Classical
South Korean pianist and winner of the 2015 XVII International Chopin Piano Competition Cho Seong-jin will perform at Taipei’s National Concert Hall tonight and the National Taichung Theater tomorrow. The program includes Alban Berg’s Sonata in b minor, Op. 1, Franz Schubert’s Sonata No. 19 in c minor, D958 and 24 Preludes, Op. 28 by Frederic Chopin.
■ National Theater, Taipei City and National Taichung Theater, Taichung City
Photo courtesy of Trio Da-Mo
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$800 to NT$3,600, available through NTCH ticketing
Tickets are quickly selling out for Titan — Formosa Cancer Foundation, a concert at Taipei’s National Concert Hall that will feature the Taipei Civic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lin Tien-chi (林天吉). The program includes Richard Wagner’s Overture Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, Camille Saint-Saens’ Violin Concerto no. 3 op. 61 3 and Symphony no. 1 Titan by Gustav Mahler.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
Photo courtesy of Mixer
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$300 and NT$500 (NT$800 and NT$1,200 tickets sold out); available through NTCH ticketing
Taiwan Soloists 2017 New Year’s Concert will be performed by Taiwan Soloists Symphony Orchestra (台灣獨奏家交響樂團) under the baton of Hsiao Pang-hsing (蕭邦享) on Monday at Taipei’s National Concert Hall. Russian pianists Evgeny Brakhman and Natalia Grines will also perform in a program that includes Francis Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in D minor, Alexander Tsfasman’s Snowflakes Suite for piano and orchestra, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade Op.35.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
■ Monday at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing
Contemporary
Psychedelic/folk combo Doodle, sound artist Ruby Fatale (鹿比— 吠陀) and melodic punk outfit One Step (一步) will perform tomorrow at Legacy Taipei, a venue that hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. The party continues on Sunday with indie folk and rock band The Chairs (椅子), electronic/new wave band Jade Eyes (孔雀眼), psychedelic dream pop rockers U.TA (屋塔) and electronic folk ensemble The Other (他者).
■ 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).
■ Shows start at 7pm
■ Admission is NT$250. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Singaporean pop singer Kenny Chiu (邱鋒澤) will perform tonight at The Wall (這牆), a prominent Taipei venue for indie rock artists. German neo-classical metal musical group Haggard, a group that combines classical music with death metal, will take the stage tomorrow. Japanese alt rock/J-rock band All Off will play on Sunday. It’s a night of techno and house tonight at Korner, a venue located inside The Wall, with Toska, Andy Chiu and Masato, among others taking the stage. Ambient and techno are on the menu tomorrow with UVB, Andy Chiu, Meuko Meuko and Touche on the decks.
■ 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 shows are tonight and tomorrow at 8:30pm and Sunday at 7:30pm; Korner shows begin at 11:55pm
■ Tickets for The Wall shows are NT$400 tonight, NT$2,500 tomorrow and NT$1,500 on Sunday; Korner shows are NT$200 tonight and NT$500 tomorrow, available through thewall.tw
Pop rocker Kris Kuan (管罄) headlines the bill tonight at Legacy Mini, a spin-off of Legacy Taipei.
■ 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 at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$500, available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Psychedelic rock act The Gigantic Roar (巨大的轟鳴) performs tomorrow at APA Mini (小地方展演空間). Indie act SuiseiNoboAz is 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
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$700, available through www.indievox.com
Electro and dance are on the menu tonight at indie rock club Revolver, as Color Domes, Geometer and Cosimoz take the stage. Tomorrow it’s J-rock, emo-rock and pop rock with Japan’s Ze:ke and Inferno and Taiwan’s Thesameday (平凡生活). Sunday features two concerts. The first, in the afternoon, features disco, funk, house and techno with DJ Database. Later in the evening, it will be acid and alternative with Simon Frank and Mystery Guest (神秘嘉賓). On Thursday it’s the “garage punk weirdness” of France’s Avenue Z. Pseudo, Super Napkin and EAOW (藝藥) are also on the bill.
■ 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
■ Shows start tonight at 10pm, tomorrow at 8pm and Sunday at 3:30pm and 8:30pm. Thursday’s show is at 8:30pm
■ Admission is NT$300 tonight, NT$350 tomorrow, NT$300 on Sunday at 3:30pm and NT$300 Sunday at 8:30pm and NT$400 on Thursday
Pipe Live Music, a major venue for indie music and parties, is hosting a huge bash tonight with indie rockers Monkey Pilot (猴子飛行員), garage rock favorites 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽), veteran alt-rockers The Chairman (董事長樂團) and members from the Jyou-Tian Folk Drum and Arts Group (九天民俗技藝團). Post-rock group Sun of Morning (晨曦光廊) performs on Sunday.
■ 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 tomorrow at 6:30pm and 8:30pm and Sunday at 7pm
■ Admission is NT$250 for each concert tomorrow and NT$700 on Sunday, available through www.indievox.com, pipemusic.kktix.cc and at FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort kiosks
Bobwundaye (無問題), a small pub in Taipei, will host a “Gypsy Jam Night” on Thursday.
■ 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 at 10pm
■ Admission is free
R&B and jazz singer Audrey An (安雨晨) performs tonight at Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area. Guitarist Alex Chou (周楚恩) is also on the bill. Guitarist Leon Cheung (鄭興) takes the stage tomorrow. Folk/jazz solo act Tiest (小尾巴) and pop rocker Hsieh chih-ping (謝至平) 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
Guitarist and singer Luyi (盧一辰) performs tomorrow at Kafka by the Sea (海邊的卡夫卡), a coffee house-cum-music and arts venue.
■ 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
■ Admission is NT$400, available online through www.indievox.com
Singaporean singer Chriz Tong (湯薇恩) will perform tonight at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館). Tomorrow the venue will host its 1976 New Years Party with indie act 1976 on the bill.
■ 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
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and NT$500 tomorrow, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
It’s Friend’s Fusion Night tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言), with saxophone player Tung Shuen-wen (董舜文) and his band: guitarists Eric Chuang (莊智淵) and Chen Kuan-hao (陳冠皓), bassist Liu Hsuen-wu (劉鳳武) and Chen Kuan-yi (陳冠毅) on drums. Tomorrow it’s jazz group Yuan Cuan (元冠). Sunday’s roster includes Aboriginal trio Black, White and Copper (黑白銅) and C chord (嘻扣樂團). Six-piece jazz ensemble To Night performs 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 tonight at 9:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 9pm and Wednesday at 8:30pm
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$350 on Sunday and NT$250 on Wednesday available through www.indievox.com
Soul/funk combo DC & the Funky Duds perform tonight at Sappho Live, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows. Tomorrow the venue will host an evening of live music to benefit Doctors without Borders and the work they are doing in Syria. DC Rapier, The Flat Fives, The Poor House and a host of others will perform. Jazz, Latin and free improvisation flutist Lorenzo Colocci will perform on Wednesday. On Thursday, Trio Da-Mo will play jazz standards.
■ 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, except for tomorrow’s show, which starts at 8pm
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight, NT$500 tomorrow, NT$300 on Wednesday and Thursday
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, will host a concert tomorrow with all-female Japanese rock band Gacharic Spin, drum and bass group The Game Shop and Knock Out Monkey.
■ 362, Fuhsing Rd Sec 3, Taichung City (台中市復興路三段362號), tel: (04) 2229-0989. On the Net: www.tadaark.com.tw
■ Shows start at 5pm
■ Admission is NT$1,800, available through www.indievox.com
Mando-pop singer/songwriter Hsiao Hung-jen (蕭閎仁) croons tomorrow at Legacy Taichung, a spin-off of Legacy Taipei. Psychedelic rock act The Gigantic Roar (巨大的轟鳴) will perform on Sunday.
■ 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.
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight and Sunday
■ Admission is NT$1,000 tonight and NT$700 Sunday. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Brit-pop/post-punk act Parallel Output (平行輸出) and John Suming (約翰淑敏), singer and multi-instrumentalist from the popular college rock band Totem (圖騰), will perform tomorrow at TCRC (前科累累俱樂部), a small venue for independent musicians and local artists in Tainan.
■ B1, 314, Simen Rd Sec 2, Tainan City (台南市西門路二段314號B1), tel: (06) 222 3238.
■ Show starts 7:30pm
■ Admission is NT$300, available at www.indievox.com
Folk rock band Vast & Hazy 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$400, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Psychedelic rock act The Gigantic Roar (巨大的轟鳴) performs tonight at Live Warehouse, a venue for indie music located inside Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Arts Center (駁二藝術特區). Indie act SuiseiNoboAz is also on the bill. Post-rock group Sun of Morning (晨曦光廊) will play tomorrow.
■ 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 tonight at 8pm and tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$700 tonight and tomorrow, available through tickets.books.com.tw
It’s a night of new age electric, rap and hip-hop with Nine Point Eight (自由引力) 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. The Outros and Cheat are also on the bill.
■ 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 4:30pm
■ Admission is NT$350, available through www.walkieticket.com and www.indievox.com
Punk rockers Inhuman (非人物種) perform tomorrow at The Goat Restaurant & Bar (山羊飯館), a music venue and restaurant in Pingtung. Punk/emo group RCM (激進主義) is also on the bill.
■ 23-2 Hengnan Rd, Hengchun Township, Pingtung County (屏東縣恆春鎮恆南路23-2號), tel: (08) 888-0183
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$200, available through www.indievox.com
It is an evening of live music tonight with Rich Huang Jazz Trio (黃瑞豐爵士三重奏) at Tiehua Music Village (鐵花村), an arts village in Taitung City. Tomorrow’s spotlight is on pop rock band Mixer (麋先生).
■ 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$250 tonight and NT$450 tomorrow, available at tickets.books.com.tw
Last week Joseph Nye, the well-known China scholar, wrote on the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s website about how war over Taiwan might be averted. He noted that years ago he was on a team that met with then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), “whose previous ‘unofficial’ visit to the US had caused a crisis in which China fired missiles into the sea and the US deployed carriers off the coast of Taiwan.” Yes, that’s right, mighty Chen caused that crisis all by himself. Neither the US nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) exercised any agency. Nye then nostalgically invoked the comical specter
Relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic have flourished in recent years. However, not everyone is pleased about the growing friendship between the two countries. Last month, an incident involving a Chinese diplomat tailing the car of vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) in Prague, drew public attention to the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) operations to undermine Taiwan overseas. The trip was not Hsiao’s first visit to the Central European country. It was meant to be low-key, a chance to meet with local academics and politicians, until her police escort noticed a car was tailing her through the Czech capital. The
April 15 to April 21 Yang Kui (楊逵) was horrified as he drove past trucks, oxcarts and trolleys loaded with coffins on his way to Tuntzechiao (屯子腳), which he heard had been completely destroyed. The friend he came to check on was safe, but most residents were suffering in the town hit the hardest by the 7.1-magnitude Hsinchu-Taichung Earthquake on April 21, 1935. It remains the deadliest in Taiwan’s recorded history, claiming around 3,300 lives and injuring nearly 12,000. The disaster completely flattened roughly 18,000 houses and damaged countless more. The social activist and
Over the course of former President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) 11-day trip to China that included a meeting with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping (習近平) a surprising number of people commented that the former president was now “irrelevant.” Upon reflection, it became apparent that these comments were coming from pro-Taiwan, pan-green supporters and they were expressing what they hoped was the case, rather than the reality. Ma’s ideology is so pro-China (read: deep blue) and controversial that many in his own Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) hope he retires quickly, or at least refrains from speaking on some subjects. Regardless