As many of you read this, the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday is but a few hours away, and if you’re not heading towards the equator or spending the week with your family in southern Taiwan, chances are you are dreading the next week since most of Taipei shuts down, condemning those that are left here to boredom. Fortunately, year after year, bars and clubs are trying harder and harder to give you something to do, so put down your cat and shave your legs because there are some cool parties to attend.
While I know clubbing isn’t for everyone, we begin here because they’re pretty much open every night of the week. Starting with Luxy, the club will be open Wednesday through Saturday. Don’t worry about getting tired of it if you end up there more than once, there are special events happening every night so expect a different vibe and a different crowd each night.
Wednesday sees the launch of Legendary Wednesdays (see my individual picks below), and on Thursday, Chicago born and LA bred DJ Spryte rolls through Taipei boasting an up-tempo set mixed with raw turntablism. On Feb. 15, Boom Events takes over the main room with a night called Color Explosion, where no one leaves the color they were when they came in. Avoid wearing white. teXound is also happening in Pulse, and as the name suggests, the sounds of tech will fill your ears. And on Saturday night, long time Zouk (Singapore’s hottest club) resident, DJ Aldrin, wraps up the extra-long weekend with a night devoted to electronic music.
Photo courtesy of Laurence Albay Photography
■ Luxy is at 5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). Doors open every night at 10pm. Wednesday nights are free for ladies; gents NT$300 before 11pm and NT$600 after. Thursday and Friday are NT$300 before 11pm; NT$600 after. Saturday is NT$400 before 11pm and NT$700 after. Cover includes two drinks
Spark may not be doing any extravagant events, but they are opening their doors from tonight through Wednesday. It’s not like the club is ever lacking scantly clad sweethearts, but Spark is upping their ante by offering free entry for girls every night. Also on Wednesday, Liquid Lifestyle will launch their new ladies night series called Legendary Wednesdays, which promises to be an in-your-face interactive party experience. Expect to wake up on Thursday wondering how you got home.
■ Spark is open Saturday from midnight to 5am and Sunday to Wednesday from 10pm to 4am. Spark is located in the bottom of Taipei 101, B1, 45 Shifu Rd, Taipei City (台北市市府路45號B1), tel: (02) 8101-8662 for information or reservations. Cover for gents is NT$600, includes two drinks. Ladies get in free.
Myst is exploring a fresh theme this week. They’re bringing the magic of 1930s Shanghai to Taipei, transforming the club with that very same vintage essence.
■ Moon Shanghai Vintage Party from tomorrow night until Wednesday at Myst, 12, Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路12號9F). Tel: (02) 7737-9997 for reservations. Ladies are free and cover for men is NT$600 with two drinks. Everyone is encouraged to dress the part.
Here is a short list of hot spots around town you might be interested in: Thursday is Valentine’s Day and Barcode is adding a dash of romance into its lineup. The soiree is called Blue Valentine and features a three-piece jazz band and the vocal talents of Birdy from the Philippines. She’s beautiful and her bio puts her at most Shangri-La hotels across Asia, so expect a class night of coos and cocktails, making this the perfect spot to wind down with your lover (or your best friend, if that’s all you can get like me).
■ Birdy plays from 9pm on Thursday at Barcode, 88 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路88號5樓). Admission is free.
On Friday, Revolver is doing something that’s going to make you wonder why this has never been done before. They’ve asked all the people in Taiwan who are important to this music community but aren’t DJs, to come and DJ. The event is called Good Fucking Music, so expect to hear what’s on regular rotation on the iPod’s of DJ Greggo (Tranquility Bass), Dave Oh Yeah (Urban Nomad), Steve Little Fingers (Gig Guide TW), Viki (ICRT), as well as Revolver boss, Jez. The Facebook event enticingly reads “From post-punk to post-jungle, from Motown to Mos Def.”
■ Good Fucking Music runs from 9:30pm to late on Feb. 15 at Revolver, 1-2, Roosevelt Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路一段1-2號). Admission is free.
If you’ve made it to Feb. 16, head to Taichung for yet another E for Electro Party. These parties happen every few months and every video of theirs that I’ve seen makes me wish I lived in Taichung. The lineup this time features Golden Music Award-winning Taiwanese singer, producer and composer Li Yu-Huan (李雨寰), alongside DJs Victor Cheng, Nina, Spykee, Yen and Eden who plays back-to-back with Dean.
■ E for Electro runs from 8pm to 5am on Feb. 16 at Show House, 161 Daguan Rd, Greater Taichung (台中市南屯區大觀路161號); tel: 0928-900-255 for tickets. Admission is NT$500 in advance, and NT$800 at the door.
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