Classical
From Schubert to Shostakovich is a concert held by the National Symphony Orchestra tonight at Taipei’s National Concert Hall. Under the baton of Italian Oleg Caetani and a performance by Hungarian virtuoso trumpet player Gabor Boldoczki, the program includes Franz Scubert’s Symphony No. 3, D. 200, D major, Krzysztof Penderecki’s Concertino for Trumpet and Orchestra and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 15, Op. 141, A major.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
Photo courtesy of Shumking Mansion
■ Tonight at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
NSO What is Composition III — Phantom Opera, and Dorian Gray brings together music from two popular works of suspense — Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera — tomorrow at Taipei’s National Recital Hall. The performance features soprano Grace Lin (林慈音), violinist Li I-ching (李宜錦) and pianist Chen Chao-huei (陳昭惠) in a program includes works by Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner and Frederic Chopin.
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
Photo courtesy of Mad Dog
■ Tomorrow at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$400, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Celebrated Korean virtuoso pianist Kun Woo Paik will hold a one-off recital on Wednesday at Taipei’s National Concert Hall. The program includes Bach’s French Suite No.5 in G Major, BWV 816, Johann Brahms Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24, Ludwig von Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 17 in d minor “Tempest,” Op. 31 No. 2 and Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H by Franz Liszt.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
Photo courtesy of NTCH
■ Wednesday at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$800 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Theater
For You, My Dear: ‘night Mother is a performance starting tonight at Taipei’s Experimental Theater that is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play ‘night Mother by Marsha Norman. Performed by Lyric’s Studio (人??創作体), the play examines themes of family, marriage and suicide through the relationship of a daughter and her mother.
■ Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ Tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm (tonight and tomorrow’s 7:30pm performances are sold out). Tickets are NT$700 to NT$1,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
After a five-year creative hiatus, U-theater returns with its newest production Dao, a performance that takes inspiration from the calligraphy of Grace Tong (董陽孜) and combines drums, giant gongs, se (Chinese zither) and Chinese flute, as well as the body movements of taichi and splash coloring. “This work is a integration of visualizing the painting, the stage effects, the performers and music into the space of theater,” the troupe writes in its press release.
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Thursday, May 5 and May 6 at 7:30pm and May 6 and May 7 at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$600 to NT$3,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Night Side of Life is a performance by EX-Theatre Asia (EX-亞洲劇團) beginning on Thursday at Taipei’s National Theater. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning documentary The Emperor of All Maladies, the play examines a woman’s struggles with cancer.
■ National Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ Thursday, May 5 and May 6 at 7:30pm and May 6 and May 7 at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Acoustic folk duo Crispy (脆樂團) perform tonight at Legacy Taipei, a venue that hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Mando-pop act Peter Pan (潘裕文) takes the stage tomorrow. On Thursday, the venue hosts The Next Best Thing with funk/rock group GGBrotherz (把妹哥), psychedelic/stoner rock group Head Composer (頭部組成者), heavy metal group Burning Island (火燒島) and Fogbow (霧虹).
■ 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 tonight and Thursday at 8pm and tomorrow at 7pm
■ Admission is NT$800 tonight, NT$1,200 tomorrow and NT$200 on Thursday. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Indie rockers Maffine (瑪啡因), trip-hop/dream pop act Kingdom of Rain (雨國) and singer/producer Shen An (沈安) take the stage tonight at The Wall (這牆), a prominent Taipei venue for indie rock artists. Japanese folk band Homecomings will perform tomorrow, with hard rockers DSPS and Vooid also on the bill. Dance pop band Awesome City Club takes the stage on Sunday. It is a night of techno and house tonight at Korner, a venue located inside The Wall, with Minijay, Kate and Andy Chiu.
■ 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 and tomorrow at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm; Korner shows start at 11:50pm
■ Tickets for The Wall shows cost N$350 tonight, NT$1,000 tomorrow and NT$1,700 on Sunday; Korner tickets cost NT$200, available through thewall.tw
APA Mini (小地方展演空間) will host its annual National Taiwan University Music Festival tonight. Power metal outfit Running Beast (裸奔野獸), electro disco group New Sunglasses and rock ‘n’ rollers The GateS take the stage tomorrow. On Sunday, it is electro sounds with Dolly Young (桃莉羊) and Wenshan Substation (文山變電所).
■ 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 tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$450 tonight and NT$400 tomorrow and Sunday, available through www.indievox.com
Alternative rock outfit The Tic Tac and Undecimber Fin (13月終了) will both perform tonight at Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area. Soul singer Zoomie (陳柔米) will take the stage tomorrow with Wu Ching-yuan (吳青原) also on the bill.
■ 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
Up and coming singer Likky (黃立綺) will perform tomorrow 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
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$450, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Jazz, blues, funk and fusion are on the menu tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) with Chan Ling-chia (詹凌駕) on piano, drummer Steven Chang (張文光), bass player Lin Chin-chih (林金池). Tomorrow’s act is brother duo The Creepy 5 (告五人). Metal act Insomnia Planet (失眠星球頻道) play on Sunday with post-hardcore/metalcore act Fish Stick (魚條樂團). Brian Chiu (邱培榮) & the Soy Beats play funk, soul and jazz from Herbie Hancock to Marvin Gaye on Tuesday. Local punks Mad Dog (瘋狗) share the venue on Thursday with punk trio Messyroom (梅西的房間).
■ 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 8pm and tomorrow, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 9pm
■ Admission is NT$450 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow and Tuesday and NT$350 on Sunday and Thursday, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
The Flat Fives will play swing and R&B tunes from the 1940s and 1950s tonight at Sappho Live, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows. Tomorrow, it is Latin 6, a group of expats who play merengue, bachata and other Dominican music. On Wednesday it is Taipei Improv — Comedy Night, as the venue opens up the stage to improv games such as Ask the Expert, Famous TV Show Unaired Scene and Party Quirks. 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
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$200 on Wednesday and NT$300 on Thursday
Folk rocker Connie Lu (呂莘) will croon 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$550, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Kaohsiung punks FireEx (滅火器) take the stage tonight at Live Warehouse, a venue for indie music located inside Kaohsiung’s Pier-2 Arts Center (駁二藝術特區). Malaysian pop singer Z-Chen (張智成) performs 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 6:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$1,200 tonight and NT$988 tomorrow, available through tickets.books.com.tw
It’s a night of rock ‘n’ roll with Free Fall (自由落體) tonight 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. Milvus (黑鳶) and Turn Max (湯瑪士) are also on the bill. Indie group Iron Horn (宋德鶴), pop group Doherfy (盜飛) and Freewing share the stage tomorrow. On Sunday it is the psychedelic dance rock of Hong Kong’s Shucking Mansion and alternative rock of South Korea’s Guten Birds and Dirty Rockhon. Wednesday features a night of rock ‘n’ roll with Whatever, FU Fighter, The Lastly Style and Phoneme.
■ 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 7:30pm tonight and tomorrow, 6:30pm on Sunday and 6pm on Wednesday
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$400 on Sunday and NT$250 on Wednesday, available through www.walkieticket.com and www.indievox.com
Hong Kong indie band Shumking Mansion will play its intense blend of upbeat dance rock and synth pop with a psychedelic twist tonight at Paramount Bar (百樂門酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung. Taipei-based ska band Mary Bites Kerry (瑪莉咬凱利) performs tunes off their new album tomorrow. The Fan Band will play as special guests.
■ 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 8pm tonight and 8:30pm tomorrow
■ Entrance is NT$350 tonight and NT$400 tomorrow, available through the venue’s Facebook page
Tomorrow’s Wu Bai (伍佰) and China Blue gig at Tiehua Music Village (鐵花村), an arts village in Taitung City, is sold out. On Sunday, it is folk rocker Connie Lu (呂莘).
■ 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 for Sunday, available at tickets.books.com.tw
Upcoming
The Urban Nomad Film Festival kicks off on May 11 with the Taiwan premiere of Goodbye Brooklyn, a documentary about Brooklyn’s most beloved DIY music venues, Death by Audio, which was forced to close down when Vice Media bought the building it was located in. Other highlights of the 11-day festival, which also features a competition, lectures, forums and panel discussions with directors, include Dancer, the story of dance prodigy and party animal Sergei Polunin, and The Bansky Job, about an “art terrorist” who goes toe to toe with tagger Bansky.
■ The festival runs from May 11 to May 21.
■ For more information about movies, times, ticket prices and venues, visit the festivals Chinese and English-language Web site: urbannomad.tw
Crystal Castles, a Canadian experimental electronica duo famed for its raucous take on electro-punk and composed of producer Ethan Kath and vocalist Edith Frances, will perform on May 15 at Taipei’s The Wall. Oozing indie cred from every pore, it has enjoyed a great deal of media exposure since its debut eponymous record was released in 2008 and garnered rave reviews for its schizophrenic, seizure-inducing live shows.
■ 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
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Tickets cost NT$1,800, available through thewall.tw
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
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
April 22 to April 28 The true identity of the mastermind behind the Demon Gang (魔鬼黨) was undoubtedly on the minds of countless schoolchildren in late 1958. In the days leading up to the big reveal, more than 10,000 guesses were sent to Ta Hwa Publishing Co (大華文化社) for a chance to win prizes. The smash success of the comic series Great Battle Against the Demon Gang (大戰魔鬼黨) came as a surprise to author Yeh Hung-chia (葉宏甲), who had long given up on his dream after being jailed for 10 months in 1947 over political cartoons. Protagonist
A fossil jawbone found by a British girl and her father on a beach in Somerset, England belongs to a gigantic marine reptile dating to 202 million years ago that appears to have been among the largest animals ever on Earth. Researchers said on Wednesday the bone, called a surangular, was from a type of ocean-going reptile called an ichthyosaur. Based on its dimensions compared to the same bone in closely related ichthyosaurs, the researchers estimated that the Triassic Period creature, which they named Ichthyotitan severnensis, was between 22-26 meters long. That would make it perhaps the largest-known marine reptile and would