Theater
Taipei Children’s Arts Festival (台北兒童藝術節) continues this week with a series of free music concerts and theatrical performances by groups including Taiwan’s Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra Music Society (台北愛樂室內樂坊), Comma Theater Company (逗點創意劇團) and Kiss Me (親一下劇團). Le Theatre des Confettis from Canada is staging Celestial Mechanic, a creative piece about time travel to a magical wonderland. For more information about the festival, visit its bilingual site at www.taipeicaf.org.
■ Venues include Jiuzhuang Borough Square (舊莊里里民廣場), 213, Jiuzhuang St Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市舊莊街一段213號), Shipai Junior High School (台北市立石牌國民中學), 139, Shipai Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市石牌路一段139號) and Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yanping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號)
Photo Courtesy of Louise Leblanc
■ Performance times vary
■ Tickets for performances are sold out
Part of the ongoing Huashan Acrobatics Festival (華山百戲雜技節), Collision Arts Asia, which will be performed tonight, is a collaboration between Canadian artist Jerry Snell and Malaysia’s Viva Circus that blends street performance and circus acts. Tomorrow, Japan’s Cru Cru Cirque brings its signature melange of dance, pantomime, acrobatic skills and folk performances to the stage. On Sunday, master juggler Michael Moschen from the US will show off his juggling skills. For more information, visit www.huashan1914.com/AcrobaticsFestival.
Photo Courtesy of Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra Music Society
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), East Two Hall (東二館), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$600 and NT$800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Photo: Taipei Times
Launched as a choreographic collective by Taiwanese dancer and choreographer Chou Shu-yi (周書毅), 2011 Next Choreography Project I (下一個編舞計畫I) presents its first program this weekend, featuring six up-and-coming female choreographers performing their solo works.
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), Center Four Hall (中四館), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號).
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$350, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Holo Opera Company (河洛歌子戲團) is staging two gezaixi (歌仔戲) classics, The Drifting Noble Hat (浮沉紗帽) and Imperial Tablet (御匾), both of which involve corrupt officials and men of integrity.
■ Dadaocheng Theater (大稻埕戲苑), 9F, 21, Dihua St Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市迪化街一段21號9樓)
■ Tomorrow and Sunday at 2pm
■ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group (莎士比亞的姐妹們的劇團) and theater director Wang Chia-ming (王嘉明) are reviving Michael Jackson — Back to the ‘80s, which played to a full house when it premiered in 2005. The King of Pop’s albums Thriller (1984), Bad (1988) and Dangerous (1991) thread the narrative together.
■ Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yanping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號).
■ Tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
Flute Queen From New York: Judith Mendenhall 2011 Flute Recital (紐約長笛女王︰茱蒂.曼德赫2011長笛獨奏會) brings acclaimed American flautist Judith Mendenhall to Taiwan for two concerts, one in Taipei, the other in Taichung. The program includes Charles Edouard Lefebvre’s Barcarolle Melancolique, Schubert’s Sonata in A Minor, “Arpeggione,” Franz Doppler’s Fantasie on Themes From “Rigoletto” and Cesar Franck’s Sonata in A Major. She will be accompanied by Chen Yi-ting (陳怡婷) on flute and Hsu Chia-chi (徐嘉琪) on piano.
■ Today at 7:30pm (Taipei) and Sunday at 2:30pm (Taichung)
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City and Taichung City Seaport Art Center (台中市立港區藝術中心), 21, Jhongjhen Rd, Cingshuei Dist, Greater Taichung (台中市清水區忠貞路21號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,000 for Taipei and NT$300 to NT$700 for Taichung, available through ERA ticketing online at www.tickets.com.tw
Republic of China Centenary Concert (建國100年音樂會) is a concert presented by Classic Orchestra (古典管絃樂團) featuring violinist Vesselin Paraschkevov, percussionist Frank Cassara, and international award-winning Taiwanese soprano Zoe Huang (黃瑞芬). The program includes Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 Mov. IV and Rosauro’s Concerto for Marimba.
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中市中山堂), 98 Syueshih Rd, Greater Taichung (台中市學士路98號)
■ Tickets are NT$100 to NT$300; available through ERA ticketing on online at www.tickets.com.tw
2011 Taipei International Choral Festival (TICF11台北國際合唱音樂節) starts on Sunday and runs until July 31, presenting a string of outstanding choral groups from all over the world. The festival opens with the Taiwan premiere of Lars-Erik Larsson’s A God Disguised, performed by the Dresden Philharmonic Children’s Choir and The Choir of St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh. This is followed on Monday by performances by the Cantemus Mixed Choir from Hungary, The Choir of St Mary’s Cathedral on Tuesday, and Dresden Philharmonic Children’s Choir on Wednesday. Detailed information on the festival can be found on the Taipei Philharmonic Foundation Web site at www.tpf.org.tw.
■ Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Underworld (地下社會), a small basement club in Taipei, is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a concert series featuring a classic lineup of bands and DJs. Tonight’s event sees veteran post-rock band Sugar Plum Ferry (甜梅號) regrouping with its founding members for a one-off reunion concert. Also on the bill tonight are Insecteens (昆蟲白), a side project of Sugar Plum Ferry’s guitarist Hsiao Bai (小白), and Bowztiger (包子虎), the band of former Sugar Plum Ferry drummer You Tze (佑子). Tonight’s live shows are followed by a party featuring reunion of past and current resident DJs. Tomorrow, nakashi (那卡西) rockers The Clippers (夾子電動大樂隊) reunite with several founding members for a set. Blues and garage rock band Celluloid takes to the stage afterwards. Later, the venue hosts veteran DJs from the electronica scene. On Wednesday, it’s newer generation groups, including metal band 666, Rocking Chair (搖搖椅) and 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽). For more info and a full schedule, see page 13 of last Friday’s edition of the Taipei Times.
■ 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
■ Shows run from 9pm to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays, which includes one drink. Entrance for Wednesday shows is NT$100
Legacy Taipei, located in a former warehouse at Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Tonight’s show with Canto-pop singer Emil Chau (周華健) is sold out. Off-the-wall pop-rocker R.Chord (謝和弦) takes to the stage tomorrow and Mira Lin (米拉拉) performs on Wednesday.
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), Center Five Hall (中五館), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Sold out tonight, NT$700 (NT$500 in advance) tomorrow and Wednesday. Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased at ERA ticketing outlets, online through www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists, hosts nu-metal band Gray Spiral (灰色螺旋) tonight. Tomorrow is an evening of post-rock with Lily Et Coco and veteran band Sugar Plum Ferry (甜梅號). On Sunday, rockin’ hip-hop musician Alan Ko (柯有倫) takes to the stage. Newcomer garage band rockers Vampire Watching Television (吸血鬼看電視) play on Thursday, sharing the bill with Homework (轟沃克) and You Yue Ding (有樂町).
■ 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
■ Show starts at 9pm tonight, 8pm tomorrow, 7pm on Sunday and 8pm on Thursday
■ NT$400 tonight, NT$500 tomorrow and Sunday (NT$400 in advance), and NT$400 (NT$300 in advance) on Thursday. Tickets for all shows can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area, hosts expat composer and pianist Pierre Hujoel (aka Hu Yue, 胡月), who performs avant-garde pop sung in Mandarin. Also performing tonight is Yeah! Tomorrow it’s Aashti Ensemble (汎絲路樂團), a group of Macedonian and Taiwanese musicians performing Balkan folk and gypsy music. Aboriginal pop-rock singer Black Aries (黑色牡羊) and electronica band Cocoa Bed (可可床樂團) take to the stage on Thursday.
■ 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
■ Shows start at 9:30pm. Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist bookstore and large collection of board games is open 11am to midnight Sundays through Wednesdays, 11am to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$300
Tonight, Revolver hosts local DJs Mixter T and Robi Roka and DJ Elemence from New York City. Stoppa and Shaman are the MCs for the evening. Tomorrow is a night of hip-hop, dubstep and electro with LEO37, Edify, James Ho, Bounce Girlz and amStereo. On Thursday, it’s noise rock band She Bang-a (死蚊子), which shares the bill with Sleaze and No Order.
■ 1-2, Roosevelt Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路一段1-2號), tel: (02) 3393-1678
■ Shows usually start after 10pm. Contact venue for precise times
■ Entrance is NT$250 tonight and tomorrow, includes one drink
Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) hosts gypsy jazz group Dark Eyes tonight. Aboriginal folk singer Panai (巴奈) appears tomorrow, and on Sunday it’s indie-pop group 23 Half (23號半) and acoustic pop band Pia. 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
■ Show starts tonight at 9:30pm, 9pm on all other nights. For a list of standard songs and ground rules for the open jam, visit the venue’s Web site
■ NT$400 tonight, tomorrow and Sunday and NT$150 Monday. Tickets can purchased online at www.riverside.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight, Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館) hosts indie pop veterans 1976. Tomorrow singer and actress Wan Fang (萬芳) takes to the stage, and male Mando-pop singer Hsu Che-wei (徐哲緯) performs on Thursday.
■ 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
■ Show starts at 8:30pm tonight, 8pm tomorrow and 8:30pm on Thursday
■ NT$500 tonight, NT$800 tomorrow (NT$700 in advance) and NT$500 Thursday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Regulars for the week ahead include Mando-pop songstress Julia Peng (彭佳慧) on Tuesday, and male crooner Shin Lung (辛龍), who performs every Saturday. Acclaimed Aboriginal singer Samingad (紀曉君) performs on Thursdays.
■ 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
■ 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 Italian restaurant Capone’s hosts electric blues band Bopomofo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). Tomorrow, drummer Abe Nbugu Kenyatta leads a band playing music from his hometown of New Orleans. On Wednesday nights, it’s Latin music from guitarist Roberto Zayas and bassist Rick Taira.
■ 312, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段312號), tel: (02) 2773-3782
■ Live music from 9pm to 11:30pm on Fridays, 8pm to 11:30pm on Saturdays
■ On Fridays, minimum charge of one drink. On Saturdays, minimum charge is NT$300
The Village Cafe (村落餐廳), a bar and cafe located at the Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村), hosts a show tonight featuring swing jazz and vintage blues music from David Chen and The Muddy Basin Ramblers. Dance group Taipei Swing will also be there, holding its weekly social at the venue. A quick beginner’s lesson will be offered before the music starts. Tomorrow it’s indie rock bands The Silence (沉默之音) and 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽).
■ 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路7號), tel: (02) 3393-7377 X207
■ Tonight it’s 9:30pm for Taipei Swing and the band starts at 10pm, show starts tomorrow at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$300, which includes one drink
Tomorrow, The 3 Baboons Sports Bar & Grill, an expat hangout at the Taimall Shopping Center (台茂購物中心) in Taoyuan, hosts an evening of live Latin music from Taipei Latin Soul.
■ Taimall Shopping Center (台茂購物中心), 112, Nankan Rd Sec 1, Lujhu Township, Taoyuan County (桃園縣蘆竹鄉南崁路一段112號), tel: (03) 212-2150. On the Net: www.3baboons.com
■ Starts at 8pm
■ Entrance is free
The Wall (這牆) programs regular live rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). On Sunday, the venue hosts indie groups I Get It (那我懂你意思了), Donkey’s Ears (驢子耳朵) and Subway (地下道).
■ 1 Dayong Rd, Yancheng Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市鹽埕區大勇路1號). On the Net: pier-2.khcc.gov.tw, www.thewall.com.tw
■ Shows start at 7:30pm
■ NT$300 on Sunday
Mary See the Future and I Get It (那我懂你意思了) play tomorrow night at The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung.
■ 46 Liwen Rd, Zuoying Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市左營區立文路46號), tel: (07) 550-8617. On the Net: mercurybar.blogspot.com
■ Starts at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$250, which includes one drink
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