Tomorrow at Park 97 Shanghai will be a night full of mystery, magic and mayhem, when Venetian Carnivale takes over the old but beautiful two-story house.

Organizers promise that the summer extravaganza will be a feast of endless excitement. Stilt-walkers, acrobats, magicians and fire-breathers will be on the site providing live shows together while international DJs keep the beat going.

The accompanying music will be provided by well-known Australian DJ Brad Down, aka Bakin, who specializes in funky and uplifting house music. It is the second time he has played live in Shanghai, after his performance at the Chivas Futurist party in June. His magical tunes and the way he makes an intimate connection with his crowd will surely again have the house pumping with extraordinary energy.

Supporting him on the decks will be Park 97's resident progressive house DJ Steve Bamford, and DJ Janus Capili will play live upstairs together with the band "Triology."

Don't forget to dress smart - mysterious, magnificent and masked - since the first prize for best partygoer on the night will be one return flight ticket to London.

For underground rock lovers in town, Beijing's Industrial Nu-Metal band Ren Yu, formerly known as Mermaid, will rock at Harley's Bar tomorrow, bringing along their latest album, "Chi You."

Ren Yu was established in 1999 by five high school students in Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province. Their music drifts from Industrial Nu-Metal to hard core to punk.

In 2002, the band moved its base to Beijing, where they have presided over big live shows and competitions. Last year, their first underground album was released, with a limited circulation of 1,000 copies.

The tracks on the new album they have brought with them to Shanghai are designed to guide listeners to pursue the original thoughts that arise from deep in their hearts.

"Chi You" is the name of a war deity in ancient Chinese mythology who was defeated by Huang Di, who is considered as the forefather of the Chinese people. To the young musicians, although Chi You lost the war, he represents the "aboriginal violation" and is the symbol of "directness" - the two things that modern people seem to have lost.

(Shanghai Daily July 22, 2005)