Contemporary
Legacy Taipei hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. It is the release party of post-rock/emo band Orangegrass’ (橙草) latest album tonight. Veteran alt-rockers Backquarter (四分衛) take the stage tomorrow, while PUMPKINney Fan Club (南瓜妮歌迷俱樂部) mixes Brit rock, psychedelic and electronic sounds on Sunday.
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), Center Five Hall (中五館), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei (台北市八德路一段1號)
Photo courtesy of OVDS
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$700 tonight, NT$800 tomorrow, NT$500 on Sunday. Tickets available online through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Japanese blues/garage rock band The Bawdies plays tomorrow at The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists. Sunday’s lineup features post-rock acts Constant & Change (康士坦的變化球) and Phantasy of Mirage (現象師). Monday’s spotlight is on Killswitch Engage, an American metal-core band, followed by dreampop musician Maximilian Hecker from Berlin, Germany on Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of re:public records
■ 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
■ Show starts at 7pm tomorrow, 7:30pm on Sunday, 8pm on Monday and Wednesday
■ Admission is NT$1,800 tomorrow, NT$500 on Sunday, NT$3,500 on Monday and NT$1,200 on Wednesday. Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased online through tickets.books.com.tw or www.walkieticket.com
Photo courtesy of re:public records
Indie rock club Revolver hosts an electronica party tonight with DJs Skinie, TecKnit and CowBone. Tomorrow’s performers are dance rock/electro pop group Kid Millionaire, Soup Mother and Resident Soul, which mixes funk, rock, breaks and disco.
■ 1-2, Roosevelt Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路一段1-2號), tel: (02) 3393-1678
■ Show starts at midnight tonight and 10:30pm tomorrow
■ Entrance is NT$300
Metal/grunge outfit bwbc (廢埕樂團) and Aboriginal musicians Tai Nine Line (台玖線樂團) are among the performers tonight at Pipe Live Music, a main venue for indie music and parties. Tomorrow’s lineup features chiptune band Physical Chemical Brother (理化兄弟), OVDS and Indie rockers Frusciante (佛香甜).
■ 1 Siyuan Rd, Taipei City (台北市思源路1號), tel: (02) 2364-8198. On the Net: www.pipemusic.com.tw
■ Show starts at 7pm tonight and 9pm tomorrow
■ Admission is NT$300 tonight and NT$500 tomorrow, Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased online through www.walkieticket.com, www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon and FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort kiosks
It is a night of metal tomorrow at Jack’s Studio (杰克音樂), a music studio in Ximending (西門町), with Blind Alley (盲胞愛莉), Forbidden Zone (禁入空間) and Dark Sea (黑海樂團).
■ B1, 76 Kunming St, Taipei City (台北市萬華區昆明街76號B1), tel: (02) 2381-0999.
■ Show starts at 6:45pm
■ Admission is NT$400
Alternative/folk rock outfit I am not Dorothy (不是桃樂絲) and Knock! Knock! get together tonight at indie music venue APA (小地方展演空間). Funk/J-rock group H/F is among the performers tomorrow.
■ B1,147, Hangzhou S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市杭州南路一段147號B1), tel: (02) 2327-8658. On the Net: www.facebook.com/apamini
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$300, available through www.indievox.com
The Jelly Roll Affair plays upbeat roots music tomorrow at Bobwundaye (無問題), a small pub on Heping East Road (和平東路) in Taipei.
■ 77, Heping E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市和平東路三段77號), tel: (02) 2377-1772
■ Show starts at 10pm
■ Admission is NT$300
Tonight, DC Rapier plays jazz standards at Legacy Mini, a spin-off of Legacy Taipei, followed by indie singer-songwriter Anie Fann (范安婷) on Sunday.
■ Legacy Mini at Amba Taipei Ximending (台北西門町意舍), 5F, 77, Wuchang St Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市武昌街二段77號5樓)
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$400. Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased online through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Indie pop group Freckles (雀斑) and shoegaze/noise pop combo TuT each play a set tonight at Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area. Pop artist Jeff Huang (黃奕儒) plays tomorrow. Thursday’s roster are pop act Lu Chieh-ta (呂杰達) and Eddie Huang (黃則翔)
■ 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$350
Indie pop rocker Misi Ke (柯泯薰) appears tomorrow at Kafka on the Shore (海邊的卡夫卡), a coffee house-cum-music and arts venue in the National Taiwan University area.
■ 2F, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷2號2樓). On the Net: www.kafkabythe.blogspot.tw
■ Show starts at 8pm. Cafe/bookstore opens noon to midnight Sundays through Thursdays, noon to 2am Fridays and Saturdays
■ NT$400. Tickets can be purchased online through www.indievox.com
Tonight, American a cappella ensemble Metro Vocal Group sing with South Korean outfit MayTree at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館).
■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西寧南路177號), tel: (02) 2370-8805. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Entrance is NT$ NT$1,200. Tickets can be purchased online through www.ticket.com.tw
Yellow Funky Stuff fuses funk, rock and jazz fusion tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Indie rockers Tiyuguzhangon (体慾股長) shares the stage with alternative rock outfit Dirty Laundry (骯髒著衣) on Wednesday.
■ 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 9pm on Wednesday
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and NT$350 on Wednesday. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Swing and jazz band Jump Somethin’ plays tonight at Sappho Live, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows, while Adam James Sorensen Quartet perform tomorrow. Stray Cats put on a blend of blues, jazz and Latin on Sunday. Wednesday’s show is by jazz ensemble M.Y.T Session, featuring pianist Mark Kuo and drummer Takeshi Sakamoto.
■ 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.sappholive.com
■ Shows start 9:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$200 on Sunday and Wednesday
Hello Nico mixes pop, alt rock with electronic sounds at There Cafe & Live House (那兒咖啡), a venue for indie music in Taoyuan, tomorrow, followed by Mando-pop act Ann Bai (白安) on Sunday.
■ B1, 454, Fusing Rd, Taoyuan (桃園市復興路454號B1), tel: (03) 339-8819. On the Net: www.therelivecafe.com
■ Show starts at 7:30pm
■ Admission is NT$500. Tickets can be purchased online through tickets.books.com.tw and www.indievox.com
Tomorrow’s main act is black/folk metal outfit Bloody Tyrant (暴君) at TADA Ark (TADA方舟), a music venue located inside the Taichung Cultural & Creative Industries Park (台中文化創意產業園區) in Taichung.
■ 362, Fuhsing Rd Sec 3, Taichung (台中市復興路三段362號), tel: (04) 2229-0989. On the Net: www.tadaark.com.tw
■ Show starts at 7:30pm
■ Admission is NT$500. Tickets available through www.walkieticket.com and at FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort kiosks
Tonight’s lineup is formed by alternative outfit Automatic (自動波) and Fogbow (霧虹) at TCRC (前科累累俱樂部), a small venue for independent musicians and local artists in Tainan. Sunday’s show is by post-rock band Bugs of Phonon (聲子蟲) and CustoMood.
■ B1, 314, Simen Rd Sec 2, Tainan (台南市西門路二段314號B1), tel: (06) 222 3238.
■ Show starts at 10pm tonight and 4pm on Sunday
■ Admission is NT$250 tonight and NT$300 on Sunday, available at www.indievox.com
The Wall (這牆) programs regular live rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). Folk rock artist Chen Hui-ting (陳惠婷) teams up with DJ Lottery tonight, followed by PUMPKINney Fan Club (南瓜妮歌迷俱樂部) tomorrow. Sunday’s main act is indie rockers Mary See the Future (先知瑪莉).
■ 1 Dayong Rd, Kaohsiung (高雄市大勇路1號), tel: (07) 521-5148. On the Net: www.thewall.com.tw
■ Show starts at 7:30pm tonight, 8pm tomorrow and on Sunday
■ Admission is NT$500 tonight and tomorrow, NT$800 on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at online through tickets.books.com.tw
Event
Taipei Discussion and Learning meets at Frog Free Cafe (蛙咖啡) to hear lectures and discuss topics such as philosophy, science, anthropology, globalization and alternative medicine. This weeks discussion is titled: “Fukushima Frontline: What is truly going on and what lessons can Taiwan learn from Japan’s experience thus far?” a speech by Joseph Deyama. We will discuss nuclear power, the Fukushima accident, how radiation spreads and what we can do to prevent Taiwan from having its own disaster. All discussions and lectures are conducted in English.
■ Frog Free Cafe (蛙咖啡), 5, Alley 9, Songjiang Rd, Taipei City (台北市松江路69巷5號)
■ Tomorrow at 8pm. Admission is free. Look for Taipei Discussion and Learning on Facebook
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
The following three paragraphs are just some of what the local Chinese-language press is reporting on breathlessly and following every twist and turn with the eagerness of a soap opera fan. For many English-language readers, it probably comes across as incomprehensibly opaque, so bear with me briefly dear reader: To the surprise of many, former pop singer and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ex-lawmaker Yu Tien (余天) of the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association (TNCPA) at the last minute dropped out of the running for committee chair of the DPP’s New Taipei City chapter, paving the way for DPP legislator Su
It’s hard to know where to begin with Mark Tovell’s Taiwan: Roads Above the Clouds. Having published a travelogue myself, as well as having contributed to several guidebooks, at first glance Tovell’s book appears to inhabit a middle ground — the kind of hard-to-sell nowheresville publishers detest. Leaf through the pages and you’ll find them suffuse with the purple prose best associated with travel literature: “When the sun is low on a warm, clear morning, and with the heat already rising, we stand at the riverside bike path leading south from Sanxia’s old cobble streets.” Hardly the stuff of your
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