Highlight
Tokyo screamo/electro rocker Aonami plays Underworld (地下社會) on Monday night, with Japanese electro-crash trio Clarabell. Aonami (www.myspace.com/aonami) uses a Nintendo Game Boy and the Little Sound DJ tracking program to make 8-bit music and has appeared at the Knitting Factory in New York, South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, and Taipei’s Formoz (野台開唱) rock festival. Monday’s event is organized by Back 2 the Future, which brought Canadian electro-rock group Dandi Wind and Berlin breakcore artist Drumcorps to Underworld this spring. B2TF (back2thefuture.tw) will release its second compilation CD at the show.
■B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369-0103 or visit www.upsaid.com/underworld for more information
■Monday at 9pm
■NT$300 admission
In terms of music, Pingtung County is probably best-known for the annual Spring Scream by the sea in Kenting. Pingtung is also home to Taiwan’s “country music” tradition, and the county now has aspirations to become the country’s Nashville. To further these hopes, this year sees the first incarnation of the Wind and Tide International Folk Music Festival (風與潮:國際唱遊節). This event, which will feature well-known names such as Lin Sheng-xiang (林生祥), Chen Ming-chang (陳明章) and Kimbo Hu (胡德夫), in addition to a host of lesser-known folk groups, in concerts that begin tomorrow and run until Aug. 25. International guests include Samovar from Russia, Inka Marka, a South American group now based in Australia, Khac Chi from Vietnam, A First Light from Ireland and Sundiata from Uganda. Concerts will take place at various venues around Pingtung. Detailed information can be obtained at www.cultural.pthg.gov.tw/folkmusic/activity.html.
Theater
New Wave Guling 2008 (2008第三屆新潮實驗室) is a series of experimental performances held at the famed Guling Street Theater. Play in the• (在•的世界裡，我們只能盲著瞎彈) is a production inspired by Maurice Maeterlinck’s The Blinds. The interpretation combines lines from the original play with sound experiments, where actors playing different instruments alternate with the spoken word. The gates of hell have been thrown open and lonely ghosts are wandering the earth looking for humans to haunt; Easy come, easy go (黑白切), however, takes a different approach to Ghost Month. Rather than scaring people, the ghosts want to gossip. This multimedia production uses dialogue, music and puppets.
■ Guling Street Theater (牯嶺街小劇場), 3F, 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號3樓)
■ Play in the• runs tonight, tomorrow and Sunday at 8pm and tomorrow at 11:55pm; Easy Come, Easy Go will be staged tonight, tomorrow and Sunday at 9:30pm
■ Tickets for all performances are NT$250, available through NTCH ticketing
An early Hakka and Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) musical, April Rain (四月望雨) returns to the stage tonight. The multilingual performance — Hoklo, Hakka, Mandarin and Japanese — is based on the life of Teng Yu-sian (鄧雨賢), a Japanese-colonial era composer who has been hailed as the father of Taiwanese folk music. Teng is portrayed as an artist caught between different cultures and torn between idealism and reality.
■ Cultural Affairs Bureau of Hsinchu County (新竹縣文化局), 146 Xianzheng 9th Rd, Chubei City, Hsinchu County (新竹縣竹北市縣政九路146號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm and tomorrow at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$450, available through NTCH ticketing
Heart of Ocean (海洋之心) is a diabolo dance performance by Diabolo Dance Theater (舞鈴劇場)
that portrays life underwater.
■ Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中市中山堂), 98 Hsuehshi Rd, Taichung City (台中市學士路98號)
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,100, available through NTCH ticketing
Classical music
Back to the Stage (重回舞台) sees the group Cello 4, whose album First Taiwanese Cello Quartet Live Recording won a Golden Melody Award in 2005, makes a return to the performance circuit in preparation for the release of its new album Back to the Stage.
■ Today at 7:30 pm
■ Kaohsiung Cultural Center’s Chih Shan Hall (高雄市立文化中心至善堂), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
■ Tickets are NT$100, available from ERA ticketing
Nuance Chamber Ensemble (微分音室內樂集) will present a mixed program including Handel-Halvorsen’s Passacaglia for Violin and Cello, Piazzolla’s Primavera Portena and Otono Porteno, Shoenfeld’s Cafe Music, and Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 2 in C Major, Op. 87.
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$500, available through ERA ticketing
Songs of Love and Hope (愛與希望之歌：雋永的合唱樂章) is a concert by the Chinyun Choir (青音勻合唱團), which is made up of alumni from the Taipei First Girls’ High School (台北市立第一女子高級中學) and the Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School (台北市立建國高級中學), Taiwan’s top high schools for girls and boys respectively. Under the direction of conductor Weng Chia-fen (翁佳芬), they will perform a mixed program ranging from sacred music to Taiwanese folk songs.
■ Monday and Tuesday at 7:30pm
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$500, available through ERA ticketing
2008 Asian Youth Orchestra Taiwan Tour (2008亞洲青年管弦樂團訪台音樂會) features Moscow Tchaikovsky International Competition winner Elmar Oliveira as violin soloist performing with the orchestra on Tuesday and cellist Wang Chien (王健) on Wednesday. The program for Tuesday includes Chen Yi’s (陳怡) Momentum, Tchaikovsky’s Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. On Wednesday, the orchestra will present Barber’s Essay for Orchestra No. 2, Elgar’s Concerto in E Minor for Cello and Orchestra and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Selection from Suites I and II.
■ Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,500, available from NTCH ticketing
Contemporary
Tonight at VU Live House it’s local hard rock bands Wang Xiao Ming (王小名樂團), Bridge and V Pryz. Tomorrow the venue holds its reopening party with Spiked Taiwan, presenting DJs Sona, vDub and Scotty Baller. [See today’s Vinyl Word.]
■ B1, 77 Wuchang St, Taipei City (台北市武昌街二段77號B1). Call (02) 2314-1868
■ Starts at 10pm
■ NT$300 entrance fee tonight includes one drink. Admission is free tomorrow for the re-opening party. Wednesday night is ladies’ night, with free admission and one drink for women; cover for guys is NT$200 and includes one drink
Appearing tonight at Center Stage (formerly the Living Room, now under new management) is The Sinister Sound Syndicate. Electronica-rock and video band Gross Fugue plays tomorrow with hillbilly punks the Pinetop Surgeons. On Tuesday it’s jazz trio Tall Boy.
■ 3F, 8, Nanjing E Rd Sec 5, Taipei City (台北市南京東路五段8號3樓). Call (02) 8787-4154 or visit www.myspace.com/taipeicenterstage for more information
■ Shows start at 10pm
■ Entrance fee is NT$200 for music shows
Jazz Your Mind appears tonight at Sappho de Base, Taipei’s favorite late-night venue for impromptu jazz sessions. Appearing tomorrow night are Double J and Friends. On Tuesday night the Grace Jazz Trio plays a set, with an open jam afterwards. Wednesday features experimental sounds from Cool Jazz Machine, “exploring cool jazz grooves for a chill-out vibe.” On Thursday it’s DJ Zulu, spinning what he calls “timeless and positive black sounds.”
■ B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1). Call (02) 2700-5411 (after 9pm) or visit www.sappho102.biz for more information
■ Performances begin at 10:30pm
■ No entrance fee
Tonight at The Wall (這牆) it’s neo-folk singer/guitarist Enno Cheng (鄭宜農), indie-rockers Feng Lai Fang (風籟坊) and pop-punk outfit Fire Ex (滅火器) [See Highlight]. Tomorrow night is a CD release party for the compilation Kafka Urban Folk Vol 2, which features a host of indie-folk rockers, including Ban Ban (斑斑), Huang Jie (黃玠), 929 (九二九) and Nylas (耐拉思).
■ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Call (02) 2930-0162 or log on at www.the-wall.com.tw for more information
■ 8pm tonight, tomorrow and Sunday
■ NT$450 tonight; NT$600 tomorrow
Tonight Witch House (女巫店) presents the quiet, intimate acoustic sounds of Ding Ding and Xi Xi (丁丁與西西). Indie-rock group Relax One (輕鬆玩) takes to the stage tomorrow night.
■ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). Call (02) 2362-5494 or visit www.witchhouse.org
■ Performances start at 9:30pm. Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist bookstore and large collection of board games open 11am to midnight Sundays through Wednesdays; 11am to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays
■ NT$300 entrance includes one drink
Appearing tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) is jazz/Latin percussion virtuoso Rich Huang (黃瑞豐) and friends. Long-
established metal band Assassin (刺客) appears tomorrow. Hakka rock band Zenkwun (神棍樂團) performs on Sunday with hip-hop outfit Da Xi Men (大囍門).
■ B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷2號B1), next to Taipower Building (台電大樓). Call (02) 2368-7310 or visit www.riverside.com.tw for more information
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ NT$400 tonight and tomorrow; NT$350 on Sunday. Admission includes one free drink
Tonight at Tone 56 Live Bar, a new restaurant and live house on the corner of Fuxing North and Minquan East roads, is the Rubber Band, which plays rock, pop and dance music. The group plays every Friday. Tomorrow it’s house band Loaded, which plays everything from “rock classics to today’s hits.” Sundays feature a regular rotation of bands, with Dafu Trio playing jazz and blues this week.
■ 1F, 56, Minquan E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市民權東路三段56號1樓), near the corner of Fuxing North Road (復興北路) and Minquan East Road (民權東路). Call (02) 2517-3869
■ Music shows go from 9:30pm to 12:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 7:30pm to 9:30pm on Sundays
■ No entrance fee
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill, there’s a blues open mic held by the Blues Society on Taiwan and hosted by Torch Pratt. All are welcome to bring their instruments and sit in on guitar, bass, or drums.
■ 1F, 218 Changchun Rd, Taipei City (台北市長春路218號1樓). Call (02) 2508-0304 or visit www.cosmo.com.tw for more information
■ 9pm to 11pm tomorrow; 8pm to 11pm every Wednesday
■ Free admission
Exhibition
Very Fun Park (粉樂町). Five artists from Taiwan and China show their colorful yet contemplative artworks as part of the annual festival. Pieces on display include Yao Chung-han’s (姚仲涵) Scattered Coordinates, which is made from florescent lights, and Chou Meng-yeh’s (周孟曄) paper sculpture, which tells the story of numbers.
■ B2 Art Space at Eslite Bookstore Dunnan B2 Art Space (誠品敦南B2藝文空間), B2, 245, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段245號B2). Open Mondays through Sundays from 11am to 9pm. Call (02) 2775-5977
■ Until Aug. 31
Group Exhibition by Wang Hsiu-ru, Yang Tzu-hung and Kao Shu-pang (王秀茹、楊子弘、高樹邦創作展), a show presents new styles created by the younger generation of artists in Taiwan. This trio looks into the individual’s relation to the world and other people through photo installations and sculpture.
■ Shin Leh Yuan Art Space (新樂園藝術空間), 15-2, Ln 11, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市中山北路二段11巷15-2號). Open Wednesdays through Sundays from 1pm to 8pm. Tel: (02) 2561-1548
■ Until Aug. 24
The Permanent Moment: NYC (波蒙內特的瞬間:紐約). This exhibition of Albert Tang’s (湯承勳) photography features 40 black-and-white images of New York City street life.
■ FNAC Xinyi Branch (法雅客信義店), B2, 9 Songshou Rd, Taipei (台北市松壽路9號B2). Open weekdays from 11am to 9pm; weekends from 11am to 10pm. Call (02) 8789-8780 X146
■ Until Aug. 31
Deconstructing Architecture (解構建築). On display is work by five local artists who look past the functions of buildings and into their historical and cultural contexts.
■ Taiwan International Visual Arts Center (台灣國際視覺藝術中心), 29, Ln 45 Liaoning St, Taipei City (台北市遼寧街45巷29號). Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 12pm to 6pm. Call (02) 2773-3347
■ Until Aug. 27
The Forest of Hearts (心森林) is series of paintings by Malis, a street artist from Kaohsiung.
■ Pethany Larsen Gallery (Pethany Larsen藝坊), 2F, 30, Ln 45 Liaoning St, Taipei City (台北市遼寧街45巷30號2樓). Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11am to 7pm. Call (02) 8772-5005
■ Until Aug. 31
Event
New Productions of Emerging Taiwanese Choreographers, The second half of the production features the works of Wei Kuang-ching (魏光慶), Su Shih-jian (蘇詩堅) and Huang Huai-de (黃懷德).
■ Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm; tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500, available through the NTCH ticketing
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