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The Vinyl Word

Missy Elliott, rapper and businesswoman with acumen, is punctual if nothing else. PHOTO COURTESY OF ROOM 18

The Vinyl Word couldn't see the stage but had a good view of the action from the back of the hall courtesy of the video screens, as Missy Elliott spent 10 minutes signing T-shirts and hyping the crowd before launching into song. A couple of thousand hands went up in the air as the sound bounced around the cavernous space of the World Trade Center and the screens beamed Chiang Kai-shek's (蔣介石) image with the message “Long live” in Chinese. Then Sun Yat-sen (孫中山) flashed up with the legend “Revolution” followed by Mao Zedong (毛澤東).

The dancers went through their impressive repertoire of moves and MC Corey Evans pumped up the energy. Missy, meanwhile, chatted for a while and then it was game over. Unlike A-bian (陳水扁) she couldn't wait to get off the stage. We had heard just one song. Admittedly, we had arrived late at 10:45pm and the concert had started at 10pm, but we weren't the only ones surprised at the early end to the concert.

The local papers waded in the next day, understandably suggesting this was yet another big name from the US coming to Taiwan for a pay day and doing the barest minimum in return. The US rapper had kept to the letter of her contract and performed for just an hour, picking up a cool NT$12 million in the process.

The Apple Daily quoted one fan, who gave Missy a fail mark of 59 percent, adding she was being generous because the dancers were so hot. Parallels were drawn elsewhere with the visit two years ago of basketball star Michael Jordan, whose lucrative 90-second meet-and-greet with fans drew flak and a NT$1 million fine for Nike, which had promised fans an hour-long show.

Coming to Taiwan next month will be Jay-Z. Tickets anyone?

Though the Vinyl Word is usually omnipotent and omniscient, last weekend the omnipresence was a little lacking. Organizers of Westlife's concert, which took place on Sunday, refused to give out press tickets for the Irish lads' gig — the cheek of it. Snubbed by a boy band.

The other hot gig, QBert's scratchathon at Luxy on Friday, received mixed reviews. As with Missy, QBert's stint was an hour-long affair. A few gripes were voiced. Complaints from the turntablist's last visit, though lauding QBert's technical abilities, focused on his one-dimensional set.

This time round he pumped up the melody, but that wasn't enough to satisfy everyone.

“It was less than memorable,” said Shane Murphrey, who moved to Taipei three years ago and is disenchanted with the clubbing scene. And who can blame him. “It was just another Friday night DJ. After a while it all sounds the same.”

Then again, as with Kaoliang wine, stinky tofu and chicken feet, some sensual pleasures are an acquired taste.

The gig “was good,” Marcus Aurelius said. “QBert is amazing; no-one comes close in technical ability. ... The complaints last time were that it was just an hour of scratching. ... At 1am people are there to party.”

After a sodden week the Vinyl Word is tuned in and turned on, mostly by the prospect of fetish DJ Portia Surreal getting down and dirty at Champagne Thr3e tonight. Tickets are NT$400 for the ladies and NT$600 for lads before 11pm, after which time entry will set you back NT$800. The club is located at 171 Songde Road, Taipei (台北市171松德路). Call (02) 2728-5673, or visit www.champagnebar.com.tw. Tomorrow she will play at CUBE in Kaohsiung.

Even though Typhoon Shanshan has veered north towards Japan and is not forecast to directly lash Taiwan, organizers of the final installment of the Summer Aquarian parties, originally scheduled for tomorrow, have postponed the bash until next Saturday. For more information, visit www.summer-aquarian.com.

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