Don't cry if you didn't Scream

So you missed Spring Scream. Well, here's a second chance to catch some of the best bands that played at the festival this year as they do a mini-tour of Taiwan stopping in Taichung tonight and in Taipei tomorrow.

The concert, called Rock Slide, will gather Milk, Q, Guardian Angel, Mimei-Chan and Kola for two evenings of music -- the first on the roof of the UFO tower in Taichung and the second at the Hwashang Art District in Taipei.

The lineup is actually like a replay of Spring Scream's Saturday night, when four of these bands played.

Those who already saw these bands at the festival that night will probably want to come out and see them again anyway, if only to see what costumes the bands will be wearing this time. At the festival five of Milk's seven members turned stomachs with nurse outfits revealing hairy legs while the other two had on surgeon robes, rounding out either a psychiatric ward theme or a fetish porno. The lead singer from Guardian Angel was dressed in what appeared to be Zippy's pyjama robe, while the good ol' boys from Q had on their usual holy roller gear of plaid shirts, jeans and farmer caps worn high on the crown of their heads. Mimei-Chan, as every year, wore less and less as their set progressed and the band jester ended up looking like that disturbing dancing Internet baby spouting plastic balls from a hole in the rear of his oversize diaper. Their performance tends to get more outrageous with each concert, so this weekend may be a chance to see where they next take their stage show.

But stage antics aside, these bands were definitely among the brightest and most diverse bands at the festival. Milk has tightened up its wild fusion of funk, reggae, metal, country and rap to become a party crowd pleaser, Mimei-Chan is loud and full of horns, Q and Guardian Angel have their distinct country twangs, while Kola does an intriguing mix of experimental electronica and alternative rock.

"Great bands rarely come to Taiwan. So this way, people here can listen to what's going on musically elsewhere in the world," said Shawn McClelland, co-organizer of this weekend.

The show is a great chance to let some of the bands that came for Spring Scream from around the world -- in this case from Taiwan, the US, Japan and China -- to play together for audiences in the north of the country who may not have had a chance to get to Kenting. It also promises to bring some of the festival atmosphere north by taking place all evening and into the night with a barbecue and a bar. This way, those who didn't make it to Spring Scream maybe won't feel so left out. All who come will be invited to an after party at a location to be announced at each show.