Event
Taipei Story Slam is back for another evening of competitive storytelling. Held on Thursday at Taipei’s 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 (three to five 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 Spell Lee
■ Show starts at 9pm; admission is NT$200
The Vernacular Institute, a non profit that holds events related to art, publishing and curating, will hold a sale of art books, furniture and other items all at discount prices at a mini-fleamarket, tomorrow and Sunday afternoon. The sale offers final discounts on artist books, periodicals and journals unavailable elsewhere in Taiwan, as well as a selection of vintage chairs, tables, clothes, household goods and more.
■ 4F, 7, Lane 404, Zhuangjing Rd, Taipei City (台北市莊敬路404巷7號4樓)
Photo courtesy of Astro Bunny
■ Admission is free; tomorrow and Sunday from 1pm to 7pm
Contemporary
French DJ and producer Dabeull will perform tomorrow at Taipei’s Barcode. Support will be given by Disk0kidz, Ao Wu B2B, Not So Basic and BunjiBeat.
Photo courtesy of P!SCO
■ 5F, 88 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路88號5樓)
■ Tomorrow from 9pm to 3am
■ Admission is NT$600
Photo courtesy of Mary See the Future
There are two shows tonight at indie rock club Revolver. The first, which starts at 8pm, features instrumental rock and folk rock with post-rock outfit 2HRs and rockers Wuwu Shen (五五身). Hip hop and rap are on the menu for the midnight performance with Leo (Leo王). The venue also has two parties tomorrow. The first, beginning at 7:30pm, cranks up the sound with post hardcore, punk and shoegaze, featuring US:WE, Angry Young (厭世少年), Goosander (川秋沙) and others. Dance music will be the focus of the late-night party with Turbid Kuei Kuei, Donkey Kong and A-Dao (阿道). It’s ACG dance music on Sunday with ASA and Japan’s Kanaria.
■ 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 8pm and midnight, tomorrow at 7:30pm and 11:30pm and Sunday 7:30pm
■ Admission is NT$350 tonight at 8pm, NT$500 for midnight, NT$450 tomorrow at 7:30pm and NT$200 for 11:30pm performance and NT$300 on Sunday
It’s a battle of the bands on Sunday at The Wall (這牆), a prominent Taipei venue for indie rock artists, as deathcore, Djent and rock fight it out for prominence. Progressive metal band Enlighten, metal act Dark Charybdis (暴噬者) and Chaoziranxx (超自然XX) are all on the bill. Tonight at Korner, a venue located inside The Wall, it is drum ‘n’ bass, trap, glitch hop and dubstep with Duanger (杜蟲), James Ho, Kuleflux, C-Type and MC Stoppa, among others. Tomorrow it is techno and house with Betty Apple, Lilybeer, Unbra and Initials B.B.
■ 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
■ The Wall show starts Sunday at 8pm; Korner shows start at 11:55pm
■ Tickets cost NT$450 for The Wall; Korner shows cost NT$200, available online through thewall.tw
Hello Nico mixes pop, alt rock with electronic sounds tomorrow and Sunday at APA Mini (小地方展演空間). On Wednesday it is psychedelic folk act Spell Lee (李漫) with 50HZ (預謀睡死) and Mr Mosaic also on the bill.
■ 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$800, available through www.indievox.com
Tomorrow’s concert for pop singer and songwriter Eli Hsieh (謝震廷) at Legacy Taipei, a venue that hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts, is sold out. Indie electronica ensemble moRning cAll (輕晨電) performs on Sunday.
■ 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 7:30pm
■ Admission is NT$800. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Blues and jazz combo Afternoon Tree (午後之樹) perform Sunday at Legacy Mini, a spin-off of Legacy Taipei. They will be joined by jazz singer Shih Ying-ying (史茵茵). Mando-pop singer Quack Wu (吳忠明) takes the stage on Wednesday.
■ 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$500 on Sunday and NT$450 on Wednesday. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Puyuma crooner and guitarist Hao-en (昊恩) and Mando-pop artist Angie (李愛綺) will perform on Thursday at Pipe Live Music, a major venue for indie music and parties.
■ 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 6:30pm
■ Admission is NT$250. Tickets available through www.indievox.com, pipemusic.kktix.cc and at FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort kiosks
Divas & Crooners presents a “cornucopia of festive yuletide ditties,” sung by local musicians and crooners such as blues guitarist and BoPoMoFo founder DC Rapier, and singers Sarah Indiana, Sue DeSimone, Brandon Thompson and Griffin Liu, among others, at 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
■ Shows start 10pm
■ Admission is NT$300
Solo folk rocker Birdman (日京江羽人) and pop singer/songwriter Iris Lin (林綾) perform tonight at Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area. Actress and indie folk star Enno Cheng (鄭宜農) will host a Christmas party tomorrow. Alternative/folk rock group I am not Dorothy (不是桃樂絲) perform on Sunday.
■ 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, except for tomorrow which is NT$500
Hakka activist and musician Huang Wei-jie (黃瑋傑) takes the stage tonight at Kafka by the Sea (海邊的卡夫卡), a coffee house-cum-music and arts venue. Indie rock band Mary See the Future (先知瑪莉) will perform their usual lineup tomorrow and Sunday with a few Christmas tunes thrown in for good measure.
■ 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
■ Shows start at 8pm. Cafe/bookstore opens noon to midnight Sundays through Thursdays, noon to 2am Fridays and Saturdays
■ Admission is NT$500 tonight and NT$800 tomorrow and Sunday, available online through www.indievox.com
Puyuma rock singer and One Million Star (超級星光大道) alumnus Jane Huang (黃美珍) will perform at a Christmas party tonight at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館). Indie electronica/rockers Astro Bunny (原子邦妮) and violin player and singer Kevin Liao (廖柏雅) are also on the bill. The Christmas concert continues tomorrow with indie-pop singer-songwriter Peggy Hsu (許哲珮).
■ 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 8:30pm tomorrow
■ Admission is NT$650 tonight and NT$800 tomorrow, available online through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Veteran jazz combo JEG (這個爵士樂團) plays standards, Latin, funk and rock tonight at APA Mini (小地方展演空間). Tomorrow it is Mando-pop producer and singer No Name (余荃斌). DSPS and Alluvium (阿鹿米爾) play alt rock on Sunday. On Tuesday, Infancy (隱分子) will perform its blend of jazz, classical and rock ‘n’ roll, with rockers The Unspoken Rules (潛規則) also on the bill. Punk rockers Emergency (急診室) and Mad Dog (瘋狗) take the stage on Thursday.
■ 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 tonight at 9:30pm and tomorrow, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 9pm
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, and NT$350 Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, available through www.indievox.com
JJ & the Cats, who play blues, jazz and Latin, perform tonight at Sappho Live, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows. They will be joined by special guest Japanese guitarist Masaki “Jenny” Toraiwa. Expat group Balkazar will play Balkan music with a funk twist tomorrow. The Samuel Tsai Trio will play jazz on Wednesday.
■ 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$350 on Wednesday
Indie act Night Keepers (守夜人) perform tomorrow at There Cafe & Live House (那兒咖啡), a venue for indie music in Taoyuan.
■ B1, 454, Fuxing Rd, Taoyuan City (桃園市復興路454號B1), tel: (03) 339-8819.
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$400, available online through tickets.books.com.tw and www.indievox.com
Singer-songwriter Easy Shen (沈簡單) will perform tomorrow at Legacy Taichung, a spin-off of Legacy Taipei.
■ 117, Anhe Rd, Taichung City (台中市安和路117號), tel: (04) 2359-8780. On the Net: www.legacy.com.tw/taichung.
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$700, available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Folk rock band Vast & Hazy and Ray Kang (何瑞康) will both take the stage tonight at Taichung’s Forro Cafe (呼嚕咖啡). Tomorrow it is singer-songwriter Arrow Wei (魏嘉瑩). Taichung rockers Nowhere appear on Sunday with alternative/folk rock group I am not Dorothy (不是桃樂絲).
■ 47, Jingcheng 3rd St, Taichung City (台中市精誠三街47號), tel: (04) 2310-1661. On the Net: forrocafe.blogspot.tw
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$400, available through www.indievox.com
Dance rock group P!SCO and Japanese-Taiwanese act Plan-D perform tomorrow at Taichung’s Emerge Live House (浮現藝文展演空間).
■ 12, Ln 55, Sinsing Rd, Longjing Dist, Greater Taichung (台中市龍井區新興路55巷12號), tel: (04) 2631-3286. On the Net: www.emerge.com.tw
■ Shows start at 3pm
■ Admission is NT$500, available through www.indievox.com
Pop star electronica artist and producer Lim Giong (林強) and Stingrays will perform tomorrow at 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 7pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 and are available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Kaohsiung-based industrial rockers Shallow Levee (淺堤) and singer-songwriter Easy Shen (沈簡單) take the stage 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 at 7:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$700, available online through tickets.books.com.tw
Canadian singer-songwriter Mister Green plays tonight at Tiehua Music Village (鐵花村), an arts village in Taitung City. Highway 9 (九號公路) is also on the bill. Aboriginal blues rock outfit Black Kids (黑孩子) perform tomorrow.
■ 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$120 tonight and NT$250 tomorrow, available online at tickets.books.com.tw
Classical
The Taipei Flute Festival continues on Sunday at Taipei’s National Concert Hall with flutist Patrick Gallois, who will conduct. Supported by the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra and a host of individual musicians, the program includes Richard Strauss’ Symphony No.2, Op.12, Concertino for Flute and Orchestra by Cecile Chaminade and Franz Doppler’s Concertino for two Flutes and Orchestra.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Sunday at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$500 to NT$5000, available at NTCH box offices or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Les Petits Chanteurs de France (The Little Singers of France) presents the highly popular children’s choir singing a Christmas Concert on Tuesday at Taipei’s National Concert Hall. The program covers the gamut of Christmas favorites, including Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria, The Little Drummer Boy by Katherine Davis and Henry Onorati, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer by Johnny Marks, John Pierpont’s Jingle bells and Franz Xaver Gruber and Joseph Mohr’s Silent Night, among many others.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Chunghsing Concert Hall, Taichung (台中中興堂), 291-3 Jingwu Rd, Greater Taichung (台中市精武路291之3號)
■ Tuesday at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$800 to NT$2,000, available at NTCH box offices or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
A few weeks ago I found myself at a Family Mart talking with the morning shift worker there, who has become my coffee guy. Both of us were in a funk over the “unseasonable” warm weather, a state of mind known as “solastalgia” — distress produced by environmental change. In fact, the weather was not that out of the ordinary in boiling Central Taiwan, and likely cooler than the temperatures we will experience in the near-future. According to the Taiwan Adaptation Platform, between 1957 and 2006, summer lengthened by 27.8 days, while winter shrunk by 29.7 days. Winter is not
Taiwan’s post-World War II architecture, “practical, cheap and temporary,” not to mention “rather forgettable.” This was a characterization recently given by Taiwan-based historian John Ross on his Formosa Files podcast. Yet the 1960s and 1970s were, in fact, the period of Taiwan’s foundational building boom, which, to a great extent, defined the look of Taiwan’s cities, determining the way denizens live today. During this period, functionalist concrete blocks and Chinese nostalgia gave way to new interpretations of modernism, large planned communities and high-rise skyscrapers. It is currently the subject of a new exhibition at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Modern
March 25 to March 31 A 56-year-old Wu Li Yu-ke (吳李玉哥) was straightening out her artist son’s piles of drawings when she inadvertently flipped one over, revealing the blank backside of the paper. Absent-mindedly, she picked up a pencil and recalled how she used to sketch embroidery designs for her clothing business. Without clients and budget or labor constraints to worry about, Wu Li drew freely whatever image came to her mind. With much more free time now that her son had found a job, she found herself missing her home village in China, where she
In recent years, Slovakia has been seen as a highly democratic and Western-oriented Central European country. This image was reinforced by the election of the country’s first female president in 2019, efforts to provide extensive assistance to Ukraine and the strengthening of relations with Taiwan, all of which strengthened Slovakia’s position within the European Union. However, the latest developments in the country suggest that the situation is changing rapidly. As such, the presidential elections to be held on March 23 will be an indicator of whether Slovakia remains in the Western sphere of influence or moves eastward, notably towards Russia and