Theater
In The Pursuit of White Deer (逐鹿), theater director and puppet maker Shi Pei-yu (石佩玉) uses handmade puppets, human actors with atmospheric lighting, chant and a 300-year-old Thao tribe (邵族) myth to create a piece about one modern-day man’s journey of self-discovery.
■ Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Chun Mei Taiwanese Opera Troupe (春美歌劇團) looks back at China’s Three Kingdoms period with a story about legendary warrior and military strategist Zhou Yu (周瑜) and his love affair with Xiao Qiao (小喬) in Three Kingdoms — Zhou Yu (周瑜).
■ Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
■ Tomorrow and Sunday at 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The protagonist in Taiwanese novelist Chen Ying-chen’s (陳映真) The First Assignment (第一件差事) is brought back to life in Another Assignment (另一件差事) by Assignment Theater (差事劇團). The play is directed by Chung Chiao (鍾喬) with artist and professor Mei Dean-E (梅丁衍) as stage designer and film director Lin Jing-jie (林靖傑) as an adviser.
■ Guling Street Theater (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7pm
■ Tickets are NT$350, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
In Diving in the Moment (潛水中) by Mobius Strip Theater (莫比斯圓環創作公社), a man is paralyzed in a diving accident. The boundary between life and the dreamworld gradually blurs as he watches his wife, daughter, friends and strange women come and go, murmur and respond to each other in an increasingly fanciful manner.
■ Eslite Bookstore, Tainan (台南誠品書店), B2, 181, Changjung St Sec 1, Tainan City (台南市長榮路一段181號B2)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$350, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Four years in the making, Tang Mei Yun Opera Troupe’s (唐美雲歌仔戲團) latest production Entwined Fates (宿怨浮生) tells a tale of revenge and betrayal that spans three lives.
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$3,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
100 Percent Chopin — Solo Recital by Chen Kuan-yu(蕭邦百分百 — 陳冠宇2009鋼琴獨奏會) presents pianist Chen Kuan-yu (陳冠宇) in a concert of works by Chopin, including Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23, Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52, Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op.20, Scherzo No. 3 in C-Sharp Minor, Op.39 and Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op.58.
■ Tomorrow (Hsinchu) and Thursday (Taipei) at 7:30pm
■ Performance Hall of the Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Hsinchu City (新竹市文化局演藝廳), 17, Dongda Rd Sec 2, Hsinchu City (新竹市東大路二段17號)
■ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$400 in Hsinchu and NT$400 and NT$800 for Taipei, available from ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Erhu Kaleidoscope (二胡萬花筒) will see the Taipei Chinese Orchestra (臺北市立國樂團) and erhu (二胡) soloists Min Hui-fen (閔惠芬), Song Fei (宋飛) and Jiang Chian-hua (姜建華 ) perform traditional works.
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yanping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號)
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
A.K. Sun Taipei Philharmonic 2009 Fall Concert (2009秋季音樂會中國情話vs俄羅斯浪漫) presents the Aikuang Sun Taipei Philharmonic (陽光台北交響樂團) conducted by Sun Aikuang (孫愛光) and featuring violinist Su Hsien-ta (蘇顯達) and pianist Joseph Banowetz. The program includes Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and the first movement of Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, Britten’s A Ceremony of Carol, Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 2 in G Major, Op. 126.
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 and NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Tribute to John Williams (向約翰 •威廉斯致敬) sees the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra (國立台灣交響樂團) performing under guest conductor Steven Reineke. The program includes Richard Strauss’ Fanfare From “2001 A Space Odyssey” and Selections from “Star Wars” by John Williams.
■ Thursday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Pop-punk band Punkhoo (胖虎) takes the stage tomorrow at The Wall (這牆). On Sunday the venue hosts Penguin Bear Likes to Eat Chicken Balls (企鵝熊愛吃雞肉球), psychedelic alt-rock group Flat Club (假文藝青年俱樂部) and grunge band The Capelin (柳葉魚). On Wednesday, neo-folk singer/guitarist Enno Cheng (鄭宜農) headlines a bill that also features experimental solo performer Wang Yu-Chun (王榆鈞) and Come On! Bay Bay! (來吧!焙焙!), which has an indie-pop sound along the lines of Belle and Sebastian.
■ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1).
Tel: (02) 2930-0162.
On the Net: www.thewall.com.tw
■ Music shows start at 8pm tomorrow, Sunday and Wednesday
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tomorrow, NT$300 on Sunday and Wednesday. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Renowned fingerstyle guitarist Dang Don (董運昌) puts on a solo show tonight at Witch House (女巫店). Following Dong’s show is another acoustic performer, Koumis (蓓麗). Tomorrow it’s indie-rockers Neon, led by charismatic singer/songwriter Jun Lee (李昀熹).
■ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號).
Tel: (02) 2362-5494.
On the Net: 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
■ Entrance fee for music shows is NT$300
Veteran jazz combo JEG (這個爵士樂團) plays standards, Latin, funk, rock and fusion tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow it’s Mando-pop singer Queenie (方宥心) and pop pianist and vocalist Si Han (思涵). On Sunday an up-and-coming female duo, Heiniu and Bainiu (黑妞與白妞), opens for folk-pop singer Europa Huang (黃建為). On Monday, Riverside Cafe hosts its weekly open jam.
■ 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). Tel: (02) 2368-7310. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Shows start at 9:30pm tonight and 9pm tomorrow, on Sunday and on Monday. Open jam starts at 9pm. For a list of standard songs and ground rules, visit the venue’s Web site
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$350 on Sunday and NT$150 on Monday
Tonight Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館) hosts aspiring pop singer Queen (魏如昀), the younger sister of indie-pop chanteuse Waa Wei (魏如萱), and rock band Cherry Boom (櫻桃幫). Goofy rocker A Chord (謝和弦) and indie rock band The Little play tomorrow. On Thursday, it’s male-female pop duo JS.
■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西寧南路177號). Tel: (02) 2370-8805. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8:30pm tonight, tomorrow and on Thursday
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight, tomorrow and on Thursday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight Underworld (地下社會) presents a screening of new Taiwanese film A Place of One’s Own (一席之地樂團), with a party afterwards. Performers include indie-pop band Lucky Q and singer Sissey Chao (趙一豪), who sounds like Jim Morrison singing in Mandarin, and his band Double X. Tomorrow it’s Red Flower (紅花) and loud rockers Shi Zhen (十震). Homework (轟沃克) and Little Dogs, Special Price (特價小狗) perform on Wednesday.
■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Net: www.upsaid.com/underworld
■ Music shows run from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Fridays and on Saturdays and 9pm to 11pm on Wednesdays. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy Hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance is NT$300 tonight and tomorrow and includes one drink, NT$100 on Wednesday
Cool Jazz Contraption puts on a jazzy “chill-out vibe” tonight at Sappho de Base tonight. Tomorrow it’s the Kenyatta Quartet, a blues, rock and reggae revue led by New Orleans drummer and singer Nbugu Kenyatta. On Tuesday, Kevin’s Jazz Quartet plays “Wes Montgomery-meets-John Coltrane Style” jazz, and Wednesday features the venue’s Jazz Friends performing on unconventional instruments like the trombone, tenor guitar and congas.
■ B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1).
Tel: (02) 2700-5411.
On the Net: www.sappho102.biz
■ Music shows begin at 10:30pm on weekends, 10pm on weekdays. Sappho is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is free
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill there’s an open mic hosted by keyboardist Andrew Page, with the music mainly covering blues and jazz. All are welcome to join in, and participants receive 20 percent off drinks.
■ 1F, 218 Changchun Rd, Taipei City
(台北市長春路218號1樓). Tel: (02) 2508-0304. On the Net: www.cosmo.com.tw
■ 8:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday
■ No entrance fee
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights this week include Julia Peng (彭佳慧), a major draw who appears every Tuesday. Paiwan singer Matzka, who plays reggae and rock with a strong Taiwanese flavor, has recently taken residence at the venue. He plays on Monday nights from 11pm to midnight.
■ 211, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市安和路二段211號). Tel: (02) 2738-3995. On the Net: visit www.ez5.com.tw
■ Music shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
■ Entrance fee (includes two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
Franz and Friends (城市舞台藝文沙龍), an upscale restaurant and performance space in Taipei’s East District (東區), hosts music shows every night. The music tends to play it safe, ranging from wistful love songs and opera to lounge jazz. Weekly highlights include Denise Juan (阮丹青), a former pop singer turned piano teacher and television presenter, and her band Sunshine Costa. They play tonight. Tomorrow it’s Buona Sera, featuring soprano Chang Hsiao-ni (張曉倪).
■ 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號B1). Tel: (02) 2579- 0558. On the Net: www.franzandfriends.com.tw
■ Minimum charge of NT$300 on Fridays and on Saturdays. On other nights there’s a one-drink minimum
The Other Side, Roxy’s “party-until-the-sun-comes-up” nightclub in the East District, no longer opens on Sundays and Thursdays. Wednesday night is “Indie Rock Ladies night.” House DJs spin danceable rock ’n’ roll, hip-hop and pop on Fridays and Saturdays.
■ B1, 20, Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北 市松壽路20號B1). Tel: (02) 2723-3257.
On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw
■ Open on Wednesdays from 10pm until 4am, and on Fridays and on Saturdays from 10pm until 7:30am
■ Cover charge for women is NT$300, except Wednesdays, when women get in free. Cover charge for men is NT$400 on Wednesdays and on Fridays and on Saturdays before 1am. After 1am on weekends cover charge for men is NT$500. All cover charge fees include one drink
Roxy Roots, a bar and restaurant dedicated to reggae and blues fans, hosts New Orleans funk and rock group The Kenyatta Quartet tonight. Tomorrow is Latin night, with live band Taipei Latin Soul and DJs Cola of Peru and Raby Doo of Belize. There will be free salsa lessons throughout the evening.
■ 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路90號), Call (02) 2725-3932 or visit www.roxy.com.tw
■ Show starts at 10pm tonight and tomorrow
■ Entrance to both events is free
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