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Go 'East' young bands

The Chairman in performance earlier this year. PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES

Unless you've been living in a dark cave, which was itself inside another dark cave, you probably know Taiwan has hosted a few summer rock music festivals this year. If you didn't, or if you would like to go to one more, this weekend's East Rock Music Festival in Hualien (東岸酷熱搖滾音樂祭) could be your last chance.

The four-day event is essentially a migration of Taipei pub circuit bands, many of whom already played at Formoz, Ho-hai-yan and/or Spring Scream. This includes bigger names, like Back Quarter (四分衛) and Overdose, and many of the lesser-known acts, such as Mosquilephant (蚊子大象), Lucky Pie and One Step (一步). East Rock is on the beach, tickets are cheap at NT$200 per day or NT$700 for the entire festival, and, hey, it's sponsored by Taiwan Beer.

Most bands will play short, half-hour sets between 4pm and 8pm. There are also theme parties each night with some of the better acts. Last night's musical party featured Kimbo (胡德夫) and other Aboriginal musicians. Tonight is Taiwan Beer Hip-Hop (台啤熱舞) night, from 8pm to 10pm, and will showcase Asian Power and the hip-hop mixing and break-beat skills of one of the country's hottest turntablists, DJ Noodle (DJ麵麵). Tomorrow is East Coast Rock (東岸搖滾) Night with The Clippers (夾子卡拉樂隊) and The Chairman (董事長), between 8pm and 10pm. The oddly paired Runw@y and Fire Ex. (滅火器) finish things off Sunday when they take the stage for the last theme party between 4pm and 7pm.

Performance notes: What: East Rock Music Festival (東岸酷熱搖滾音樂祭) Where: Jichi Beach Resort (花蓮加魯灣度假村), at 6-1, Jichi Village, Fengpin Township, Hualien County (花蓮縣豐濱鄉磯崎村6號之1) When: Tonight and tomorrow, from 4pm to 10pm daily; Sunday from 4pm to 8:30pm Tickets: NT$250 per day at the gate. Four-day tickets are NT$700 and can be purchased at Family Mart (全家) convenience stores in Ilan, Hualien and Taidung On the Net: www.eastrock.tw (Chinese only). Go to tw.streetvoice.com or www.myspace.com to find band profiles and hear samples

East Rock is billing itself as Hualien's first rock festival and is organized by the county's Tourism Bureau, the Taiwan 21st Century Culture Association (台灣 』二 十 一世紀文化協會) and Kalulu Jichi Beach Resorts (磯崎加魯灣度假村). 

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