Theater
Founded by graduates of the National Taiwan University’s theater department, the Ren Shin Co-op (仁信合作社) has been active in bringing the work of experimental playwrights from around the world to Taiwan. The Pillowman (枕頭人), based on a play by Irish writer Martin McDonagh, bills itself as a fairytale for adults, and tells the story of the murder of two children and an author who writes about two such murders. The Chinese adaptation was first released in 2008 to critical acclaim.
■ Tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ 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).
■ Tickets are NT$600, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Taiwan Drama Performance Group’s production Tien Ruo Guang (天若光) based on a true story about students from Kaohsiung Municipal Senior High School (高雄高級中學) who formed self-protection teams during the disturbances now known as the 228 Incident. Their activities, based on protecting people of all ethnic groups saved many lives during a period when Taiwanese and Mainlander elements in Taiwan where at each other’s throats. The play is based on extensive interviews with participants of the 228 Incident.
■ Tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Kaohsiung Cultural Center’s Chihteh Hall (高雄市文化中心至德堂), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市五福一路67號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Jimmy’s Subway: A Musical, 2012 Revisited (2012幾米音樂劇— 地下鐵) is a stage presentation of the illustrated book created by Taiwan’s best known cartoonist Jimmy Liao (幾米). A story of love and fantasy in the big metropolis, Subway has been adapted to many mediums, even featuring on Taipei’s MRT system. This musical presentation includes a cast that includes a mixture of indie art icons and mainstream celebrities that is likely to span a wide range of tastes.
■ Saturday at 7:30pm
■ Tainan Municipal Cultural Center Performance Hall (台南市立文化中心演藝廳), 332 Chunghua E Rd Sec 3, Greater Tainan (台南市中華東路三段332號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,800, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Jazz Ballet Kaohsiung present their new original production titled One Night in August 2009 (2009年8月的某一個晚上...). The group is Taiwan’s only jazz ballet group and the production draws on a wealth of talent from artistic director Lin Yi-chun (林怡君) to award-winning cinema set designer Li Yu-ling (李鈺玲).
■ The show opens in Kaohsiung Wednesday, with performances at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and will tour to New Taipei City (Sept. 19) and Chiayi City (Nov. 13).
■ National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄中正文化中心至善廳), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市五福一路67號)
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,000, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
La Voix d’Azur (蔚藍之聲) will perform Hebrew love songs on Saturday and Sunday. Selections include Bengt Johansson’s Examine Me, Dawson’s Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit and Whitacre Five Hebrew Love Songs.
■ Saturday and Sunday at 7:30pm
■ National Recital Hall (國家演奏廳), 21-1 Zhongshan S Rd, Taipei City (台北市中山南路21-1號)
■ Tickets are NT$300 and NT$500 through 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. Singer, songwriter and record producer Jonathan Lee (李宗盛), considered one of the “godfathers” of Mandopop for his collaborations with best-selling artists, performs tonight. Alt-rock band Touming Magazine (透明雜誌) plays in support of their new EP Forever on Saturday night, while Sunday’s sold out show features rapper MC HotDog.
■ 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 starts at 8pm tonight and Saturday and 7pm Sunday.
■ Tickets are NT$1,600 for a spot in the “B” section or NT$1,900 for the “A” section tonight, NT$500 Saturday and NT$1,000 Sunday. Tickets available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw and at ibon electronics kiosks at 7-Eleven stores.
Formed by members of design group X.nana, Sexy Banana (性感香蕉) will host a dance party tonight at The Wall (這牆). Puyuma rock singer and former One Million Star (超級星光大道) contestant Jane Huang (黃美珍) performs tomorrow night for holders of tickets included with her latest record release On My Way (途中). Singer-songwriter Lala Hsu (徐佳瑩) takes the stage on Saturday, while rock group Sleeping Brain (眠腦) performs on Sunday.
■ 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
■ Tonight’s party starts at 7:30pm. Music shows start 8pm
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight, free tomorrow night for people who have purchased On My Way, NT$500 Saturday and NT$200 Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Indie pop group Marine performs tonight at Witch House (女巫店) with singer-songwriter Liu Si-han (劉思涵). Jazz group Lemon Whirl (檸檬味兒) is on Friday’s lineup, while Pink Haze plays Saturday night.
■ 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
Tonight Riverside Music Cafe (河岸留言) hosts The Linlaus (拎老師樂隊), who perform a mix of blues, jazz, fusion, funk and disco. Jac Shen (沈子傑) appears with Jazz Cruises tomorrow night. Indie rock groups Coach (教練) and Pezen are both on Saturday’s roster, while pop singer Kris Kuan (管罄) performs on Sunday.
■ 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. For a list of standard songs and ground rules for the open jam, visit the venue’s Web site.
■ Entrance fee is NT$350 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow night, NT$400 Saturday and NT$350 Sunday.
Rock singer Dianna (狄安娜) performs tonight at Riverside Live House with Malaysian rock group Daydream. Singer-songwriters Vanila Song (宋妍甄), Kevin Wu (吳海文) and WenFangWenGo (吳汶芳) appear together tomorrow night. Folk singer Tai Chao-mei (邰肇玫) performs Saturday.
■ 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 8:30pm tonight, 8:30pm tomorrow and 8:30pm Saturday
■ Tickets are NT$400 tonight’s show, NT$450 tomorrow and NT$1,200 on Saturday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse and tickets.books.com.tw.
Sappho de Base, a late night lounge and jazz venue, hosts jazz trio Billy the Kid (比利小孩) tonight, followed by the Electrocoustic Project tomorrow. Soy La Ley Latin Jazz (古巴爵士樂團) is on Saturday’s roster.
■ 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 10pm tonight and 10:30pm tomorrow and Saturday night
■ Entrance is NT$200
Tonight is band night at Revolver with sets from Simmer Riot, Wild Flower (野花樂團) and Who Are You (隱藏人物). Friday night’s party features Damier and Marko performing live gypsy music on guitar and Balkan beats from DJ Boki. On Saturday, I Love Drum and Bass Meets Night Zoo will feature DJs Siesta, James Ho, Robi Roka, Robin Lai and MC Stoppa.
■ 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 9:30pm tonight and 10pm tomorrow and Saturday
■ Entrance is NT$250 tonight, NT$300 tomorrow night and NT$350 Saturday. All fees include one drink.
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.
■ 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
Guitar duo Blurrs Bros perform American songbook tunes tonight at Italian restaurant Capone’s. On Fridays, Taipei Swing holds dance socials with live music from electric blues band Bopomofo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). On Saturday, drummerAbe Nbugu Kenyatta leads a band playing music from his hometown of New Orleans. Iris sings “romantic chansons” Sunday nights and on Wednesdays, it’s Latin music from guitarist Roberto Zayas.
■ 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 Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts live performances every Saturday. This week’s roster includes Hijack, which performs shoegazer indie rock and includes members of 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽) and Orangegrass (澄草) as part of the group. They will be joined by Kaohsiung-based rockers The Third Party (第三者).
■ 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: visit mercurybar.blogspot.com
■ Starts at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$250, which includes one drink
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’s Choice in Chaos show features a showcase lineup of metalcore bands including Losing Art (漂浮者), Flesh Juicer (血肉果汁機) and Burning Island. Indie-folk group Hush takes the stage Saturday night with The Angles (角落) as the opening act.
■ 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
■ Show starts at 7:30pm tomorrow and 7:30pm Saturday
■ Entrance is NT$300 tomorrow and NT$300 on Saturday.
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