairs, as well as the house playing upstairs.

The interior is newly refurbished with vaulted wood ceilings and cosy tables that look out onto the colourfully lit park. The second floor features a small, but excellent terrace that provides nice views of the neighbourhood’s skyscrapers. Currently the predominate clientele appears to be well-to-do Chinese, but Lotus promises to mix things up in the future by pushing parties more accessible to a range of demographics.

Bottle service and table booking are again the norm, however the bar menu does feature a decent sized selection of mixed drinks. DJ Marius, a long-time Shanghai resident and purveyor of soulful house, has weekend dibs so you can always expect a good night on the dance floor. Lotus also plans to utilise the courtyard space in front of the venue with a daytime café (opening soon), which will be converted to a terraced bar at night.

Lane 66, Danshui Lu, near Jinling Xi Lu. Tel: 6386 9779. Web: www.clublotus.cn

Game*Bling

With the recent opening of Game*Bling, Bar Rouge’s VOL Group makes its first foray into the Chinese-style clubbing market. On the first floor they’ve created a venue that hits all the prerequisites: mirrored surfaces everywhere, large inward-focused tables, KTV rooms, scantily-clad dancing girls and a tiny dance floor thrown in seemingly as an afterthought. For Shanghai’s nouveau-riche, the space is a perfect place to spend the weekend.

However Game*Bling’s real gem is on the second floor, a huge semi-open terrace complete with big open tables which sits atop its skyscraper host – the newly finished Sail Tower a few blocks west of the Bund. Simply put, at 21 floors up, it’s the best 360 degree view in town. A convenient rooftop bar serves beer and cocktails from standard to slightly steep prices.

Bar Rouge’s music director Damian Kay makes occasional appearances in the DJ booth, but primary musical duties are left to two hip-hop/mash-up residents with unpronounceable Chinglish names. In addition, a small boxing ring sits in the middle of the first floor and acts as a stage for the occasional international MC or local act.

Another of Game*Bling’s intriguing additions are their custom drinking games ‘arrow’ and ‘lottery’ – think: dice version 2.0. “Our tailored drinking games allow our guests to have a more interactive experience with their friends and other guests; it’s the best stimulus to get the party started,” PR manager Jenny Tang says. Yet, be advised, while the not-so-subtle name might lead people astray, there is actually no gambling at Game*Bling.

20F, Sail Tower, 266 Hankou Lu. Tel: 6321 4949. Web: www.game-bling.cn