Theater
Taiwan 365 — Eternity of a Day (Taiwan 365 — 永遠的一天) is a group effort by Hung Hung (鴻鴻), the artistic director of Dark Eyes Performance Lab (黑眼睛跨劇團), and artists from other performing groups. The show reviews the past year, with subjects from nuclear waste, the Sixth Naphtha Cracker (六輕) plant to the government-sponsored rock musical Dreamers (夢想家).
■ Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ 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
The Space Without Me (他們的房間) by Ho Theatre (禾劇場) is director Lo Yuan-te’s (羅淵德) attempt to explore familial relationships through a story that begins with a man announcing to his family that he will marry his terminally ill girlfriend.
■ Taipei Stock (倉庫藝文空間), 3F, 34, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段34號3樓)
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Two of Comedy Club’s most popular groups, Stand-Up Gang (站立幫) and Double Happiness (雙囍門), team up for a series of special shows titled Comedy 101 Oh Yeah (卡米地101,耶!).
■ Comedy Club, 20, Ln 553, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段553巷20號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm, Saturday at 10pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 for tonight
and tomorrow and NT$600 on Saturday, available online through www.walkieticket.com. Or contact the Comedy Club to reserve
seats by sending an e-mail to ticket@comedy.com.tw or calling (02) 2764-5529
Riverbed Theatre (河床劇團) returns to the stage with Rice Dreams (夢遊), a remix or mash-up of its “rice productions” — Riz au Lait, Riz Flambe and Riz Souffle — and several other shows, inspired by musicians who search for new sounds from older works. The company will be taking the hour-long show on tour to Stuttgart and Mannheim, Germany, in March.
■ Arki Galeria (築空間), B1, 2, Chongqing S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市重慶南路一段2號B1)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm
■ Tickets are NT$450, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Puppet & Its Double Theater’s (無獨有偶工作室劇團) Paper Cut Dreamer (剪紙人) ends its island-wide tour in Yilan this weekend with two shows. The puppet production uses human actors, including Fa, real name Tsai Cheng-liang (蔡政良), and Taipei-based Indian director Chongtham Jayanta Meetei to transport viewers to a mythical realm.
■ Yilan Performance Hall (宜蘭演藝廳), 482, Jhongshan Rd Sec 2, Yilan City (宜蘭市中山路二段482號)
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm and Saturday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$350 and NT$400, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
NSO 2012 New Year Concert — Auferstehung (NSO 跨/新年音樂會太初之光 — 馬勒第二交響曲復活) sees the National Symphony Orchestra (國家交響樂團) joining the Taipei Philharmonic Chorus (台北愛樂合唱團), soprano Hsu Yi-lin (徐以琳) and alto Shih I-chiao (石易巧) in a production of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, “Auferstehungssymphonie”. The orchestra will be conducted by Lu Shao-chia (呂紹嘉).
■ Saturday at 10:30pm (sold out) and Sunday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,400, available from NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
An Die Freude (傳唱百年頌讚雙十 — 傳唱100,迎向新生), a New Year’s Eve concert organized by the Association of Vocal Artists of the ROC that brings together the Taipei Century Choir (台北世紀合唱團), the Pacific Ocean Chorus (太平洋合唱團), the For You Chorus (逢友合唱團), the chorus of the music department of Soochow University (東吳大學音樂系合唱團), performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor under the baton of Chiang Ching-po (江靖波).
■ Saturday 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$500 to NT$2,000, available from 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. No shows are scheduled as of press time until Jan. 7, when Aboriginal singer and Taiwanese folk legend Kimbo Hu (胡德夫) takes to the stage.
■ 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)
■ The concert on Jan. 7 begins at 7pm
■ Tickets are NT$800 in advance, available at ERA ticketing outlets, online through www.ticket.com.tw and www.legacy.com.tw and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks, and NT$1,000 at the door
Tonight, The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists, hosts metal bands Epitaph and Nocturne Moonrise. Taking to the stage tomorrow is Japanese performer H Zett, a rock and jazz fusion pianist with a theatrical flair. Opening the show will be indie veterans Tizzy Bac. On Saturday, the venue welcomes the New Year with a long list of popular bands and DJs. The lineup: Bearbabes (熊寶貝樂團), Enno Cheng (鄭宜農), Selfkill, Orangegrass (橙草), Macbeth (馬克白) and DJs Hao and Spykee Fat. On Sunday, Dance Rock Taipei presents a show titled Monday Is Holiday with DJs Style of Eye of Sweden and BeatauCue of France. On Wednesday, the venue hosts electro-rock bands Nintendo Generation Blues (任天堂世代憂鬱), The Shine and Shine and Shine and Shine (閃閃閃閃) and Microcosmos (小宇宙).
■ 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
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight and tomorrow, 9pm on Saturday, 11pm on Sunday, 8pm on Wednesday
■ NT$500 tonight, NT$1,500 tomorrow (NT$1,200 in advance), NT$1,200 on Sunday, and NT$400 (NT$300 in advance) on Wednesday. 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 indie rock band The Others (別的樂團) and singer-songwriter Moonteg. Tomorrow and Saturday’s show featuring singer-songwriter Deserts Chang (張懸) and her band Algae are already sold out.
■ 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, open 11am to midnight Sundays through Wednesdays, 11am to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$300
Garage rockers Bowztiger (包子虎樂團) and solo performer Floaty take to the stage tomorrow at Underworld (地下社會), a small basement club in Taipei. On Saturday, the venue welcomes the New Year by hosting live music from experimental electronica band Varo and art rock group Forests (森林). Their sets are followed by DJ collective Plastic Cherry Bomb Squad and DJs Floaty and Chema.
■ 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 is NT$300 on Friday (includes one drink) and NT$500 on Saturday (includes one drink before 11:30pm, two drinks after 11:30pm). Entrance for Wednesday shows
is NT$100
Tonight Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) hosts SE, which won the battle of the bands at this year’s Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival. The group shares the bill with The Linlaus (拎老師樂隊). Tomorrow, Japanese blues guitarist Shun Kikuta, a former guitarist for blues legend Koko Taylor, performs with his trio. On Saturday, the venue welcomes the New Year with an all-star lineup of house musicians, who are calling themselves the G7 Summit. 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$350 tonight, NT$450 tomorrow and NT$500 Saturday (NT$400 in advance), and NT$150 Monday. Tickets can be purchased online through 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 Mando-pop performers Connie Kang (康禎庭) and No Name (余荃斌). Tomorrow, indie-pop duo JS takes to the stage, and on Saturday, four indie rock bands perform for the venue’s New Year’s Eve party: P!SCO, Marshes, What Century and Lese Qingnian (樂色青年). Pop-rocker pretty boys Champion (強辯樂團) appear on Sunday.
■ 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$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$500 Saturday (NT$400 in advance) and NT$600 on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Reazon performs jazz rock and fusion tonight at Sappho de Base, a late-night lounge bar. Tomorrow, it’s blues, soul and psychedelic rock from Blues Vibrations. On Saturday, the Dong Dong Jazz Quartet (咚咚隆咚鏘爵士四重奏) takes to the stage.
■ 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$500 Saturday, free other nights
Acclaimed Aboriginal singer Samingad (紀曉君) performs every Thursday at EZ5 Live House, which 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, and veteran performer Ann Lang (郎祖筠) on Wednesdays.
■ 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
Tomorrow at indie rock club Revolver, Rankadank Records presents a party titled Lo-fire featuring DJs Conrank, and MCs Double and Shen Yi. On Saturday, the venue celebrates New Year’s Eve with Leo 37, Vicar and Two Hands behind the decks.
■ 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 start at 10pm
■ Entrance is NT$250 tomorrow, NT$500 on Saturday (NT$400 in advance), which includes one drink
Tonight, 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 piano and harmonica jazz duo Mike and Yasuko. Tomorrow, it’s African dance group Mamaya. On Saturday, the venue welcomes the New Year with a black-tie party and live blues and swing jazz from David Chen and the Muddy Basin Ramblers.
■ 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路7號), tel: (02) 3393-7377, X207
■ Shows start at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$200, which includes one drink, except for Saturday’s New Year’s Eve show, which is NT$800 (includes two drinks)
The Wall (這牆) programs regular live rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). The venue is holding a New Year’s Party on Saturday night with local indie bands Sorrow of Youth (少年維特的煩惱), The Lawns (草地人), Fire EX (滅火器) and Combine (抗敗樂團).
■ 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$400 on Saturday
The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts live music every Saturday. This weekend features electro-rock band Nintendo Generation Blues (任天堂世代憂鬱) and Twisted Donut Monsters (麻花捲怪獸).
■ 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
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
Located down a sideroad in old Wanhua District (萬華區), Waley Art (水谷藝術) has an established reputation for curating some of the more provocative indie art exhibitions in Taipei. And this month is no exception. Beyond the innocuous facade of a shophouse, the full three stories of the gallery space (including the basement) have been taken over by photographs, installation videos and abstract images courtesy of two creatives who hail from the opposite ends of the earth, Taiwan’s Hsu Yi-ting (許懿婷) and Germany’s Benjamin Janzen. “In 2019, I had an art residency in Europe,” Hsu says. “I met Benjamin in the lobby
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
A fossil jawbone found by a British girl and her father on a beach in Somerset, England belongs to a gigantic marine reptile dating to 202 million years ago that appears to have been among the largest animals ever on Earth. Researchers said on Wednesday the bone, called a surangular, was from a type of ocean-going reptile called an ichthyosaur. Based on its dimensions compared to the same bone in closely related ichthyosaurs, the researchers estimated that the Triassic Period creature, which they named Ichthyotitan severnensis, was between 22-26 meters long. That would make it perhaps the largest-known marine reptile and would