The Say Yes To Taiwan (
Other bands will include the familiar cute punk faces of Japan's Softball and nine local bands, including Tizzy Bac, Oi and Trigger. The concert is outdoors, runs from 2pm to 9pm and is free.
Say Yes to Taiwan has been held annually since 2000 on a Saturday around the 228 holiday, which commemorates the slaughter of more than 10,000 Taiwanese by Chiang Kai-shek's occupying army.
Even though it's a rock concert, the event takes on some political overtones. The focus is on Taiwan independence, which becomes more evident looking at the concert's Chinese name -- it translates literally as "anti-China annexation peace concert" -- or the concert's Web site, which is http://www.anti-china.net. Sponsors like Chimei Foods, the 228 Foundation and Koo Kuang-ming (
This year organizer Freddy Lin (
"They just want to get the right to broadcast in China, so they adopt the one-China policy, but it's ridiculous. China's never going to let them broadcast and they're selling out Taiwan," said Lin.
But by most outward appearances, Say Yes to Taiwan is just a free rock concert in a park, because after all, the music comes first.
When asked about the China-Taiwan issue, Frenzel Rhomb vocalist Jason Whalley replied, "Yeah sure, I support Taiwan ... actually we don't know that much about it. I guess we'll find out."
Concerts this weekend
Friday
Frenzel Rhomb, Softball and Oi will play in Taichung at 8pm at Nuno's Livehouse at 2F, 259 Leye Rd., Taichung (
Saturday
Say Yes to Taiwan (
A Say Yes to Taiwan after party with ABC Family, DJ A-Kai (
Sunday
Frenzel Rhomb and Softball will play in Taipei from 2pm to 5pm at Zeitgeist Livehouse. Admission is NT$250.
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