Theater
With dazzling light, thumping techno music and a standing crowd encouraged to jump up and down and dance, Fuerzabruta promises a sensational performance extravaganza where audience participation is mandatory. One of the features includes female performers splashing and sliding around in a massive shallow pool.
■ Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store (新光三越) A10 parking lot (A10停車場), Ln 20, Songgao Rd, Taipei City (台北市松高路20巷)
■ Shows run every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and 10:30pm and Sunday at 4:30pm and 7:30pm, until Jan. 24
■ NT$1,900 and NT$2,300, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Celebrating the New Year this weekend at Comedy Club are funnymen MC Birdy and Rifat, singing combo Moses and A-chin (摩西與阿瑾) and the Ric Pretty Boy Magician Ensemble (Ric帥哥魔術團). On Sunday, Brian David Phillips demonstrates the mind-altering power of comedy with his comedy hypnosis show, which is performed in English with interpretation in Mandarin.
■ Comedy Club, B1, 24 Taihsun St, Taipei City (台北市泰順街24號B1)
■ Today and tomorrow at 8pm, Sunday at 7:30pm
■ NT$350 today and tomorrow, NT$300 Sunday, available at door or through tickets.books.com.tw
Men in Tutus comes to town for those looking for serious ballet that doesn’t take itself seriously. [See story on Page 13] The world’s biggest all-male comedy ballet company, Les Ballets Grandiva from New York, has generated rave reviews for brilliant choreography, excellent technique and the sheer entertainment of watching men dressed as ballerinas dancing classics such as Swan Lake.
■ Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館), 505, Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段505號)
■ Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$3,000, available through ERA ticketing or online at www. ticket.com.tw
For its child-friendly Beauty and the Beast (美女與野獸), Tainaner Ensemble (台南人劇團) uses acrobatics, magic tricks, music and dance to reinterpret the classic fairy tale.
■ National Taiwan University Theater (國立台灣大學台大劇場), 1, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段1號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$600 and NT$800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Man Gang — The Unarmed Men (男人幫—霸王卸甲) is a play by Taiwan Drama Performance (台灣戲劇表演家) that tells a story about five middle-aged men, their memories, yearnings and lost loves.
■ Kaohsiung Cultural Center’s Chih-teh Hall (高雄市立文化中心至德堂), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City, (高雄市五福一路67號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$250 to NT$1,200, available through ERA ticketing or online at www. ticket.com.tw
Classical music
International Band and Orchestra Conference Fourth Taiwan Clinic (第四屆臺灣國際音樂節 - 中美交流音樂會) features a concert that brings together the Ministry of National Defense Symphony Orchestra ROC (國防部示範樂隊) and The United States Coast Guard Band Saxophone Quartet and Brass Quintet under the batons of Hou Yu-piao (侯宇彪), Wang Chi-chiang (王治強) and Liu Yu-min (劉佑民).
■ Monday at 7:30pm
■ Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 and NT$700, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Zhong-Hua Chinese Orchestra 2010 New Year Concert (中華國樂團2010新年音樂會) is a concert of traditional Chinese orchestral music by the Zhong-Hua Chinese Orchestra (中華國樂團).
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 and NT$800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Music Forum’s Weekend Concert Series — Fang Hsing Percussion Concert (十方樂集週末音樂會系列 - 方馨打擊獨奏會) will highlight the skills of percussion artist Fang Hsing (方馨), who will perform a program including A Minute of News by Eugene Novotney, Marimbasonic by Markus Halt and November Evening by Christophe Norton.
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ Forum Auditorium (十方樂集音樂劇場演奏廳), 4, Ln 187, Minzu W Rd, Taipei City (台北市民族西路187巷4號)
■ Tickets are NT$250, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Peshawar Cafe in Shida hosts a one-off session of “Urban Teahouse,” a mix of traditional Asian melodies and progressive independent music. The event began a few years ago as a night of obscure music under the guise of “The Peshawar Sessions.”
■ 3, Ln 80, Shida Rd., Taipei City (台北市師大路80巷3號). Tel: (02)2362-2218. On the Net: blog.roodo.com/peshawar
■ Tomorrow from 9pm
Legacy Taipei, located in a former warehouse at Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), is Taipei’s newest mid-sized rock venue hosting top local bands and international acts. Tonight’s show is billed as “Men Power,” featuring veteran bands with loyal cult followings: hard rock and metal band Assassin (刺客), blues and garage rock outfit Celluloid (賽璐璐) and Sissey Chao (趙一豪), who sounds like Jim Morrison singing in Mandarin, and his band Double X. Tomorrow and Sunday the venue hosts college rock superstars Sodagreen (蘇打綠). [See story above.] On Wednesday it’s reggae-rock group Matzka and Di Hot.
■ 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight, tomorrow, Sunday and Wednesday
■ Entrance is NT$600 tonight, NT$800 tomorrow, Sunday and NT$400 on Wednesday. Prices include one drink. Tickets available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw
Post-rock band Sugar Plum Ferry (甜梅號) kicks off the New Year at The Wall (這牆) tonight. Long-standing punk band Fire Ex (滅火器) appears tomorrow to promote its latest release. On Sunday noise band Sunset Rollercoaster (落日飛車) shares a billing with indie electronica band Telephone Booth (電話亭). One-man electro-rock band Sonic Deadhorse and MacBeth are among the performers on Wednesday night.
■ 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
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$300 Sunday and Wednesday. Tickets at the door or online at www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Pop-rocker pretty boys Champion (強辯樂團) take the stage tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow it’s all-girl rock band Cherry Boom (櫻桃幫). Slick emo-punks Pa Pang (怕胖團) play on Sunday. Monday is the venue’s 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 9pm tonight, tomorrow and Sunday. Monday’s open jam starts at 9pm. For a list of standard songs and ground rules, visit the venue’s Web site.
■ Entrance is NT$500 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow, NT$350 Sunday and NT$150 Monday
Chiang Ming-juan (江明娟), best known from the TV reality show Super Idol (超級偶像), appears tonight at Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館). Indie pop band Tizzy Bac takes the stage tomorrow night. On Thursday it’s electronica rock group Frande and folk pop singer Wu Jia-hui (伍家輝)
■ 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 Thursday
■ Entrance is NT$500 tonight and tomorrow, NT$400 Thursday. Tickets can purchased at the door or online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Metal band Ashen and electro-rock band Go Chic play tonight at Underworld (地下社會). Tomorrow the venue hosts experimental rockers Godswounds, who use sampled video game sounds in their music, and The Tic Tac. Emo-pop band Emotion Gate (情緒出口) and emo-punk band Crazy Lazarus (瘋狂拉薩路) share the stage 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 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 on weekends, which includes one drink, NT$100 on Wednesdays
Flaneur Daguerre, a jazz quartet that plays everything Bach to Bjork and Ornette Coleman to the Ramones, performs tonight at Sappho de Base. Appearing tomorrow is Argentine saxophonist Alejandro Chiabrando and friends. On Tuesday it’s the Emo Jazz Trio, on Wednesday it’s pianist Mark Kuo (郭馬克) and his trio, and on Thursday it’s Rocky, Richard and Friends. There will be an open jam after Wednesday and Thursday’s shows.
■ 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 10pm on Friday and Saturday and 9:30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$100 tonight and tomorrow, free on other nights
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights for the week include beloved female singer Tiger Huang (黃小琥), who performs two sets every Monday, Julia Peng (彭佳慧), a major draw who appears every Tuesday, and male crooner Shin Lung (辛隆), who performs every Saturday.
■ 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
Tonight Roxy Roots, a bar and restaurant dedicated to reggae and blues fans, hosts Wailin’ Soul, which plays funk, soul and reggae. Tomorrow it’s folk rock band Wounded Night. Wednesday night is the venue’s musical showcase, featuring a roster of bands organized by a different musician every week. This week Nathan Javens hosts an evening of folk and rock music. Come ready for Thursday’s Salsa and Mambo night with DJs Francisco and Daniel.
■ 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路90號), Tel: (02) 2725-3932. On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw
■ Shows start at 10pm
■ Entrance is free
Iconic Hoklo folk singer Chen Ming-chang (陳明章) and his Dan Sui Tour Band (陳明章與淡水走唱團) make an appearance tonight at Witch House (女巫店) tonight. Tomorrow Taitung Amis singer Long-ge (龍哥), who is known for his rousing drinking songs, takes the stage. Performing on Thursday is ethnic folk and jazz trio Orbit Folks.
■ 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
In late October of 1873 the government of Japan decided against sending a military expedition to Korea to force that nation to open trade relations. Across the government supporters of the expedition resigned immediately. The spectacle of revolt by disaffected samurai began to loom over Japanese politics. In January of 1874 disaffected samurai attacked a senior minister in Tokyo. A month later, a group of pro-Korea expedition and anti-foreign elements from Saga prefecture in Kyushu revolted, driven in part by high food prices stemming from poor harvests. Their leader, according to Edward Drea’s classic Japan’s Imperial Army, was a samurai
The following three paragraphs are just some of what the local Chinese-language press is reporting on breathlessly and following every twist and turn with the eagerness of a soap opera fan. For many English-language readers, it probably comes across as incomprehensibly opaque, so bear with me briefly dear reader: To the surprise of many, former pop singer and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ex-lawmaker Yu Tien (余天) of the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association (TNCPA) at the last minute dropped out of the running for committee chair of the DPP’s New Taipei City chapter, paving the way for DPP legislator Su
It’s hard to know where to begin with Mark Tovell’s Taiwan: Roads Above the Clouds. Having published a travelogue myself, as well as having contributed to several guidebooks, at first glance Tovell’s book appears to inhabit a middle ground — the kind of hard-to-sell nowheresville publishers detest. Leaf through the pages and you’ll find them suffuse with the purple prose best associated with travel literature: “When the sun is low on a warm, clear morning, and with the heat already rising, we stand at the riverside bike path leading south from Sanxia’s old cobble streets.” Hardly the stuff of your
April 22 to April 28 The true identity of the mastermind behind the Demon Gang (魔鬼黨) was undoubtedly on the minds of countless schoolchildren in late 1958. In the days leading up to the big reveal, more than 10,000 guesses were sent to Ta Hwa Publishing Co (大華文化社) for a chance to win prizes. The smash success of the comic series Great Battle Against the Demon Gang (大戰魔鬼黨) came as a surprise to author Yeh Hung-chia (葉宏甲), who had long given up on his dream after being jailed for 10 months in 1947 over political cartoons. Protagonist