Kew Court House Live: The Shanghai Pearls Christmas Special

The Shanghai Pearls return to Kew Court House celebrating the glamour and swing of vintage Chinese popular music and western jazz. Their Christmas show blends festive favourites with elegant jazz, nostalgic melodies and East-meets-West influences, creating a warm, stylish and distinctive seasonal concert experience.

Event information

The Shanghai Pearls bring back to life the swinging jazz clubs of old Shanghai. Their sound is rooted in Shidaiqu, a vibrant musical style that emerged in 1920s–30s Shanghai—a heady fusion of Chinese folk melodies and American jazz. Songs are performed in English and Chinese.

This remarkable musical form, long celebrated in Chinese culture but largely underground elsewhere, burst back into international consciousness in 2003 when EMI unearthed a forgotten cache of original 78rpm stampers in a Mumbai warehouse—musical treasures from a time when Shanghai was a melting pot of global influence.

As Limelight Magazine described: “Paris of the East in the 1930s, overseen by an eponymous diva… a charming, intoxicating cabaret with sumptuous visuals and a taste of music we don’t often get to hear.”

The Shanghai Pearls began as the band behind the original Shànghǎi MiMi show, commissioned by Sydney Festival, which blended live music with circus, dance, and acrobatics from China’s Xining Acrobatic Troupe.

Since then, the band has evolved into a stand-alone ensemble, with standout performances at the NGV’s Terracotta Warriors – Cai Guo-Qiang exhibition, the Chinese Museum, Box Hill Town Hall, Hawthorn Arts Centre, and Chinese New Year celebrations across Melbourne. Most recently, they were flown to Miami for a high-profile international event.

Featuring cheongsam chanteuse Nikki Zhao and arrangements by maestro John McAll, the band returns to share this rare and infectious music in its purest form—with flair, fun, and musicianship of the highest calibre.

For this special Performance the Pearls will be playing some of their original songs. Nikki will tell her own story of being born in Shanghai and the family journey to Australia. And, leaning into the festive season, expect a sprinkling of some early Christmas carols…!

The Shanghai Pearls are:

• Nikki Zhao – vocals
• John McAll – piano
• Robbie Finch – double bass
• Aaron McCoullough – drums
• Thien Pham – trumpet
• Kasinda Faase – reeds.

Experience Kew Court House Live

This performance is part of our ongoing Kew Court House live series, running every week in the heart of Kew. Tickets start from $25, supporting an impressive lineup of talented Melbourne musicians. Check the full lineup at Kew Court House Live.

Accessibility at this space

Accessibility features include:

• Automatic doors
• Accessible toilets
• Ramps
• Clear signage
• Tactile signage.