F eel like rockin’ out tomorrow? Put on a coat. A host of bands are putting on My Herbal Romance 2, a free, daylong outdoor show at the windy Zhongshan Bridge Riverside Park (中山橋下河濱公園) near the Grand Hotel in Taipei.
The event is being organized by 10 indie bands, many of which frequently perform at Underworld (地下社會) in Taipei. Expect a back-to-basics rock and punk party — each of the bands chipped in to hire a sound company to run the PA system. The concert site is a public skating rink under a freeway overpass, and it’s bring-your-own-beer.
Ah-Chang (阿強), the lead singer of the rock group 88 Balaz (八 十 八顆芭樂籽) and one of the organizers, described the event as a “rock ’n’ roll weiya (尾牙, year-end party).”
The event was inspired by the first Herbal Romance (named with reference to the band My Chemical Romance), held a few months ago in the spirit of punk subversion. With a rudimentary sound system and drum kit, 88 Balaz and two other bands, Random (隨性) and Inhuman Species (非人物種), set up at a park one evening on Shida Road (師大路) and played to passersby for several hours. They hadn’t obtained the proper permits, but no one complained and everyone had fun, said Ah-Chang, whose real name is Lee Chi-ming (李奇明).
He is no stranger to spontaneous do-it-yourself rock parties, having served as one of the masterminds behind Trash Stage (爛舞台), a rock festival parodying the Formoz Rock Festival with its Wind, Fire and Mountain stages. The show, also held at the site of tomorrow’s event, was welcomed as a free alternative to Formoz, where tickets cost NT$3,000 for a three-day pass, and attracted a smaller but enthusiastic crowd of 300 people.
Concertgoers tomorrow will be treated to a variety of rock sounds. In addition to the punk-fused rock of 88 Balaz and the zany hardcore of Inhuman Species, the lineup includes nu-metal band Respect (尊敬樂團), funk rockers Dianzibiao (電子婊) and The Fake Literary and Artistic Teenage Club (假文藝青年俱樂部, FLAT Club), a band that mixes Brit-pop and psychedelic rock. Also scheduled to play are Damnkidz, a punk band from Taichung.
The quickest way to get there is to walk along a path and pedestrian bridge to the park, which starts at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. Be forewarned that even though there’s a dedicated pedestrian path, you’ll have to walk across a bridge and along a busy freeway artery.
Ah-Chang has a YouTube video (balaz88.pixnet.net/blog/post/23838131) that shows the route. It’s worth watching for those unfamiliar with the area.
BAND SCHEDULE:
3PM OH!SERENA
tw.streetvoice.com/profile/home.asp?sd=497031
3:40PM FEED ME(餵我樂團)
www.wretch.cc/blog/FEEDME4M
4:20PM FLAT CLUB
(假文藝青年俱樂部)
www.indievox.com/flatclub
5PM DAMN KIDZ
damnkidz-tw.blogspot.com
5:40PM DIANZIBAO(電子婊)
tw.streetvoice.com/profile/home.asp?sd=599150
6:20PM SIDEFFECT
tw.streetvoice.com/profile/home.asp?sd=4479
7PM RESPECT (尊想)
www.wretch.cc/blog/Respect2006
7:40PM 88 BALAZ (八十八顆芭樂籽)
balaz88.pixnet.net/blog
8:20PM Dangzai Kongzhong
(盪在空中)
tw.youtube.com/user/Qkid1226
9PM INHUMAN SPECIES
(非人物種) inhumanband.blogspot.com
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