For the last nine years, rock has been the only kind of music played at the Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival (台北縣貢寮國際海洋音樂祭) held annually at Taipei County’s Fulong Beach (福隆海灘). While that’s not about to change anytime soon, at least this year dance music fans can roll as others rock when 12 local Taiwanese throw a beachside party called “Together” nearby the main event, which, like the festival, is free.
“This party is all about having a good time and celebrating the happiness that music brings us,” said Al of BPM productions, the event’s organizer. “We’d also like to take this great opportunity to share the different types of music we each represent with hundreds of thousands of high-spirited music fans.”
The lineup includes Dragon, Taiwan’s premier psytrance producer/promoter, Apple, Al, Fion, Amber, Tommy, Allen, Barfly, Joy, Josh, Psyan and JS68. Together is today and tomorrow from 2pm to midnight. From Fulong Train Station, walk down Fulong Street (福隆街) towards the beach. The party is at the end of the road.
Meanwhile, back in the big smoke, Taipei’s first reggae bar, Roxy Roots, holds its grand opening party tomorrow beginning at 9pm with Taimaica Soundsystem providing the tunes. Roxy Roots is at 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路90號), tel: (02) 2725-3932. On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw.
Another piece of good news for those who enjoyed (or missed) the reggae bash at Walilei (哇哩咧), an Italian restaurant in Cianshui Bay (淺水灣), on June 6: Island Jam and the Black Reign crew are going to host a free party there once every two weeks until the end of October.
“The party starts at 5pm but people can get there anytime in the afternoon and enjoy the place, relax on the beach, watch the sunset, have cocktails and food. There will be DJs all the time and big speakers outside, so if people want to dance it’s not a problem,” says Taili of Island Jam. “If they feel good and want to stay, we’ll keep playing music!”
There’s a party tomorrow, July 11 and July 25.
To get there, take the MRT Red Line to Hongshulin Station (紅樹林捷運站). Then get a cab to Walilei, 12-1, Beishhizi, Sanjhih Township, Taipei County (台北縣三芝鄉北勢子12之1號). The total journey takes about an hour. On the Net: www.walileitw.com.
Recent news on the DJ grapevine is that three outstanding expat Canadian DJs and promoters — Matty D, Gareth Jones and Cap — are leaving Taiwan. Matty D and Gareth Jones, known as the Swank DJs, are definitely not strangers to Taichung’s party animals; the two rabble-rousers have been responsible for some wild nights over the past few years.
Their last shows are today from 11pm to 5am at Club Jump, B1, 8, Keelung Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市基隆路一段8號B1), www.club-jump.com, NT$500 admission; and tomorrow from 10pm to 5:30pm at Liquid Lounge 98 Chungming S Rd, Taichung City (台中市忠明南路98號), NT$400 door damage.
Cap’s farewell party, Save the Last Dance, is tomorrow from 11pm to 4am at Hook, B1, 1, Alley 7, Ln 205, Sec 4, Zhongxiao E Rd, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段205巷7弄1號). Admission is NT$150.
“I want to thank anyone and everyone who has ever stopped me to say ‘great set’ or ‘I loved that song you played.’ Hearing those words means more to me than getting paid sometimes,” says Cap. “Lastly to the guy who told me at Peacefest one year that I play too much Michael Jackson ... ‘Never too much.’”
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