While hip-hop wears the crown (tilted to the side) in most of the clubs around Taiwan, in Kenting it plays second fiddle to electronic acts and bands. The biggest name of the whole weekend to grace the sunny clime will be Krush, the legendary Japanese DJ, remixer and producer. Krush's sound is up close and personal with an ethereal feel. Though he has been heralded as a genius by many, it remains to be seen whether Krush's sound and expert mixing ability will go right over the heads of the sweaty hoi polloi who just want to party till dawn. Rounding out an impressive line-up on Thursday night at Spring Wave 1 are shirtless hip-poppers Machi (麻吉), Taiwan's number one MC, Hot Dog, and the only female DMC finalist ever and Taiwan's reigning champ, Noodle.
Hip-hop has always prided itself on battles. DJs and MCs routinely go up against each other to show off their skills. Friday night at Spring Scream's northern location, the Disco Stage will be hosting a dozen live hip-hop acts starting at 6pm. There will be lots of break-dancing, slick freestyling and wicked beats. And even though it's not a battle in the technical sense, each group wants to be the one people talk about on Monday. Taipei-based Propaganda is a hard-hitting multi-cultural quartet that mixes underground rhymes with infectious grooves. Soul Sista consists of four fly girls that look like they could have come straight from the streets of Shibuya, Tokyo, until they grab the mic and start rocking the party. The winner of the most crack-headed name of the festival goes to Dr. Reniculous Lipz (白悟空), who promotes himself as "a one-man band" without the knee cymbals and kazoo. Chang Jui-Chuan (張睿銓) is a college professor who likes to drop knowledge not only on his students, but also local audiences. He is backed up by DJ Point on the ones and twos. Double One Six & Singer are out to prove that Muzha has much more than tea to offer when they invade the stage with their braggadocio and swagger. The Rythmicru hail from Toronto and are out to please the hardcore heads and the casual listeners alike.
The Spring Scream battle is not the only hip-hop gig going down on Friday. Luxy's festivities heat up the Leofoo Resort in Pingtung County at Spring Love. DJs Potato and Afro man the wheels of steel while MCs Jason, Davi, Suffa, Blake, Ash and the Young SoulJaz spit venom and split stage time with the Luxy Girls and Xaga Sweeties.
PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES
Saturday's big draw was supposed to be Japan's hipster-hoppers the Teriyaki Boyz, but apparently they had some clothing to design or a yacht to hang out on and couldn't make the trip. Spring Color, Club Cor's bash will showcase Terrissa Babe's dexterity on the decks and the Hip Hop Bunch's wondrous wordplay.
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Whether you’re interested in the history of ceramics, the production process itself, creating your own pottery, shopping for ceramic vessels, or simply admiring beautiful handmade items, the Zhunan Snake Kiln (竹南蛇窯) in Jhunan Township (竹南), Miaoli County, is definitely worth a visit. For centuries, kiln products were an integral part of daily life in Taiwan: bricks for walls, tiles for roofs, pottery for the kitchen, jugs for fermenting alcoholic drinks, as well as decorative elements on temples, all came from kilns, and Miaoli was a major hub for the production of these items. The Zhunan Snake Kiln has a large area dedicated