Print

Mail

wiki links

'Tis the weekend before Christmas

By Ron Brownlow
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Dec 21, 2007, Page 13

Christmas comes but once a year, so why not celebrate it in style? PHOTOS:TAIPEI TIMES

Holiday cheer is everywhere — in store windows, on television, and in the heart of your local barman. In Taipei that means one thing: lots of Christmas dinners and parties at pubs and other nightspots across the city. As always, there's a preview of hip-hop and electronic music parties in the Vinyl Word, and a list of live music performances in today's Events and Entertainment section. Continue reading for a list of bars and pubs where you can gather to celebrate the holidays.

Christmas dinner

Citizen Cain (02-2708-4557) is offering an “international” turkey set meal (NT$590) on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The restaurant/bar's kitchen opens at 6pm and at first will only be serving the prix fix menu, which comes with an appetizer, mashed potatoes, stuffing and dessert. For an entree, choose one of three varieties of turkey — Italian-, Mexican- or North American-style. Both Christmas dinner and the restaurant's regular menu will be available each day after 8pm.

If the holiday season gives you a superhuman appetite, check out JB's (02-2364-8222). Starting tonight and continuing through Christmas Day, the English-style pub will be serving a gargantuan set menu (NT$1,000) that includes turkey, roast beef with gravy, sausage wrapped in bacon, stuffing, mashed and roast potatoes, vegetables with cheese sauce and homemade cranberry sauce. These aren't choices — you get a plate piled high with all of the above. Dinner is served from 6pm to 11pm, and food must be ordered before 10:40pm.

If you want to exchange gifts with a Secret Santa, On Tap (02-2741-5365) is where you should go. The Irish/New York-style pub is offering a buffet (NT$350) on Christmas Eve, which will be available between 8pm and 10pm. Happy Hour will also be extended until 10pm, and patrons are encouraged to bring a “sexy” or “funny” present worth around NT$500 to exchange with a randomly selected fellow customer at midnight.

Among the other pubs and bars serving holiday meals are the following: The Shannon (02 2772-0948), which will have a Christmas buffet (NT$1,200) from 9pm daily, starting tomorrow and running through Christmas Day; the Tavern sports bar (02-8780-0892), where you can get a turkey or steak set meal (NT$690) for dinner on Christmas Eve; and Carnegies (02-2325-4433), which is offering Christmas dinner with champagne (NT$1,500), also on Christmas Eve.

Tonight's events

Now for the merrymaking. Tonight's most notable party— and it's very notable — is Citizen Cain's sixth anniversary party. From 6pm to 9pm, there will be an open bar. And it will be free. That's right, a free open bar. The Cain has already notified people on its e-mail list, but anyone can show up and join the celebration.

Also tonight and also free, there's live music at Bliss (02-2702 4371), with rock bands The Riot and Black Summer Days, followed by a solo acoustic set from Matt Nicodemus. The first act takes to the stage around 10pm.

Alternatively, if you're looking for something more cerebral or just want to conserve energy for tomorrow, head to On Tap for tonight's Christmas pub quiz. Those interested should RSVP by contacting Niall Clinton on Facebook.com, sending an e-mail to him at niallclinton@yahoo.co.uk or by calling the venue on (02) 2741-5365. You pay NT$500 to participate in the competition, which starts at 10:30pm. There's a maximum of four persons per team, winner takes all, and On Tap will throw in an extra NT$1,000 bar tab for the winners. If you don't have a team but still want to participate, register as soon as possible and Clinton will get you sorted.

Tomorrow's parties

It definitely won't be a silent night tomorrow, with special events at PS Cafe, Vibe, Carnegies and Bliss. Get started at PS Cafe (02-2776-0970), which will be celebrating its birthday with DJ Chen De-cheng (陳德政), aka Pulp, from 9pm to 1am. Or dress up in red and head over to the Brass Monkey (02-2547-5050) for Red Xmas. Women dressed in red get a free cocktail between 9pm and midnight. Men get zilch.

Not to worry, guys. There's free admission for both men and women who wear a “sexy Santa outfit” to Carnegies' Sexy Santa Party. Otherwise, it's NT$500 for admission with one free drink, or NT$800 door damage with vouchers for three drinks. The party runs from 10pm to 5am.

At Roxy Vibe (02-2341-0642), meanwhile, underground bands will spike the season with the At Xmas Be Merry party. Between 10pm and 2am, Vibe will showcase the alt-rock and indie-electronica talents of 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽), the White Eyes (白目), the Deadly Vibes, Digihai and THC. NT$400 cover charge gets you one free drink and free access after 2am to Bliss, where organizers are throwing another party with live music.

Believe it or not, Vibe was originally supposed to be a live music venue, but over the years it morphed into a meat market. Live performances ended entirely several years ago when the club moved to its current location at the intersection of Jinshan South (金山南) and Xinyi (信義) roads.

But the times may be changing. This year, Vibe has already been the scene of two successful multi-band concerts, on Valentine's Day and Halloween. If the Halloween party serves as a reliable guide, crowds will start filtering in by the time the first band finishes playing. (Vibe normally doesn't get going until well after 2am.) Those arriving closer to midnight should expect to see a mass of people rocking around the dance floor.

Band 88 Balaz takes to the stage at 10pm, and bands will continue to play until after 2am. Then, Vibe reverts to its default mode as Taipei's most well-known, last-chance after-hours destination. DJs will spin a mix of hip-hop, eletronica and pop until well after sunrise.

Last, but not least, Bliss is hosting Girl's Night Out, “an evening celebrating girl power” that kicks off tomorrow at 10pm. There's no cover charge for the bar, which opens earlier, but admission to the live music show upstairs is NT$200, or free after 2am for those with a stamp from Vibe. Scheduled to perform are Kaohsiung's Electrocute and all-female industrial band Go Chic. DJ Megan will finish the night up playing funky house.
This story has been viewed 1531 times.