Film
A free screening of the documentary Beyond Beauty: Taiwan From Above (看見台灣) will be held tonight at Taipei restaurant Rice Revolution (呷米共食廚房). Beyond Beauty, the highest-grossing documentary in Taiwan’s history, was shot over three years and consisted solely of aerial footage. The 93-minute film highlights the country’s natural beauty and the damage done to its mountains, rivers and oceans by natural disasters and humans to emphasize the importance of environmental protection.
■ 9, Hengyang Rd, Taipei City (台北市衡陽路9號), tel: (02) 2331-9662
Photo courtesy of Paliulius Band
■ Tonight beginning at 7pm. Admission is free
Event
On April 21st, 2016, the world lost Prince. Pipe Live Music, a major venue for indie music and parties, will throw a party tonight to celebrate Prince’s life and music. We’re Sorry (問題總部), Project X and Prince Tribute Band will perform some of Princes most iconic tracks.
Photo courtesy of Beyond the Cure
■ 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
■ Admission is NT$400, available at the venue
Photo courtesy of Pink Animals
School, stationary and office supplies, arts and crafts, houseware and home decor, printing and packaging, hand bags, jewelry and creative design are some of the things visitors will see at the Giftionary Taipei 2017 at Taipei World Trade Center, Exhibition Hall 1. Need a Rhino Hammer? You will find this item among the 523 exhibitors. For a complete list of exhibitors and other information, visit: www.giftionery.net
■ Wednesday to April 29, from 10am to 6pm. Taipei World Trade Center, Exhibition Hall 1 (台北世界貿易中心展覽大樓一館), 5, Xinyi Rd Sec 5, Taipei City (台北市信義路五段五號)
■ Admission is NT$150
Photo courtesy of Giftionary Taipei
Contemporary
Pop-punk group Fire Ex (滅火器) continues their nation-wide tour tomorrow at Legacy Taipei, a venue that hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Tickets for Sunday’s performance by R&B singer Jiajia (家家) are sold out. Deca Joins takes the stage on Thursday.
■ 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).
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$1,200 tomorrow and NT$700 on Thursday. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
British hip hop recording artist and music producer Jay Prince will spin a set tonight at The Wall (這牆), a prominent Taipei venue for indie rock artists. One Way Street, a group that swings from metalcore, post-rock to electronic beats, shares the venue tomorrow with hardcore punks The Roadside Inn and metal act Zangief (桑吉爾夫). On Sunday, pop group Angelic Ash will hold a release party for its first album Vandalism. Metalcore outfit Greedy Black Hole and Dystopia are also on the bill. American deathcore band Whitechapel will perform on Thursday, with Japan’s Victim of Deception and Taiwan’s Beyond the Cure. France’s Shlomo will spin some house and techno tonight at Korner, a venue located inside The Wall. Initials B.B., Touche and Toska are also on the bill. Techno and house are also on the menu for tomorrow’s Acid Camp Night with Al Burro, Geometer, Arron David, Perlin Noise and others.
■ 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 start tonight, tomorrow and Thursday at 8pm, and Sunday at 7:30pm; Korner performances begin at 11:50pm
■ The Wall tickets cost NT$1,200 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow, NT$500 on Sunday and NT$1,800 on Thursday; Korner tickets cost NT$500 tonight and NT$300 tomorrow, available through thewall.tw
There are two parties tonight at indie rock club Revolver. The first, which kicks off at 9pm, features indie and electron rock with Freckles (雀斑) and Cui Ruo Shao Nu Zu (脆弱少女組). Techno and electronic are on the menu for the 11:30pm bash, with Wayland, Elin, Loretta and Mien VJ. Saturday also features two events. The first, starting at 8pm, features indie rock, post rock and folk rock with Frusciante (佛香甜), Climax Faucet (高潮水龍頭) and Lao Wang (老王). James Ho, Xiao-Dong, Kong, DJ TFZZ and Hassan Raphael will perform at the later party, which begins at 11:30pm. Autumn Billows 99 (秋瀾九十九), The Fairies and Dleihs perform alternative rock on Sunday. Pop rock and electron rock are on the menu Tuesday with No Money No Honey, The Fake Adult Project (偽造成人計畫) and Time Jump (時空跳躍).
■ 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 9pm and 11:30pm, tomorrow at 8pm and 11:30pm, Sunday at 8pm and Tuesday at 9pm
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight at 9pm and NT$300 at 11:30pm, NT$350 tomorrow at 8pm and NT$300 at 11:30pm, NT$300 on Sunday and Tuesday
Tonight at 7pm Pipe Live Music, a major venue for indie music and parties, hosts a Prince Tribute (see Events above). At 11pm, the venue will host a DJ bash with Spykee Jin, James Ho and Lin Mao-wang (林貓王). The DJ party continues tomorrow night with @L, A-Dao, Carlos, Double 6, Pie Star and many others.
■ 1 Siyuan Rd, Taipei City (台北市思源路1號), tel: (02) 2364-8198. On the Net: www.pipemusic.com.tw
■ Shows start tonight at 7pm and 11pm and tomorrow at 11pm
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight for the 7pm show and NT$300 for the 11pm show and NT$400 for tomorrow’s show, available at the venue
Five-piece band Poor House play a rich blend of rock, blues, swing and country tomorrow 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 at 10pm
■ Admission is NT$300
Upcoming singer-songwriter Chen Yu-hsi (陳鈺羲) will perform tonight at Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area. Electronic/alternative rock outfit Sleeping Brain (眠腦) and post-rock band Naturally Out of Line (自然出格) hit the stage tomorrow.
■ 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
Soul singer Zoomie (陳柔米) performs tomorrow at Kafka by the Sea (海邊的卡夫卡), a coffee house-cum-music and arts venue. Psychedelic folk act Spell Lee (李漫) performs on Sunday with Pada Forest also set to take the stage.
■ 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$150 tomorrow and NT$400 on Sunday, available online through www.indievox.com
Folk rocker Connie Lu (呂莘) will perform tonight 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
■ Admission is NT$500, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Puyuma group Paliulius Band takes the stage tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Ape (高愷蔚) will throw down some hip hop tomorrow. Several pop musicians will perform together on Sunday, including Pink Animals (粉色動物合唱團) and Justin Chung (鍾鎮宇).
■ 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 9pm
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow and NT$350 on Sunday, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Canadian jazz guitarist Roy Patterson, a past winner of the Prix de Jazz at the Montreal Jazz Festival, will appear tonight with his quartet at Sappho Live, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows. Balkazar will have you shaking your bones to their version of Balkan music with a twist of funk, tomorrow. On Thursday, it’s the venue’s Story Slam, an evening of competitive storytelling. 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. Details available through the venue’s Web site.
■ 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 tonight and tomorrow and 9pm on Thursday
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow and NT$200 on Thursday
Ska-punk group Mary Bites Kerry (瑪莉咬凱利) continues their cross nation tour tomorrow at TCRC (前科累累俱樂部), a small venue for independent musicians and local artists in Tainan. Surf rock band Los Coronados (可樂娜多汁合唱團) is also on the bill. Grunge rockers Slack Tide, solo rocker Hung Sheng-hao (洪申豪) and post-punk/garage rock band Tight Tight Crotch (緊褲襠) perform on Sunday.
■ 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 tomorrow and 4pm Sunday
■ Admission is NT$300 tomorrow and NT$350 Sunday, available at www.indievox.com
Grunge rockers Slack Tide take the stage tomorrow at The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung. VOOID is also set to perform.
■ 46 Liwen Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市立文路46號), tel: (07) 550-8617.
■ Show starts at 7:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$300, available at www.indievox.com
It’s a night of punk and post rock Wednesday 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, with Formosa Black Bear (台灣黑熊), Cruising (徐行) and Soy Milk Slide (豆漿滑水道) all taking the stage.
■ 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 7pm
■ Admission is NT$300, available through www.walkieticket.com and www.indievox.com
Rock is on the menu tonight at Paramount Bar (百樂門酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, with Fuermosha (暖嶼), Magic Stallions (妙蛙種馬) and Mint Green Mill (薄荷綠工廠).
■ 70 Minzu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市三民區民族一路70號), tel: (07) 389-0501
■ Show starts at 7:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$400, available through www.indievox.com
Canadian reggae artist Rick Buckman Coe will take the stage tonight at The Goat Restaurant & Bar (山羊飯館), a music venue and restaurant in Pingtung. Rockers Cui Ruo Shao Nu Zu (脆弱少女組) perform tomorrow.
■ 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 8:30pm
■ Admission is NT$200, available through www.indievox.com
Hakka singer and songwriter Chen Yung-tao (陳永淘) appears tonight at Tiehua Music Village (鐵花村), an arts village in Taitung City. Take a trip back in time tomorrow for the sounds of the 80s and 90s with The Flying Dutchman (飛行荷蘭人).
■ 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$350 tomorrow, available at tickets.books.com.tw
Classical
Israeli pianist Boris Giltburg will give a one-off performance tonight at Taipei’s National Concert Hall in a program that includes three works by Sergei Rachmaninoff: Prelude No.1 in C-sharp minor, Op.3/2, Ten Preludes, Op.23 and Thirteen Preludes, Op.32.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tonight at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$800 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Beethoven’s mighty Eroica Symphony returns to Taipei’s National Concert Hall tomorrow the stage under the direction of the dynamic and imaginative American conductor Carl St Clair, music director of the Pacific Symphony in California. In size and breadth, the Eroica far surpassed anything of its kind previously written. In its rhythmic energy, harmonic language and emotional impact, this “modern music” was highly disturbing to more than one listener back in 1805 when it was first heard. Haydn’s elegant Oboe Concerto also makes a return appearance with soloist Albrecht Mayer, principal oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic. The NSO’s composer in residence, Brett Dean, is also represented on this program with Short Stories.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Eric Chen (陳冠宇) will hold a piano recital tomorrow at Taipei’s National Recital Hall, in a program that includes Clara Schumann’s Variations on a theme by Robert Schumann, Op.20, Robert Schumann’s Kreisleriana, op. 16 and two works by Johannes Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major, op. 118, no. 2 and Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, op. 5.
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Upcoming
Permaculture educator Tammy Turner will host a hands-on permaculture workshop and lunch on April 29 with ingredients sourced from James and Erika’s Garden (心田地). In this two-part workshop, you will learn how to create your own compost system that best suits your living environment. The lunch includes items such as pesto, garden fried rice, sauteed garden vegetables and a choice of dessert. For complete details and how to sign up, go to the event’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/events/272677369853178/
■ Participants meet at the Xindian MRT Station at 9am and the event lasts until 2pm
■ NT$800 includes lunch.
The Miracle — Psychedelic Trance Party will be held on April 29 and April 30 in New Taipei City. Fashion, body painting and a variety of visual arts inspired by hippie culture will be on view along with psytrance music by acts from Japan, Thailand, France and South Africa. In addition, there will be a Art Live Show, Sitar Live Show and Djembe vs Didgeridoo Live Show. The Art Meeting Area (服裝妝扮藝術特區) will feature India Henna Body Art, Hair Art, Macrame Jewelry, KunFu Massage and Mind & body healing. For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/events/978859685591674/.
■ 50, Shicao, Pinglin Dist, New Taipei City (新北市坪林區石槽50號)
■ April 29 to April 30; tickets are NT$2,000 at the venue
Pop star Pitbull (Armando Christian Perez) will perform a one-off concert at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei on May 20. Merging hip-hop with Cuban swing, pop flavors and a reggaeton bounce, the Grammy-winning singer will perform songs from his just-released album Climate Change.
■ Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei City
■ May 20 at 8pm. Tickets are NT$1,800 to NT$3,800, available at www.livenation.com.tw
The year was 1991. A Toyota Land Cruiser set out on a 67km journey up the Junda Forest Road (郡大林道) toward an old loggers’ camp, at which point the hikers inside would get out and begin their ascent of Jade Mountain (玉山). Little did they know, they would be the last group of hikers to ever enjoy this shortcut into the mountains. An approaching typhoon soon wiped out the road behind them, trapping the vehicle on the mountain and forever changing the approach to Jade Mountain. THE CONTEMPORARY ROUTE Nowadays, the approach to Jade Mountain from the north side takes an
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