With its dead-tech industrial warehouse environs, innovative sound and lighting design, and boundary-pushing music program, nowhere does the heart of Shanghai's alternative clubbing and experimental music scene pound more defiantly than at SYSTEM.
It's not an easy racket: the "underground clubbing" thing. Especially in Shanghai, where the ebb and flow of circumstance, fortunes, and trends can cancel out nascent scenes wholesale before they are even heard. SYSTEM, against the grain, has thrived in this environment and created something resolutely on par with any other alternative clubbing destination in the world. They've emerged in their three years of operations not just as a venue to have a legit night out at, but as the multi-genre boiling pot of Shanghai's next generation of artists, musicians, producers, performers, club kids, designers, mind benders, risk takers, and noise makers.
This October holiday, SYSTEM is hosting a massive, multi-stage, multi-day electronic music, performance, and installation arts festival called "The Orbital Festival."
TL;DR, scroll down for the details and line-up information.
On the brink of the event, here's a quick primer of the venue and what they've been up to lately.
What is the music policy, and what have they been up to lately?
A varied and eclectic, but emphatically challenging approach is how SYSTEM books their artists. On a given night, you might get an alt clubbing luminary like DJ Krush. On another night, you might get a line-up of 30 local noise artists abusing contact mics. SYSTEM has consistently pushed the boundaries of nightlife in Shanghai with festivals and partnerships with other clubs, giving space for provocative international names, smaller independent labels from around the world, and local experimenters forging new sonic territory from closer to home.
The
installation pieces to accompany the music are also a huge part of this
thing. Recently, in collaboration with Aziofstudio, SYSTEM brought in a
whole New York subway car into the club space. The 1:1 recreation of a
subway carriage has become a centerpiece for their events, offering an
electrifying rave experience on the specially created "44 System
Express." This isn't your average club decor; SYSTEM has become a canvas
for experimental installations and immersive cultural experiences.
Their goal has always been to create a platform for artists, musicians,
and creatives of all types to come together, exchange ideas, and foster
an inclusive community.
THE ORBIT FESTIVAL
This National Day holiday, SYSTEM is set to host one of the city's most anticipated nightlife music events: THE ORBIT FESTIVAL. Spanning seven days from September 30 to October 6, this festival will bring together over 70 musicians, 17 of them are international guest artists and VJs across various genres, including techno, IDM, acid, breakbeat, post-punk, and psytrance.
Kicking off the festivities is SHXCXCHCXSH, a techno duo from Stockholm, known for their intense live sets. Over the week, other standout acts like UMFANG, Headless Horseman, and Devon Rexi will take the stage, each bringing their unique sounds and energies to the stage. If you're looking for a club experience that takes you beyond the ordinary, ORBIT-Fest promises to deliver with immersive soundscapes, raw performances, and plenty of crazy surprises.
Here's a quick rundown of some of the highlights:
Sep 30: SHXCXCHCXSH & Taiga
SHXCXCHCXSH: Having found each other in Stockholm, the duo SHXCXCHCXSH began exploring their love for the darker and more experimental realms of techno and soon followed the natural progression of working on music together, incorporating their broad range of musical backgrounds -- from hip-hop to rock-pop -- into what they term "deadly serious techno" born out of the elements of noise, drone, glitch, broken beats, pounding industrial, and much more.
Taiga is composed of two musicians from Xinjiang and Mongolia, living in Chengdu, Sichuan. They blend traditional musical techniques with modern technological concepts to create a new type of psychedelic nomadic music.
Support DJs: Zhivago, WataruSugah Riri, Mousaäca, Noodleprince, Illsee Floating; VJ: Ryo.
Oct 1: UMFANG & THEUS
UMFANG was born in the Bronx and grew up in Kansas, eventually moved to Brooklyn in 2010. In 2013, she began a monthly residency at Brooklyn's Bossa Nova Civic Club called Technofeminism, and she co-founded the Discwoman collective the following year. UMFANG produces raw, abstract techno on analog equipment, recording everything in a single take with a minimal amount of post-production. Inspired by early Detroit techno and acid house, the self-taught musician's visceral, freely flowing tracks are sparse and lo-fi but kinetic and listener-friendly.
THEUS is a hardcore trance unit featuring Doppelgenger (GURUZ / ASYLUM), a producer known for electrifying performances at parties and festivals across Japan and beyond, and drummer Mitsuki Takeda (CRIKEY CREW, MASTERPEACE), a force in Japan's hardcore scene.
Support DJ: Qiu Qiu, UMFANG, Come To Mama, l0sTS0uls, Velvet Robot, CBGE，Heatwolves, Mamayo; VJ: Ryo
Oct 2: FinderShanghai & Abelton Live
Four international acts and a Hong Kong live electronic artist unite after touring two cities. Plus, enjoy a free music workshop by FinderShanghai, ASM & Ableton earlier in the day!
DJs：FEIYI,
Polypumpkins (Live), Naomie Klaus (Live), Front page Leslie (Live),
Angelic Waves聽, Hearthealer, VJ Yifei, Nikita, ZHUO, .upDXyl, LIULIU66,
J!NGLER
Oct 3: Psychedelic Goa Party
South China's hottest PSY party label for one night only at System. Celebrate the 3rd anniversary with top Psytrance producer UINI from Japan and Israel's eccentric collector RetroAlien. From the sunny melodies of Goa Trance to the playful Suomi sound, this is the fresh wave of China's psychedelic electronic scene. Join the celebration!
DJ: Thirdwave, Greentech, UNI (live), RetroAliens, 荧惑守心, Javis, EmpressCC, ForshawViz, Ricardo
Oct 4: Headless Horseman & Devon Rexi:
Headless Horseman‘s hardware-only live sets have hypnotized willing audiences at Berghain, Berlin Atonal, Boiler Room and venues worldwide. With his cold blooded machines and soulful approach to sonic storytelling, Headless Horseman has cemented his reputation: a virtuoso of intense, cinematic, IDM-infused techno.
Devon Rexi: While most post-punk and no-wave bands are still carrying on from the past, Amsterdam-based Devon Rexi's multiple sonic experiments give their music a grotesque and playful hyperdimensional tension, as they describe on their Bandcamp page, seeking liquid knowledge between the natural and supernatural worlds.
DJ: Devon Rexi, DJ EBP, Headless Horseman聽(live set), SpaceReturn, Meer, Kekexili, Chuan, Big Mack, Spada; VJ Ryo
Oct 5: Cedar Out
Cedar brings a modern twist to Monteverdi's 1608 semi-ballet, now set on the SYSTEM Shanghai stage. In this version, the souls of the "ungrateful" no longer care about the world or themselves, dancing wildly in defiance of order. Leave behind the pressure of dressing up or socializing. Tonight, it's all about music and dancing -- come as you are!
DJ: aكريم, Mice (live), Cocoonics (hybrid live+DJ), Muskila, vusu, open deck, Dr.aDD, 吕志良, Ömme, Heatwolves; VJ: DVD2000
10/6: XIORRO & Hao
XIORRO: With an unparalleled presence, style, and demeanor in the underground, DJ, producer and label head Xiorro is renowned for igniting revelry. Having begun his artistry in 2017 in Brooklyn's then-vibrant underground, Xiorro's current status as a Berlin-based DJ is illuminated by his impactful run in Brooklyn with ALKHEMY & the beloved warehouse and off-site rave series, The Black Hole, which he both co-founded. Now a fixture in Berlin's fervent club scene, Xiorro has transitioned seamlessly into a resident role at RSO.
HAO: Growing up in the club scene of Chengdu, HAO is not only a resident at the local .TAG club but also the mastermind behind the iconic domestic techno party "Seafood." Additionally, he is one half of the vibrant party duo "SiS B&C." HAO takes pride in his deep, flowing music that ebbs and flows like ocean currents and tides, characterized by a lasting sense of rhythm. His powerful techno selections, blending elements of acid, breakbeat, electro, and trance, have established an unshakeable influence in the Chinese electronic music scene.
DJ: Devon Rexi, Xiorro, HAO, VJ Ryo, ZHUO, Mishouju, Doggy, George, Xiaoz
The Layout of the Labyrinth: The Different Rooms at SYSTEM
SYSTEM is divided into several distinct spaces, each offering their own vibes to varying degrees of zaniness.
Plug-in: The main entrance, where visitors are welcomed by 'Time Peeling S,' an interactive LED installation that sets the tone for what's to come. (Read: More installations.)
Stage: The main performance area, where various music and art events unfold. It's a high-tech, industrial stage where everything from techno to experimental performances comes to life. The space is lined with massive pipes and LED screens that give that dystopian futuristic feel.
DAN-LU: A more intimate space, complete with a towering 12-meter-high chimney. It offers a distinct chill-out moment, making it the perfect spot for smaller, more intimate performances.
MIMI ROOM: The most colorful part of SYSTEM. The hidden gem. Except maybe not so hidden. But make sure you don't miss it. Currently styled as an Old Shanghai bathing house. It's playful, nostalgic, and designed by the artist duo Jo Group. (Really make sure you don't miss it.)
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Transparency Notice: System is a valued advertising partner of SmartShanghai. This article was created in collaboration between System and the SmartShanghai editorial team.
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