Event
Taipei Story Slam is back for another evening of competitive storytelling. Held on Thursday at Sappho Live, a jazz club, story tellers are given seven minutes to tell a true, personal story fitting a pre-assigned theme that will be judged by people chosen randomly from the audience. Storytellers will be judged on their ability to adhere to the seven-minute time frame, tell the story without the use of notes or props, apply the theme in a way whereby the story has a conflict and a resolution. The storyteller with the top score will go on to compete against this year’s other winners in the GrandSLAM Championship. E-mail the venue a short pitch (3-5 sentences) of your story to taipeistoryslam@gmail.com
■ 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
Photo courtesy of Te
■ Show starts at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$200
Contemporary
Photo courtesy of Manic Sheep
Pop rock band io (io樂團) will jam it up on Sunday at Legacy Taipei, a venue that hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts.
■ 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 at 7pm
Photo courtesy of Lo Wen-cheng
■ Admission is NT$1,000. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Hello Nico mixes pop, alt rock with electronic sounds tonight at The Wall (這牆), a prominent Taipei venue for indie rock artists. Shogaze band Manic Sheep, indie rock trio Sunset Rollercoaster (落日飛車) and Japan’s Siamese Cats play tomorrow. On Monday, UK J-pop and dancehall trio Kero Kero Bonito will share the venue with Taiwan’s Meuko Meuko and Sue Wei-an (蘇偉安), guitarist for indie pop outfit Freckles (雀斑). Tonight at Korner, a venue located inside The Wall, Germany’s Moritz von Oswald will play a techno set. He will be joined by Toska, Jonas Landwehr and Argand Plane, among others. Tomorrow it is an evening of “deep fried house” with house, techno and disco by Yoshi Nori, Minijay, Chida, Bezier and Artur8.
■ 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: thewall.tw
Photo courtesy of Glory
■ The Wall shows are tonight at 8pm, 7:30pm tomorrow and 8pm on Monday; Korner shows begin at 11:50pm.
■ The Wall tickets cost NT$600 tonight, NT$800 tomorrow and NT$500 Monday; Korner tickets cost NT$600 tonight and NT$450 tomorrow, available online through thewall.tw
It is a night of jazz on Sunday with Naughty Swing at Legacy Mini, a spin-off of Legacy Taipei. On Monday it’s psychedelic folk/grunge combo W.S.S.M. (午休失眠) and DSPS.
Photo courtesy of Tiehua
■ 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)
■ Show starts Sunday at 7:30pm and Monday at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$450 on Sunday and NT$400 on Monday. Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased online through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Alternative rock and punk are on the menu tonight at indie rock club Revolver with Japan’s Bacho and Jinny Oops, and Taiwan’s Gonzo and B.B. Bomb. Tomorrow the blood pressure will rise with some post hardcore and post-punk as Japan’s Redsheer and Wombscape kick off its Taiwan tour, with support from Flower Dregs (花渣), US:WE and Thesameday (平凡生活). On Sunday it’s straight up alternative rock with Plan-D and Contrary Think (逆思樂團).
■ 1-2, Roosevelt Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路一段1-2號), tel: (02) 3393-1678. On the Net: www.facebook.com/revolver.taipei
■ Show starts tonight at 9pm, tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 8:30pm
■ Admission is NT$500 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow and NT$300 on Sunday
Five-piece band Poor House will play a blend of rock, blues and swing tomorrow Bobwundaye (無問題), a small pub 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
Jazz group Majam plays tonight at Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area. Hakka activist and musician Huang Wei-jie (黃瑋傑) and Jelly Lee (傑利), the lead singer from funk-rock ensemble Coach (教練樂隊), will share the venue tomorrow. Paiwan-Amis ensemble Mafana and Monomania (偏執狂) perform on Thursday.
■ 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
Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館) will tonight host a tribute concert to late Taiwanese pop musician Chang Yu-sheng (張雨生), featuring Half (Half 樂團). Rock group Sisters play tomorrow. On Sunday it is Mandopop singer Yvone Hsieh (解偉苓).
■ 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 8pm tonight and tomorrow and 4pm on Sunday
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight, NT$500 tomorrow and NT$700 on Sunday, available online through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) tonight hosts a reunion of jazz musicians who played at the legendary Idea House in Taipei during the 1970s and 1980s. Participating alumni include Bing (王治平), Chen Rong-kwei (陳榮貴) and Wang Po (王勃), among others. Aboriginal folk icon Panai (巴奈) performs tomorrow. Pop/folk combo Blue Box (藍色盒子) takes the stage 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
■ Show starts tonight at 8:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 9pm
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow and NT$350 on Sunday, available online through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Sappho Live, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows, will tonight put on its Divas and Crooners, an event where crooners sing jazz standards from the 1930s to the 1950s. Tomorrow it is blues band Muddy Wolf. On Wednesday, French guitarist Samuel Tessier will perform with his jazz band.
■ 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 at 9:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow and NT$200 on Wednesday
Blues rock band The Strangers (異鄉人) and four-piece rockers Pacers (步行者) will each take the stage tonight at TCRC (前科累累俱樂部), a small venue for independent musicians and local artists in Tainan. Tomorrow, it is singer/song writer Amelie from Japan and Taiwan’s solo indie act Glory (葛洛力).
■ B1, 314, Simen Rd Sec 2, Tainan City (台南市西門路二段314號B1), tel: (06) 222 3238.
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$200 tonight and NT$300 tomorrow, available at www.indievox.com
Pop songstress Senhuai Jan (詹森淮) plays tomorrow In Our Time, a restaurant-cum-gallery located inside Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Arts Center (駁二藝術特區).
■ 99, Penglai Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市蓬萊路99號), tel: (07) 521-0017
■ Show starts at 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Te, a post rock/math rock and progressive rock group from Japan, will play tomorrow at Live Warehouse, a venue for indie music located inside Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Arts Center (駁二藝術特區).
■ 2-5 Dayi Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市大義街2-5號), tel: (07) 521-8114. On the Net: livewarehouse.tw
■ Show starts 7pm
■ Entrance is NT$1,200, available online through tickets.books.com.tw
Japanese riot grrrl band Jinny Oops!, melodic punk outfit One Step (一步) and Kaohsiung-based punk rock band The Fan (奮樂團) will play tomorrow at Sound Live House (迴響音樂藝文展演空間), an independent venue for music performances and art exhibitions in Taichung.
■ B1-1, 429, Henan Rd Sec 2, Greater Taichung (台中市河南路二段429號B1-1), tel: (04) 2451-1989. On the Net: soundlivehouse.msmusic.com.tw
■ Show starts at 6pm
■ Admission is NT$450, available through www.walkieticket.com and www.indievox.com
Bunun crooner Tahai shares the stage tonight with Pingtung-born Aboriginal folk singer Dakanow at Tiehua Music Village (鐵花村), an arts village in Taitung City. On Sunday, it’s Arsa Flamenco, a group of flamenco guitarists and dancers.
■ 26, Ln 135, Sinsheng Rd, Taitung City (台東市新生路135巷26號), tel: (089) 343-393. On the Net: www.tiehua.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8pm. Music venue and crafts shops are open 2pm to 10pm Tuesdays through Sundays
■ Entrance is NT$200 tonight and NT$120 on Sunday, available online at tickets.books.com.tw
Classical
Polish instrumental ensemble Kroke will bring their Jewish-inspired version of world music to Taipei’s National Recital Hall tonight in a program that includes Macedonian and Serbian folk music, and their own creations.
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tonight at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$500 (NT$700 tickets are sold out), available through NTCH ticketing
Andreas Staier, a German pianist and harpsichordist, will perform on Monday and Wednesday at the National Music Hall. His program includes work by Franz Schubert, Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven on Monday and Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert on Wednesday.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Monday and Wednesday at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$800 to NT$2,500 (NT$500 are sold out), available through NTCH ticketing
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
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
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