What It Is
This is Shanghai's longest running music festival. What began as a small affair in Fuxing Park has snowballed into a massive yearly gathering in the Expo Park, with sponsorship from BMW and headliners like Bootsy Collins and Mos Def in recent years. Along with Echo Park, JZ is Shanghai's chillest, most family-friendly music festival. You won't find tweens getting turnt up on EDM doing the thizzle dance here, but rather just actual musicians and big sunsets over the bridge.
For a lengthy piece about the history of JZ Festival, check out with JZ founder Ren Yuqing last year.
Location, Times, And Getting There
Bass god Victor Wooten plays Saturday and Sunday
JZ Festival happens in the beautiful , which is out in Haibaoland where the spirit of 2010 still burns strong. Music goes from 1-10pm on Saturday and Sunday, with doors opening at noon. Here's the address of the park:
Shibo Da Dao, near Changqing Bei Lu,
浦东新区,世博大道, 近长清北路,上海世博公园
Please note: The festival entrance has moved down the street, closer to the metro station. The gate and ticket office are now near the , at Shibo Da Dao, near Shangnan Lu (世博大道1200号, 近上南路).
The Metro: The closest subway station is China Art Museum (Exit 4), which is on Line 8 (you can transfer to that at People's Square, Laoximen, and via a bunch of other lines). Really, you should just take the metro. It's a ten minute walk from there (with street beers on the way), and the metro station has a mini Haibao-museum. But if you insist on taking a cab from downtown, it's probably only 50-70rmb.
Tickets: has finished selling tickets for the festival. Tickets are still available for 280rmb at the door.
Beer & Food: If last year is anything to judge by, prices are super reasonable. Guinness draft (like, from an actual keg, not those draft cans) was 25 or 30rmb last year. Not sure about specific vendors, but expect a mix of Western items and some chuaner
What To Bring
Bring some cash. There's no ATM inside the venue and you can't use cards at most of the vendors. Also, expect temperatures to drop in the evening, so bring a sweatshirt or jacket.
JZ Festival Warm-Up Megamix (Hit Tha' VPN)
Just some videos from the Internet of the standout acts playing there.
1. Long Arm (Saturday, 5.30-6.30pm in the Earth Lounge)
Our man Josh Feola in Beijing says this guy is one to watch. Danceable, avant-garde electronic pop from St. Petersburg. Some have compared this dude to Flying Lotus.
2. Lord Echo (Saturday, 8.30-10pm in the Earth Lounge; Sunday 6.30-7.30pm in the JZ Club)
Endy Chen from Groove Bunny Records booked this guy, so you know he's good. Funky love-pop built for beaches and sunsets. Fans of Tori y Moi take note.
3. Dee Dee Bridgewater (Saturday, 6-7.30pm at The River; Sunday, 5-6.30pm in the Master Hall)
Legend status. Triple Grammy winning NPR host that's been in the game since the '60s.
4. Jfever & Soulspeak (Saturday, 7-8pm in the Earth Lounge)
Some of the hottest
5. Earth Wind & Fire (Saturday, 8-9.30pm at The River; Sunday, 7.30-9pm in the Master Hall)
You may remember these guys from every wedding DJ set ever.
6. Joss Stone (Saturday, 7.30-9pm in the Master Hall; Sunday, 8-9.30pm at The River)
Meh.
7. Victor Wooten (Saturday, 5-6.30pm at the Master Hall; Sunday, 6-7.30pm at The River)
"That guy's bass is talking!" While the youth might know Thundercat, this dude is the older bass god. Best YouTube comment on this video: "I heard he once fingered a girl with his thumb. She died." Second best comment: "This is what I call in the back of Dennys in the dumpster type of funk…Wow".
Lineup & Schedule
Lord Echo is one to catch. Saturday evening in the Earth Lounge looks like the place to be
Oddly, most of the headliners are playing both days this year, albeit on different stages. The weather looks sunny on both days, so either are a good call. Please note there are two other stages, including the JZ School and one other. For sake of brevity, we've left those out of this guide, but do check them out. Finally, there is a stage called "JZ Club", which is not to be confused with actual venue JZ Club, which is where the after-party happens.
Saturday, Oct 17
Master Hall
2.30-4pm: Tia Ray
5-6.30pm: Victor Wooten
7.30-9pm: Joss Stone
The River
1.30-2.30pm: The Verse
3-4pm: Isabella Huang
4.30-5.30 Crowd Lu (cool if you're into soft Taiwanese singer-songwriter shiz)
6-7.30pm:
8-9.30pm: The Experience Featuring The Al Mckay Allstars
Blue Grass
2-3pm: Marianne Trudel Trio "Trifolia"
3.30-4.30pm: Jacques Kuba Séguin "Litania Projekt"
5-6pm: Shangyin Trio & Special Guest Brian Hurley
6.30-7.30pm: Yves Léveillé Quintet "Essences des Bois"
8-9pm: Yannick Rieu Quartet "When jazz meets China"
Earth Lounge
1-2pm: Antonio Serrano and Josemi Carmona
2.30-3.30pm:
4-5pm: TTechMak
5.30-6.30pm
7-8pm:
8.30-10pm:
JZ Club
1.30-2.30pm: Estonian Dream Big Band Featuring Coco Zhao
4-5pm: Nik Bartsch’s Ronin
6.30-7.30pm: Erica Lee
These bros are still alive!
Oct 18
Master Hall
2.30-4pm: Chang Shilei
5-6.30pm: Dee Dee Bridgewater
7.30-9pm: The Earth Wind & Fire Experience Featuring The Al Mckay Allstars
The River
1.30-2.30pm: Project Ace
3-4pm: GaoFunk & G-ELEVEN
4.30-5.30pm: Shunza & The Red Groove Project
6-7.30pm: Victor Wooten
8-9.30pm: Joss Stone
Blue Grass
2-3pm: Ya! Voices
3.30-4.30pm: Mario Trane Trio
5-6pm: Asaf Sirkis Trio
6.30-7.30pm: Return to Mongolia
8-9pm: Drums United
Earth Lounge
1-2pm: Luo Ning Latin Jazz Band
2.30-3.30pm: Redic & The Storm Riders
4-5pm: Tinho's Band
5.30-6.30pm: Charles Pasi
7-8pm: Noukilla
8.30-10pm: JZ Latin Project
JZ Club
1.30-2.30pm Jonas Seetoh
4-5pm: Sebastian Schunke "Berlin Quartet"
6.30-7.30pm: Lord Echo
The After-Parties
Alec Haavik, Coco Zhao, and the JZ Big Band play JZ on Friday night
The after-parties for JZ are huge every year. No promises, but years previous have seen some pretty unprecedented jam sessions on the smaller stages in the city with the festivals featured performers. Great way to (maybe) catch your heroes up close.
The main after-party goes down at the OG on Fuxing Lu. On Friday night they've got the JZ Big Band conducted by Alec Haavik ft. Coco Zhao, Saturday is & DVRK FUNK, and Sunday is Batik then Theo Croker & DVRK FUNK again.
For indie rock and disco, the SAY YES party at on Oct 17 at 10pm is the way to go. They've got The KDMS playing live, Maximilian Skiba playing live, and Murphy Kin DJing. On Sunday, On Stage hosts a "Middle East dance night".
If you're looking for something more chill, local, and folksy, then the after-parties at from 9pm on Saturday and Sunday are probably your best bet. Saturday is more R&B and soul.
And if you're feeling that Latin heat and want some salsa and mambo action, the parties at , also from 9pm on Saturday and Sunday, are the way to go. They have some Bossa Nova on Sunday, too. That spot has one of the nicest, most underrated rooftops in town.
Enjoy. Hats off to JZ for eleven years in the festival game.
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