Theater
Lin Hwai-min’s (林懷民) latest work, How Can I Live On Without You (如果沒有你), will surprise Cloud Gate Dance Theatre (雲門舞集) fans familiar with the troupe’s meditative style. Envisioned as a love song to Taiwanese music from the past six decades, the new production has bright colors, swinging hips and features an eclectic mix of songs from the likes of folk singer Tsai Chin (蔡琴), Fong Fei-fei (鳳飛飛), rocker Wu Bai (伍佰), indie singer-songwriter Crowd Lu (盧廣仲), Jay Chou (周杰倫) and 1940s crooner Bai Guang (白光).
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tickets for tomorrow, and the matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 are sold out, but seats remain for shows on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Dec. 9 and Dec. 10 at 7:45pm
■ Tickets are NT$1,200 to NT$1,600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Secret of the Luthier (琴弦的秘密) by Theatre de la Sardine (沙丁龐客劇團) fuses dance, mime and Middle Eastern music to recount a boy’s adventure in a faraway land.
■ Wenshan Theater (文山劇場), 32 Jingwen St, Taipei City (台北市景文街32號)
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm, Saturday 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
Founded by Alain Bernardin in 1951, Le Crazy Horse Paris has since become one of the world’s most illustrious erotically inspired cabarets. To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the company presents Forever Crazy, a tribute to its founder.
■ ATT Show Box, 7F, 12 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路12號7樓)
■ Tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30pm and 10pm, Sunday at 5pm and 7:30pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$2,200 to NT$6,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Golden Bough Theatre (金枝演社劇團) presents Pirates and Formosa (黃金海賊王), a musical in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) that follows a band of pirates’ adventurous journey to the mythical island of Formosa.
■ Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中中山堂), 98 Syueshih Rd, Greater Taichung (台中市學士路98號)
■ Saturday at 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Fantasy Party Invitation (男人幫之異想世界) by Open Theater (大開劇團) explores relationships and marriage in the form of a comedy that opens with two men excitedly preparing a bachelor party for their best friend.
■ Sun Yat-sen Hall of the National Sun Yat-sen University Art Center (國立中山大學逸仙館), 70 Lianhai Rd, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市蓮海路70號)
■ Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
The 2011 Taiwan Connection Music Festival (2011 Taiwan Connection 音樂節) sees the Taiwan Connection chamber orchestra presenting a program that includes Mozart’s Overture to Don Giovanni, K. 527, Schonberg’s Transfigured Night, Op. 4, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67.
■ Sunday at 2:30pm (Kaohsiung) and Tuesday at 7:30pm (Taichung)
■ Kaohsiung Cultural Center’s Chihteh 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) and Chunghsing Concert Hall, Taichung (台中中興堂), 291-3 Jingwu Rd, Greater Taichung (大台中精武路291之3號)
■ Tickets are NT$250 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
A Night of Golden Duets (2011黃金長笛二重奏) presents flautist Herlin Hsu (許鶴齡) and Lin Yi-chi (林ㄧ琦) accompanied on piano by Li Hai-ning (李海寧) in a program that includes Bach’s Trio Sonata in G Major, Franz and Karl Doppler’s Souvenir de Prague, Op. 24, Ernesto Kohler’s Concert Duet Variation on a Melody by Chopin, Gary Schocker’s Bucolics for Two Flutes and other works.
■ Monday at 7:30pm
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Legacy Taipei, located in a former warehouse at Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Tomorrow’s show featuring acclaimed Singaporean singer/songwriter Tanya Chua (蔡健雅) is already sold out. No shows are scheduled as of press time for Saturday and Sunday. Wednesday is an evening of experimental electronica with veteran indie group KbN (凱比鳥), Freedom Beat (自由擊) and Canadian duo Sammy and Shang-Han Chien (簡上翔/簡上涵).
■ 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)
■ Show starts at 8pm tomorrow, 8:30pm on Wednesday
■ Sold out tomorrow, NT$500 on Wednesday (NT$400 in advance). Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased at ERA ticketing outlets, online through www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw or at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Tomorrow The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists, hosts Japanese jazz quintet Jabberloop, known for its frequent collaborations with Taiwanese rapper Soft Lipa (蛋堡). Also performing is Japanese avant-garde artist Coma. On Saturday evening, disco-funk rockers Cosmos People (宇宙人) celebrate the return of one of their members from military service. On Sunday, it’s a trio of metal bands: Crescent Lament, Sideeffect and Vulner. Indie group Human Beings (人) plays on Wednesday to launch its debut CD, with supporting acts nu-metal rock band The Hindsight (光景消逝) and Aiphy (愛妃).
■ 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
■ All shows start at 8pm
■ NT$1,000 tomorrow, NT$500 Saturday, NT$500 on Sunday (NT$400 in advance) and NT$400 on Wednesday (NT$300 in advance). Tickets for all shows can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Girl punks Hot Pink take to the stage tomorrow at Underworld (地下社會), a small basement club in Taipei. On Saturday, blues/punk band Black Summer Days open for Japanese indie rock band Icon Girl Pistols. Wednesday is punk night with Inhuman Species (非人物種) and Damnkidz.
■ 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.
Tomorrow, Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) hosts female Mando-pop singers TikChi (迪子) and Frida Li (利得彙). Jazz saxophonist Tony Tung (董舜文) and friends perform Saturday. On Sunday, it’s Sun Pei-wen (孫佩妏), lead singer of indie rock group Cubic. 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 tomorrow 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 tomorrow and Saturday, NT$350 Sunday and NT$150 Monday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Tomorrow, Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館) hosts
Japanese indie rockers Icon Girl Pistols and indie-pop veterans 1976. On Saturday, Mando-pop singer Tofu Sister (豆花妹), real name Tsai Huang-ru (蔡黃汝), takes to the stage. On Sunday, it’s Aboriginal singer-songwriter Suming (舒米恩).
■ 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
■ NT$500 tomorrow, NT$499 Saturday night (NT$450 in advance) and NT$400 Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Sappho de Base, a late-night lounge bar that hosts live jazz and blues performances, tomorrow hosts American pianist Lafayette Harris Jr., a past member of the Duke Ellington Legacy Orchestra and backing musician for Max Roach. On Saturday, Shanghai-based saxophonist Alec Haavik performs with his trio tomorrow. On Tuesday it’s Trio J.T., while MaJam Jazz Quartet (麻將爵士樂團) plays jazz, fusion, funk and blues on Wednesday. Pianist Alex Pryrodny leads his trio on Thursday.
■ 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
■ Shows start at 10pm. The venue is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$200 tomorrow, NT$300 Saturday, free other nights
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights for the week ahead include 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
Italian restaurant Capone’s hosts pop rock band Mary Jane and her Quartet every Friday. On Saturday, 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 French expat jazz musician Olivier Baron tomorrow. On Saturday, Lanny and Friends play blues, country and swing. On Wednesday, the venue hosts a poetry open mic, and on Thursday, it’s the Organology
Jazz Quartet.
■ 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路7號), tel: (02) 3393-7377 X207
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$350
The Wall (這牆) programs regular live rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). Tomorrow, indie pop group The Girl and the Robots (女孩與機器人) takes to the stage. On Saturday it’s Luantan A-hsiang (亂彈阿翔), the band led by A-hsiang (阿翔), best known as the frontman for Luantan (亂彈), a leading underground band from the 1990s.
■ 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$500 tomorrow and Saturday
On Saturday, The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts electro-rock outfit Sunset Rollercoaster (落日飛車), which is playing an acoustic set. Also appearing is ambient electronica artist Empty Space on a Chessboard (棋盤上的空格).
■ 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
Sept.16 to Sept. 22 The “anti-communist train” with then-president Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) face plastered on the engine puffed along the “sugar railway” (糖業鐵路) in May 1955, drawing enthusiastic crowds at 103 stops covering nearly 1,200km. An estimated 1.58 million spectators were treated to propaganda films, plays and received free sugar products. By this time, the state-run Taiwan Sugar Corporation (台糖, Taisugar) had managed to connect the previously separate east-west lines established by Japanese-era sugar factories, allowing the anti-communist train to travel easily from Taichung to Pingtung’s Donggang Township (東港). Last Sunday’s feature (Taiwan in Time: The sugar express) covered the inauguration of the
The corruption cases surrounding former Taipei Mayor and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) head Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) are just one item in the endless cycle of noise and fuss obscuring Taiwan’s deep and urgent structural and social problems. Even the case itself, as James Baron observed in an excellent piece at the Diplomat last week, is only one manifestation of the greater problem of deep-rooted corruption in land development. Last week the government announced a program to permit 25,000 foreign university students, primarily from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, to work in Taiwan after graduation for 2-4 years. That number is a
This year’s Michelin Gourmand Bib sported 16 new entries in the 126-strong Taiwan directory. The fight for the best braised pork rice and the crispiest scallion pancake painstakingly continued, but what stood out in the lineup this year? Pang Taqueria (胖塔可利亞); Taiwan’s first Michelin-recommended Mexican restaurant. Chef Charles Chen (陳治宇) is a self-confessed Americophile, earning his chef whites at a fine-dining Latin-American fusion restaurant. But what makes this Xinyi (信義) spot stand head and shoulders above Taipei’s existing Mexican offerings? The authenticity. The produce. The care. AUTHENTIC EATS In my time on the island, I have caved too many times to
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