Fenrir a new heavy metal bar opens on Panyu Road...

Shanghai is a moveable feast for metalheads these days with no less than three bars wholly dedicated to the dark and heavy arts – Cave, Reaper, and now Fenrir – each sort of inheriting the mythic mantle of OG Shanghai metal bar of yore, Inferno and doing their own blistering takes on the formula. After a few months of soft opening semi-dormancy, this weekend Fenrir is blowing the Gjallerhorn and waking the gods for Ragnarok: It is officially opening.

The bar accouterments carry on the Viking-ness throughout – Viking helmets, custom shields, and weapons decorate the walls, deer antlers are mounted for light fixtures, and shots come ferried to your table in little Viking longships. Add a splash of Motorhead chic with the seriously impressive custom choppers and a wall of guitars. The whole space is a single big room with communal seating, and with the overhead chandeliers, it is kinda giving us drinking in a concrete Valhalla vibe.

It's the size of Fenrir that has us excited. At the other two metal outposts in Shanghai, size restrictions limit the festivities to DJ nights and listening parties. Fenrir has a nice, decent-sized space for live shows, and they have a great stage. During the soft opening period, they hosted a few low-key live music events, and the plans are to host more formal shows when the permits get sorted out. Shanghai can always use a new stage for local and touring bands, especially one this size and centrally located.

On top of that, expect the requisite DJ nights and parties anchored around metal and goth subgenres.

Drinks! Are all your usual beers and mixes, with a few specialty cocktails, for something a bit more interesting from the barman/owner Lloyd Huang. He'll also be pouring whiskey down your throat should the situation require it. The deal to watch for is the ongoing Asahi happy hour, which is free flow from 8pm to 11pm for 108 yuan.

Metalheads, if you're looking for your tribe, Fenrir is one to check out, for sure. Expect a welcoming gang of boozy heshers. The grand opening party is two nights of festivities on Friday, February 21, and Saturday, February 22, with special guests and DJs on both nights. The Friday night is straight metal on the stereo, and the Saturday is heavy music branching out into punk, shoegaze, goth, and electronica.

Horns up!

If you go...

Fenrir

B103, No. 55, Lane 222, Panyu Rd 番禺路222弄55号B103