Classical music
As of press time, there were a limited number of tickets still available for Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, a co-production by Opera Australia and the National Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Lu Shao-chia (呂紹嘉). Saturday’s and Monday’s shows have yet to sell out, which features Taiwanese soprano Lin Ling-hui (林玲慧) singing the part of Cio-Cio San (Butterfly).
■ Saturday and Monday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Available tickets are NT$2,400 and NT$3,000, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Theater
A hybrid production from emerging experimental director Liu Jian-kuo (劉建幗), Who’s the Boss (金蘭情X誰是老大) blurs boundaries between traditional and modern theater. StarringLiu Chien-hua (劉建華), a specialist in Henan opera (豫劇), and Li Pei-ying (李佩穎) of theFormosa Zephyr Opera Troupe (台灣春風歌劇團), which practices Taiwanese gezai opera. Combined with these two operatic virtuosi, there is also a rock’n’roll vibe and a story about gender bending in Taiwan’s criminal underworld.
■ Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm
■ 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)
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,000; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Sealed Wolf (玉筆鈴聲之蒼狼印), a major new production by Kaohsiung’s Jin Ing Ger Puppet Troupe (金鷹閣電視木偶劇團), combines traditional Taiwanese puppetry with television-style effects to create a enthralling fantasy world of heroes and villains.
■ Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ New Taipei City Arts Center (新北市藝文中心演藝廳), 62 Jhuangjing Rd, Banciao Dist, New Taipei City (新北市板橋區莊敬路62號)
■ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$500; available through NTCH ticketing and 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 is a party featuring prominent indie-rock figures playing celebrity DJ: Mando-pop singer Valen Hsu (許茹芸), Ma Nien-hsien (馬念先) and 1976 singer Chen Ray-kai (陳瑞凱, aka Ah-kai, 阿凱). Saturday and Sunday’s shows featuring Alt-rock chanteuse Faith Yang (楊乃文) are sold out.
■ 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
■ NT$800 (NT$500 in advance), sold out Saturday and Sunday. Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased at ERA ticketing outlets, online through www.ticket.com.tw, www.legacy.com.tw and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Up-and-coming acts identize, castaway and Rosy (玫瑰紅) play tonight at The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists. Tomorrow it’s nu-metal and rock from Seventy Percent (70%柒拾趴樂團) and OverDose. Mando-pop/rock singer Fiona Wu (吳南穎) is also on the bill. Grunge band KoOk (庫克樂團) and HiJack take the stage on Saturday.
■ 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.
■ NT$400 tonight (NT$300 in advance), NT$500 tomorrow and Saturday. Tickets for all shows can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Tomorrow Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area, hosts Puyuma Aboriginal singer Leo Chen (陳永龍). On Saturday, it’s veteran rocker Sissey Chao (趙一豪), who sounds like Jim Morrison singing in Mandarin.
■ 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
Tonight indie rock club Revolver holds a “band night” with Morphine Side, The Sign of Human (記號士), The Sleeping Brain and Parabox. Tomorrow it’s garage rock favorites 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽), along with Hence N Comma and Sadness Oyster and FAD. On Saturday, the venue hosts a party titled Indulge — Summer 2012, with DJs Ico Boy, Jakol, Fresco, Dasu and Ghettochild.
■ 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
■ Entrance is NT$250 tonight, NT$300 tomorrow and Saturday. Admission includes one free drink.
Aboriginal rock group BOXING (拳樂團) and Ground Zero (放射空間) appear tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow it’s JC and the Moonlight Band, with jazz singer Emily Guan (官靈芝). On Saturday, local Brit-rock heroes 1976 take the stage, while Hong Kong singer-songwriter Ellen Joyce Loo (盧凱彤) 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
■ NT$350 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow, NT$500 Saturday and NT$450 Sunday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Mando-pop group Every Planet (美味星球) appears tonight at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館). On Friday afternoon, Mandopop singer G.E.M., Gloria Tang (鄧紫棋), takes the stage. Later in the evening, Hoklo-singing indie rock band Goosander (川秋沙) shares the bill with electronica-rock group Frande. Folk pop duo Crispy (脆樂團) and indie rock band Miss Stocking (絲襪小姐) perform on 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 at 8:30pm; G.E.M.’s show on Friday starts at 2pm.
■ NT$400 for all shows, except Friday afternoon’s, which is NT$800. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight Sappho de Base, a late-night jazz/lounge bar, hosts J.T. Trio. Tomorrow, it’s the ADJ Trio, and on Saturday, another jazz group, Texas Hold’em, takes the stage. Kelvin’s Jazz Trio is on Tuesday.
■ 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 and Saturday; free all 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.
■ 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 Taipei blues band Bopomofo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). On Saturday, drummer Abe 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 TAV Cafe (村落餐廳), a bar and cafe located at the Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村), hosts drummer Ed Schaefer and his jazz trio tonight. Tomorrow saxophonist Terry Hsieh (謝明諺) leads his ensemble. Tuesday is Milonga night held by Tango Taiwan.
■ 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路7號), tel: (02) 3393-7377, ext 207
■ Shows start at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$300 tonight and tomorrow and NT$250 on Tuesday, 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 it’s local punk band Combine (抗敗樂團), Random (隨性) and indie upstarts New Sunglasses (新墨鏡). On Saturday, it’s emo, metal and rock from Twisted Donut Monsters (麻花捲怪獸), Artemis (阿台米斯) and Peacecrew.
■ 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 7pm Saturday
■ NT$300 tomorrow and NT$500 Saturday
The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts live music every Saturday. This weekend, it’s hardcore punk band No Order and indie rock band Forests.
■ 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, includes one drink
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