Out with the old, and in with the new. We see more of 123s, and even more of XYZs

2006 was a frustrating, over-heated, but always interesting, year for Shanghai's party scene. Venues opened and closed and opened again faster than anyone could keep up with. 2007 promises to be dramatic also and we don't see a nightlife recession on the horizon. More clubs are sure to come, and we haven't even finished checking out the ones that opened last month.

G Plus opened in Xintiandi with pride and fanfare, but we fail to see how it's any different from 100 other cookie-cutter clubs in town. Are they all using the same pre-packaged kit? And let me rant – there is no good reason for the 360-degree mirrors in the men's room.

Oh, we almost forgot the other G. The equally ambitious and/but unoriginal G-Spot, no relation to G Plus, opened across from the recently shuttered Pegasus. Pegasus was an institution for many years in Shanghai and even though the flying horse had run her course, we'll miss her.

O2 was a surprise pick to host Japan's DJ Krush on a Wednesday night. Even though Mr. Krush assaulted the speakers with complete abstract beat madness, the packed house was hopping for it. He's one of the few who can get away with that, and I say more power to him. O2 has a line-up this month of Top 100 DJ types, and then on February 1, appears to be cheating a bit by boasting a Kraftwerk gig – it's actually just Karl Bartos, who was a member of the seminal German outfit.

4 Live (don't call it Fabrique) is getting into rhythm with a weekly plan – Thursdays will be V-nutz and the funk hip hop DJs from The Lab (except some live music and turntable tricks), and weekend nights will feature foreign bands like the recent Maximo Park, and bands dropping down from Beijing, et al, usually of the "suit-and-Converse" style, followed by indie rock DJs on Fridays and a minimal-techno-electro after-party on Saturdays.

Finally, Bon Bon has visionary techno veteran Sven Vath on Friday, January 26, followed by the acrobatic turntablist Roc Raider on the 27th.