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, It features duo concerts by Mando-pop songstresses Bai An (白安) and Jia Jia (家家).
■ 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 8pm
■ NT$700. 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 female rap/hip-hop artist Miss Ko (葛仲珊) performs tonight at The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists. Post-rock veterans Sugar Plum Ferry (甜梅號), We Save Strawberries (草莓救星) and 8mm Sky (八厘米天空) take the stage tomorrow. Later on, Peter Van Hoesen from Belgium headlines the Smoke Machine’s third anniversary party that also includes DJs Petstov from Chile and Taiwan’s Diskonnected. On Monday, the venue hosts a New Year’s Eve party featuring 14 bands and 4 DJs including Flesh Juicer (血肉果汁機), The Tic Tac, Hi Jack and Mary Bites Kerry (瑪麗咬凱莉). Wednesday’s show includes Acid Marie (微酸瑪莉), Miss Go!, and Ark (阿克樂團).
■ 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 8pm (Saturday’s electronic show begins at 11:30pm)
■ NT$800 tonight, NT$600 tomorrow, NT$1,000 for late-night show, NT$500 on Monday and NT$200 on Wednesday. Tickets for shows, with discounts on advance tickets, can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw. Tickets for the Smoke Machine’s party are available through walkieticket.com as well as 7-Eleven ibon kiosks and FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort kiosks
Indie rockers Insecteens (昆蟲白) and noise band She Bang A (死蚊子) perform tonight at Underworld (地下社會), a small basement club and a favorite indie rock hangout in Taipei. The venue hosts the 4th installment of the animation-oriented party entitled Otaku Attack tomorrow, featuring DJ Fish, Physical Chemical Brother (理化兄弟), idolm@ster and 3R2. Later on at the Motown party, the venue’s shareholder and Fu Jen University professor Ho Tong-hung (何東洪) performs with a troupe of indie big-names including Sonia Lai from Go Chic, Randy Lin (林志堅) and Da Shi Xiong (大師兄) and Ah-kai (阿凱) from 1976. Sunday’s show includes She Bang A and Baimi Zhadan (白米炸彈), or “white rice bomb,” a band formed by a former member of anarchist punk band LTK (濁水溪公社). New Year’s Eve party lineup on Monday includes 88 Balaz, 1976 as well as DJs Floaty and Dizzy.
■ 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 tonight and on Monday, Otaku Attack party starts at 2pm and the Motown party at 11:30pm tomorrow, 8pm on Sunday
■ NT$300 for all shows, except for the Motown party costing NT$150 and NT$500 for New Year’s Eve party
Tonight Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area, hosts all-girl indie band Destroyers (擊沉女孩) and pop punk group Gogorise (美好前程). Indie folk singer Enno Cheng (鄭宜農) and pop outfit Come on! Bay Bay! (來吧!焙焙) perform tomorrow.
■ 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
It is time to dance and groove tonight at indie rock club Revolver with DJs Katrina, Zo, A-Tao and BB. Tomorrow’s roster includes Kid Millionaire, Dr. Reniculous Lipz, Skallyunz and DJs Subtle and Robi Roka. New Year’s Eve celebrations are joined by Funky Brothers (放客兄弟), Forests (森林), Roxymoron (羅西是魔人), SkyCruiser as well as DJs @llenblow and Shorty.
■ 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 and tomorrow, NT$500 on Monday
Taiwanese American pop singer Lara Veronin (梁心頤) are scheduled tonight at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館). Amis singer-songwriter Suming (舒米恩) appears tomorrow, followed by Aboriginal group Lan Shin (嵐馨樂團) on Sunday. On Monday, indie rockers Guntzepaula (槍擊潑辣), Arkmen (阿克曼樂團) and Overtone join hand to welcome the new year.
■ 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
■ 8pm tonight, 2pm tomorrow, 8:30pm on Sunday and Monday
■ NT$400 tonight and on Sunday and Monday, NT$200 tomorrow. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Skyline Jazz Trio appears tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言), followed by Mando-pop singer Hsiao Hung-jen (蕭閎仁) tomorrow. On Sunday, it is pianist and singer A-Chau (阿超). It is a jazz fusion night on New Year’s Eve featuring guitarists Lin Cheng–ju (林正如) and Yan He-pang (嚴和邦), bass player Lu Hsin-min (盧欣民) and drummer Eiji Kadota.
■ 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 9:30pm tonight and on Monday, 9pm tomorrow and on Sunday
■ NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$350 on Sunday and NT$500 on Monday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Blues Vibrations perform tonight at Sappho de Base, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows. Ska band Skaraoke are scheduled tomorrow.
■ 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 10:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$300
Folk group Pink Haze takes the stage tonight at A House, a venue dedicated to a cappella and with a focus on classical, jazz and world music. Pop singer/songwriter Iris Lin (林綾) takes the stage tomorrow.
■ 18, Alley 5, Ln 107, Fuxing S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市復興南路一段107巷5弄18號), tel: (02) 2778-8612. On the Net: ahouse.vocalasia.com
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ NT$350 tonight and on Sunday. Tickets can purchased online through www.walkieticket.com. Admission includes one free drink
Veteran rockers 13 (拾參樂團) and Love Manana (愛的大未來) appear at Pipe Live Music, an up-and-coming venue for indie music and parties. It is the release party for Sommossa’s EP tomorrow with post hardcore outfit Daybreak Scream (破曉之聲), Ki Lai (奇萊) and Contrary Think (逆思) also playing. The venue hosts a cosplay party on Sunday featuring DJ chippe from Japan. It is a night of trance spun by DJs Krro and Clavo X on New Year’s Eve.
■ 1, Siyuan Rd, Taipei City (台北市思源路1號), tel: (02) 2364-8198. On the Net: www.pipemusic.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight, 1pm tomorrow, 4pm on Sunday and 10pm on Monday
■ NT$400 tonight and on Sunday, NT$350 tomorrow and NT$800 on Monday. Tickets can purchased online through www.walkieticket.com
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’s roster includes rock veterans 1976 and Hush!. Mando-pop singer Xiaoyu (小宇) plays tomorrow. On Monday, the New Year’s Eve party lineup include grunge outfit KoOk (庫克樂團) and pop punk band Fire EX (滅火器).
■ 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
■ 7:30pm tonight and tomorrow and 5:30pm on Monday
■ NT$400 for all shows. Tickets for all shows, with discounts on advance tickets, can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
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
Peter Brighton was amazed when he found the giant jackfruit. He had been watching it grow on his farm in far north Queensland, and when it came time to pick it from the tree, it was so heavy it needed two people to do the job. “I was surprised when we cut it off and felt how heavy it was,” he says. “I grabbed it and my wife cut it — couldn’t do it by myself, it took two of us.” Weighing in at 45 kilograms, it is the heaviest jackfruit that Brighton has ever grown on his tropical fruit farm, located