Shanghai's Local Music Scene: Know Your DJs

By Buckingham McNamara

One thing Shanghai will probably never run out of is DJs. They come to the city’s shores, from as close as Anhui to distances as great as Argentina, seeking fame, fortune and acceptance of their musical taste.

The Favourite Son

Shanghai born and bred, Ben Huang left the city for the capital in the mid-90s to help kick start its nascent club scene. His nu jazz and funky groove mixed with soulful house made him a Beijing superstar, and European promoters quickly came a-calling. Playing on Paris’ Elysee-Montmartre, the Zurich Street Parade and the airwaves of Radio FG, Huang was the first Chinese DJ to break into the international scene. After setting up the first proper rave at the Great Wall, Huang returned home to Shanghai to inspire not only the club scene, but also the fashion world, as he’s commonly found providing music for the catwalk. While his schedule is not as hectic as the heady days of the early 2000s, Shanghai’s favourite son continues to influence dance floors throughout the city and win accolades from its music press.

Miss Promoter-Extraordinaire

Known for her promotional skills as much as her dexterity behind the turntables, DJ Siesta began organising Phreaktion drum and bass parties in Hong Kong at the turn of the century. Five years later she migrated to Shanghai and immediately put the city on the international dnb map. In a little over six years, she brought over 60 of the top names in drum ‘n’ bass to China, including Andy C, Pendulum, Goldie and Roni Size. Through her efforts, her Phreaktion nights at Bon Bon and Sweatshop party at The Shelter established themselves as world renowned parties with endless supplies of international talent. Several years ago she expanded into UK bass with her Wonky Kong brand, as well as her recent promotion of local music and creative scene interaction with the collaborative MESH platform.

The Hippie

Belgian DJ Kodama began his China career playing psy-trance and goa parties in Qingdao before relocating to Shanghai. Here he teamed up with France’s DJ Solaris to create Magic Garden, whose Full Moon parties would quickly become legend at venues like G+ and dkd. By transforming the clubs they’d take over with unique decorations and visuals, Magic Garden was the first in town to push a fully immersive audiovisual environment. Never content to stay at one venue, the group constantly searches for new and interesting venues in which to play – restaurants, building lobbies, hotels, etc. An astounding 3,000 people turned out for their annual Halloween bash at G+ in 2009, and they topped that a few months later with their 9th Anniversary Party at the iconic 1933. Kodama continues to embrace the spirit of the psy-trance scene by donating part of the profits of his parties to charity and spreading peace and love through his music. Catch him playing for the first time at The Shelter for this year’s Halloween blowout on 29 October.

The Radio Star

From a very early age Dave K knew music was his calling. In school, he initially helped classmates make cassette mix tapes before expanding into organising and playing school dances, selling music through a street stall and then opening his own shop – all before he turned 18. In the early 1990s, when the few Shanghai clubs around focused mostly on the tango and waltz, Dave K was one of the first to bring house and disco to the city. From there his career took off, landing him a radio show on FM 103.7 (the first electronic music show in China) and residencies at several of Shanghai’s infamous venues of yesteryear including VIP and dkd. In 2006, Dave K was part of the team that launched Udance.cn, China’s first 24-hour internet radio station devoted to dance music. As station manager, Dave K is responsible for breaking new talent into the scene while simultaneously juggling his very busy djing schedule.

Mr Versatile

Drunk Monk to his fans, Gaz to his friends and Gareth to his mother, he’s one of the city’s most multitalented DJs. First forming the soundsystem Uprooted Sunshine with fellow lovers of reggae, dub and roots music, the collective has spent the last six years touring the likes of Clive Chin around China and bringing the sounds of Jamaica to The Shelter once a month. For his Sub-Culture nights, he dons a different hat as his crew pushes a darker sound – dub step and other bass heavy delights – and brings lesser known musical legends like Addison Groove and Kode9 out to Shanghai. On top of all this, Drunk Monk is part of the management team at the persistently successful The Shelter – the city’s primary purveyor of underground music.

Read more about Shanghai's local music scene, including performers, venues and bands.