Theater
New Havoc in the Dragon Palace (新．鬧龍宮), part of a production in the Contemporary Legend Theater’s (當代傳奇劇場) Legendary Classic Drama Series. A dramatization of one of the incidents from the Chinese classic Journey to the West (西遊記).
■ Tomorrow at 2:30pm
■ Auditorium of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, 21 Zhongshan S Rd, Taipei City (台北市中山南路21號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Birthmark Behind the Ears (耳背上的印記), a production by Short One Player (三缺一劇團) that is primarily a semi-autobiographical monologue by actor Ho Hsiang-yi (賀湘儀).
■ Today, tomorrow and Sunday at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
■ Tickets are NT$450; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Taipei Dad, New York Mom (台北爸爸‧紐約媽媽), a play based on the award-winning novel by gay filmmaker and author Mickey Chen (陳俊志) by the Mr Wing Theater Company (人力飛行劇團), is a passionate evocation of family life that spans Taiwan and the US over three decades.
■ Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm; tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$600 to NT$2,500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
China National Peking Opera Company (中國國家京劇院) presents a series of classic Beijing opera performances over the next week, bringing over established stars and introducing emerging talent in a huge showcase of outstanding operatic technique.
■ Tuesday through to Dec 22 at 7pm and Dec 23 at 2pm
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500; 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. The spotlight is on pop singer Lin Chun-yi (林俊逸) tonight. Tomorrow’s show is the latest in Legacy’s concert series The Next Big Thing showcasing up-and-coming talent. This week’s roster includes Kaohsiung-based Elephant Gym (大象體操) and Empty Space on a Chessboard (棋盤上的空格).
■ 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 8pm
■ NT$900 and NT$1,100 tonight and NT$200 tomorrow. 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
Japanese punk rock band BIGMAMA and Brit-rock outfit [Champagne] appear tomorrow night at The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists. On Sunday, it is indie rock group Miss Stocking (絲襪小姐).
■ 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
■ 7pm tomorrow and 8pm on Sunday
■ NT$1,400 tomorrow, NT$400 on Sunday. Tickets for all shows, with discounts on advance tickets, can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight at Neo Studio, a multi-purpose venue designed to host concerts, parties and fashion shows, French electronic music and fashion label Kitsune puts together an electronic party featuring Citizens!, Gildas, Mykal, NeonKidz and Disk0Kidz. Chthonic’s (閃靈) show on Sunday is already sold out. For more information, go to www.thewall.com.tw.
■ 5F, 22 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北松壽路22號5樓), tel: (02) 2723-6620
■ 9pm tonight
■ NT$1,600 tonight. Tickets can be purchased online through www.tickets.books.com.tw and walkieticket.com
Upbeat punks Punkhoo (胖虎) and pop punk and modern rock outfit Go Go Rise are scheduled tonight at Underworld (地下社會), a small basement club and a favorite indie rock hangout in Taipei. The Okay Cars and The Junk (帆人) play tomorrow. On Wednesday, it is electronica outfit Fabric Factory (織品工廠) and Dirty Fiction (髒小說).
■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1), tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Net: www.underworld-taipei.blogspot.tw
■ Shows run from 9pm to 11pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Wednesdays. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Sundays and Mondays.
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$100 on Wednesday, NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays, which includes one drink
Tonight Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area, hosts two female musicians Zoe Huang (黃玠瑋) and Glory (葛洛力). Tomorrow it is the release party of Hush!’s debut album.
■ 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, one drink included
Revolver hosts the Black Series no. 2 — Eclipse featuring DJS INN, Pec, JohnnP and Zong-Yu tonight. The indie rock club celebrates its second anniversary tomorrow with a night of live music from Skaraoke, The Deadly Vibes and Formosa Romance, joined by DJs Marcus Aurelius, Robi Roka and James Ho.
■ 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$300 tonight, including one drink, and free admission tomorrow
Bobwundaye, a small pub on Heping East Road (和平東路) in Taipei, hosts an open mic every Wednesday.
■ 77, Hoping E Rd, Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市和平東路三段77號), tel: (02) 2377-1772.
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ Free on Wednesdays
Tonight is fusion night at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館), featuring guitarist Ni Fang-lai (倪方來), bass player Ning Tzu-ta (甯子達), keyboard player Huang Yu-hsun (黃雨勳), drummer Chen Po-chou (陳柏州) and saxophone player Su Sheng-yu (蘇聖育). Pop rock group Great Adventure (大冒險) and Crystal Dancer (舞璃) is on Thursday’s lineup.
■ 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 on Thursday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Two two-man bands, Higashi and Wei (大人物語) and Murmur Show (慢慢說), take the stage tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言), followed by pop idol Kuo Shu-yao (郭書瑤, aka Yaoyao) tomorrow. On Sunday, BaBa Band (爸爸辦桌) plays with Manifune and Chizu from Japan.
■ 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 tonight and on Sunday, 8pm tomorrow
■ NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$350 on Sunday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Funk/reggae/soul band The Shiznits perform tonight at Sappho de Base, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows. Tomorrow, it is Alter-J (黑糖這樂團) performing jazzy tunes. N.E.S. Jazz is on Tuesday’s lineup, followed by Kueis Band (奎之樂團) and Andrew Salim Quintet on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
■ 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
■ 10:30pm tonight and tomorrow, 9:30pm on weekdays. The venue is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$200 tonight, tomorrow and Thursday, free on 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. Other highlights include Mando-pop songstress Julia Peng (彭佳慧) on Tuesdays and 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: 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
On Fridays at Italian restaurant Capone’s, Taipei Swing holds dance socials with live music from electric 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. Duo Blurrs Bros perform blues and American songbook tunes on Thursdays.
■ 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 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, 8pm to 10pm on Sundays and 8:45pm to 10:45pm on weekdays
■ On Fridays, minimum charge of one drink. On Saturdays, minimum charge is NT$300
The Wall (這牆) programs regular live rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). Tonight, venue hosts Singaporean singer Olivia. Popular reggae/Aboriginal rock group Matzka (瑪斯卡) plays tomorrow.
■ 1 Dayong Rd, Yancheng Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市鹽埕區大勇路1號), tel: (07) 521-5148. On the Net: www.thewall.com.tw
■ Shows start at 7:30pm
■ NT$600 tonight and NT$300 tomorrow. Tickets for all shows, with discounts on advance tickets, can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
“Taiwan’s Opposition Leader Comes to US With a Message Straight Out of Beijing” read a May 31 headline in the Wall Street Journal. Top US administration officials and members of Congress almost certainly read the WSJ, and if there was a bullet point takeaway that people in Washington should absorb ahead of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chair Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) arrival in DC on June 9, that headline is it. The last few columns have discussed this very topic, and the timing is not coincidental. While those top officials likely do not read the Taipei Times, judging by the number
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