Highlight
Stand-up comedian Dan "Gonzo" Machanik performs tomorrow at the Comedy Club.PHOTO: COURTESY OF MICHAEL GEIER The Comedy Club, near National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, presents an evening with American stand-up comedian Dan Machanik, who bases much of his material on fictionalized accounts of his travels across Asia and beyond. Machanik got his start as a stand-up comic two decades ago at comedy shows in Aspen, Colorado and New York. He performs regularly in Taiwan and did shows in the US last year. Tonight’s show is in English and is not suitable for the easily offended. Also at the Comedy Club this weekend, comedy hypnotists Brian David Phillips and Aaron Glotfelter present a “triple trance treat”: Hypno Hot, Hypnosis Fetish and Hypno Kool, three risque, adult-oriented shows rolled into one. The comedy hypnosis shows are suitable for both English- and Chinese-speaking audiences. All shows at the Comedy Club are no smoking. Ages 18 and over only. ▲ Comedy Club, at B1, 24 Taishun St, Taipei City (台北市泰順街24號B1). Visit english.comedy.com.tw for more information. For reservations, call (02) 2369-3730 or send an e-mail to social@comedyclub.tw ▲ Brian David Phillips and Aaron Glotfelter perform tonight at 10:30pm and on Sunday at 8pm; Dan Machanik performs tomorrow at 10:30pm ▲Tickets for Machanik’s show are NT$300 and include one slice of pizza and one drink. NT$80 beer specials all night; admission for the hypnosis shows is NT$350 and includes one drink |  Stand-up comedian Dan “Gonzo” Machanik performs tomorrow at the Comedy Club.PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL GEIER |
| Highlight Show Off (愛現), this year’s annual concert by the Ju Percussion Group’s junior troupe, the Ju Percussion Group 2 (朱宗慶打擊樂團2), will be held tonight at 7:30pm at Novel Hall. The program is full of flashy pieces that will have the audience tapping along in their seats (if they can stay seated) and features some of the biggest names in contemporary marching percussion and orchestral composition, including John Max McFarland, Michael Daugherty and Brian Mason. It is almost an all-American lineup, the exception being Australia’s Nigel Westlake, who has gained widespread fame for his scores for such movies as Babe and Miss Potter. Westlake’s Kalabash is a piece he wrote for a marimba quartet as part of his HC Coombs Creative Arts Fellowship at Australia National University in 2004. Another marimba-heavy piece on the program is Mason’s prize-winning Rochambeaux. McFarland’s contribution is a duet for drumset and multiple percussion Synergetic Simpatico, while Daugherty’s 10-minute-long Used Car Salesman was written as a tribute to his dance-band drummer/car-salesman father and features a quartet of musicians playing metal instruments collected from scrap heaps. Rounding out the program is Jim Casella’s percussion ensemble piece Katraterra. ▲ Novel Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號) ▲ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$700 and are available through NTCH ticketing |  The Ju Percussion Group’s junior troupe performs tonight.PHOTO COURTESY OF JU PERCUSSION GROUP 2 |
Theater
Dance Shoe 2008 (2008點子鞋), an annual ballet series by the Kaohsiung City Ballet (高雄城市芭蕾舞團), will feature Awakening, a new work by Kaohsiung-based choreographer Dominique Yen (顏鳳曦), Winter by Tsai Po-chen (蔡博丞), Wing (羽翼) by Chang Ya-ting (張雅婷) and Ballet Fantasy (芭蕾狂想) by Kao Hsin-yu (高辛毓).
▲ Tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
▲ Chihshan Hall, Kaohsiung Cultural Center (高雄文化中心至善廳), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
▲ Tickets are NT$300 and are available through NTCH ticket outlets
Lee Feng-san (李鳳山), one of Taiwan's most respected martial arts masters, has adapted Journey to the West (西遊記) to the stage. Using the classical text as the show's main structure, Lee reinterprets the story and employs martial artists as characters in the play.
▲ Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
▲ Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
▲ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$2,000 and are available through ERA ticketing
Dubbed the first Broadway-style Hakka musical, My Daughter's Wedding is based on William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. It tells the story of a successful career woman who is skeptical of love and fears marriage. Consequently, no man dares approach her because of her rudeness - except one, who tries to win her heart by unusual means.
▲ Jhongli Arts Center (中壢藝術館音樂廳), 16 Jhongmei St, Jhongli City (中壢市中美路16號)
▲ Today at 7:30pm and tomorrow at 2:30pm
▲ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$900 and are available through NTCH ticket outlets
The Year Monster (怪獸阿年) is a performance for the whole family. Drawing on an ancient legend about an evil spirit that roams mountainous regions around Lunar New Year called the Year Beast (年獸), the story tells the tale of A-ping, a young boy who is sent as a sacrifice to the feared spirit. Through determination and goodwill, A-ping befriends the beast and brings good luck to his village for the New Year.
▲ Taipei City Family Theater (台北市親子 劇場), 1 Shifu Rd, Taipei City (台北市市府路1號)
▲ Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm and Sunday at 10:30 am
▲ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$500 and are available through NTCH ticketing
Classical music
Taiwan Our Home (台灣是咱兜), a commemorative concert to mark the anniversary of the 228 Incident, will be performed by the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra (高雄市交響樂團). Special guests include the Kaohsiung Chamber Choir (高雄室內合唱團), the Red Clogs Choir (紅木屐合唱團) and US-based soprano Li Chih-hui (李智惠).
▲ Thursday at 7:30pm
▲ The recital hall of the Kaohsiung City Concert Hall (高雄市音樂館演奏廳), at 99 Hehsi Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市河西路99號)
▲ Admission is free; tickets can be obtained at the Kaohsiung City Concert Hall
The 15th Regular Concert of SBOWE (雅頌合奏團第十五季定期音樂會), includes performances of the overture to Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet and pieces by Prokofiev and Mussorgsky.
▲Tomorrow at 2:30pm
▲ Novel Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
▲ Tickets are NT$150 and NT$250 and are available from the venue
Acoustic Jazz Piano Trio (鋼琴爵士三重奏) features jazz pianist Joel Holmes, who will be performing with Martijn Vanbuel on double bass and Pietro Valente on percussion.
▲ Tomorrow at 8pm
▲The Corridor Coffee Shop and Theater (迴廊咖啡劇場沙龍廳) at the National Central Library (國立中央圖書館) located at 85 Jhongan St, Jhonghe City, Taipei County (台北縣中和市中安街85號)
▲ Tickets are NT$500 and are available through NTCH ticket outlets
Ein Deutsches Requiem (德意志安魂曲), a concert by the NSO, will feature a program including Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem, along with Tyzen Hsiao's (蕭泰然) 1947 Overture (一九四七序曲). The NSO will be performing under the baton of guest conductor Zdenek Macal and will feature soprano Chen Mei-ling (陳美玲) and tenor Andreas Scheibner, together with the National Experimental Choir (國立實驗合唱團).
▲ Wednesday at 7:30pm
▲ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,000 and are available through NTCH ticketing
Contemporary
Veteran indie rockers Telephone Booth (電話亭) and alt-rock/electronica band The Shine and Shine and Shine and Shine perform tonight at Underworld (地下社會). Tomorrow's theme is Revenge of the Farmers (農友的復仇), with punk/indie acts Da Doo Shan (大度山樂儀隊), Yuntech (雲鐵客) and Children Sucker (表兒). On Wednesday, it's Twice a Week (一週二次) and Little Rockies.
▲ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369-0103 or visit www.upsaid.com/underworld for more information
▲ Bands start playing after 9pm. The bar is open from 8pm daily, except Mondays
▲ Entrance for shows is NT$300 and includes one drink
It's an all-star lineup of local jazz talent tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言), with guitarist Geddy Lin (林正如), Uno (烏野薰) on keyboard, Chiang Li-pin (江力平) on bass, Toshi Fuji on percussion and Dong Shu-wen (董舜文) on saxophone. Hard-rock band Assassin (刺客) has a mini-concert tomorrow. Jazz combos Open Strings (空絃), Skyline, The Fingers and Jazzme get together for a jam on Sunday. Monday is Open Jam night. Eric Lim (林健輝) and indie-rock act Lucky Q perform on Tuesday. Solo artist No Name plays on Wednesday. Aboriginal pop-rock band Totem (圖騰) returns to Riverside 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). Call (02) 2368-7310, or visit www.riverside.com.tw
▲ Shows start at 9:30pm, except Sunday's jam, which starts at 7:30pm
▲ NT$400 tonight, tomorrow, Sunday and Thursday, and NT$350 Tuesday. Admission includes one drink. There is a one-drink minimum on Monday. There is no cover on Wednesday
Tonight at Bliss, it's QvQ, a band comprised of mostly Taipei American School teachers, and alt-country band Two Acres Plowed. DJs Sona and Saucey bring back the popular Bump deep house party, which ran last year as a weekly event at Naomi, tomorrow night. Country music/garage rock band the Deadly Vibes play on Wednesday.
▲148, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段148號), one block east of Dunhua South Road (敦化南路). Call Bliss at (02) 2702-1855 or log on at www.bliss-taipei.com. For more information on live performances at Bliss, go to www.myspace.com/blisslivehouse
▲ Shows start at 10pm. Bar/kitchen open from 7pm daily. Ladies night Fridays; women get one free cocktail of their choice
? Entrance to the bar is free. Cover for the live music upstairs is NT$200
Neo-folk act Echo G.S. (艾可菊斯) performs tonight at Witch House (女巫店). Sizhukong (絲竹空爵士), "a new kind of Chinese music" " makes an appearance tomorrow.
▲ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Road Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). Call (02) 2362-5494 or visit www.witchhouse.org
▲ Performances start at 9:30pm. Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist bookstore and large collection of board games open 11am to midnight Sunday to Wednesday; 11am to 1am Thursday to Saturday
▲ NT$300 entrance includes one drink
Fu Jen University DMC (輔大電音派對) presents three "young and talented DJs" tonight at the Living Room (小客廳). Post-rock group To a God Unknown and Circle Band perform tomorrow. Tuesday is Tarot Night with house regular Eiffel (艾菲爾).
▲ 3F, 8, Nanjing E Rd Sec 5, Taipei City (台北市南京東路五段8號3樓). Call (02) 8787-4154 or visit www.livingroomtaipei.com
▲10pm to 4am tonight
▲ Free tonight; NT$300 charge and NT$50 suggested donation tomorrow; NT$1,000 plus purchase of one drink required for Tuesday's tarot
The Wall (這牆) features emo band the Hindsight (光景消逝) with Monkey Pilot (猴子飛行員) and funk/nu-metal crossovers Coach (教練) tonight. Metal core/emo band 831 (八三夭) and Circus Leo take to the stage tomorrow. Human Brutality performs Sunday, along with post-metal band Chok Ma (戳麻) and post-rock quartet Elf Fatima. World-famous Czech rockers Plastic People of the Universe return to Taipei for a concert commemorating the 228 incident on Tuesday, with support from indie-rock band Aphasia (阿飛西雅) See story above. Indie-electronica collective KbN, all-girl electro-clash group Go Chic and electronica/alt-rock band Digihai take to the stage on Wednesday. And on Thursday, it's Feng Lai Fang (風籟坊), Brit-rockers Tube and post-rock band Orange Grass (橙草).
▲ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Call (02) 2930-0162 or log on at www.the-wall.com.tw for more information
▲ Shows start at 8pm, except for tomorrow's, which starts at 8:30pm
▲ NT$400 tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday, NT$300 Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday; admission includes one drink
Taichung's 89k music pub hosts pop-folk act Reider, country/folk band Dirty Skies and alt-rockers .22 tonight. Tomorrow, it's funk
supergroup the Money Shot Horns.
* 21 Daguan Rd, Taichung City (台中市大觀路21號). Call (04) 2320-7010 for more information
* 10pm to 2am
* NT$250 admission
Exhibition
Pillow Project (枕頭計畫) invited 34 artists and craftspeople to create more than 40 artworks based on the pillow. ? Taipei National University of the Arts ─ Guandu Museum of Fine Arts (台北藝術大學關渡美術館), 1 Xueyuan Rd, Peitou, Taipei City (台北市北投區學園路1號). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Call (02) 2893-8871.
▲ Until March 2
Toys Through the Ages (玩出名堂-古往今來玩具展). The exhibition of toys for children, and grown-ups who retain a childlike heart, is divided into five sections: the beloved Japanese anime figure Astro Boy; ball collection; nostalgic toys; model robots; and US-style toys that include two 70cm tall Chucky dolls.
▲ Meimen Gallery (梅門賞廳), 5F, 104, Zhonghua Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市中華路一段104號5樓). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:30am to 8:30pm. Call (02) 2311-7212
▲ Until May 1
Three Places, for Marguerite Duras (三個地方，給瑪格麗特杜拉斯). Using inkjet on canvas, artist Yeh Wei-li (葉偉立) spent four years documenting a deserted house. The pseudo-documentary speaks of the silent state of absence in space intrinsic in the world of French contemporary author Marguerite Duras.
▲ Chi-Wen Gallery (formally Taipei MOMA), 3F, 19, Ln 252, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段252巷19號3樓). Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm. Call (02) 8771-3372
▲ Until Feb. 29
In-generate Heroism - Solo Exhibition of Wang Chi-sui (在地英雄傳捷克篇 - 2008王綺穗新作展). A series of oil paintings created by artist Wang during her residency in the Czech town of Cesky Krumlov.
▲ Jia Art Gallery (家畫廊), 1F-1, 30, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市中山北路三段30號1樓之1). Open Tuesday to Saturday from 12pm to 6pm. Call (02) 2591-4302
▲ Until Wednesday
Little by Little - Sandy Chen's Photo Exhibition (Little by Little - 陳珊妮慈善攝影展). Indie songstress and producer Chen takes up the camera as a paintbrush to capture her inner landscapes. The results are both elegant and unsettling.
▲ Taiwan International Visual Arts Center (台灣國際視覺藝術中心), 29, Ln 45 Liaoning St, Taipei City (台北市遼寧街45巷29號). Open Tuesday to Friday from 11am to 7pm; Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Call (02) 2773-3347.
▲ Until March 12
A series of dramatic news items dropped last month that shed light on Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attitudes towards three candidates for last year’s presidential election: Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) founder Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), Terry Gou (郭台銘), founder of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), also known as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). It also revealed deep blue support for Ko and Gou from inside the KMT, how they interacted with the CCP and alleged election interference involving NT$100 million (US$3.05 million) or more raised by the
A white horse stark against a black beach. A family pushes a car through floodwaters in Chiayi County. People play on a beach in Pingtung County, as a nuclear power plant looms in the background. These are just some of the powerful images on display as part of Shen Chao-liang’s (沈昭良) Drifting (Overture) exhibition, currently on display at AKI Gallery in Taipei. For the first time in Shen’s decorated career, his photography seeks to speak to broader, multi-layered issues within the fabric of Taiwanese society. The photographs look towards history, national identity, ecological changes and more to create a collection of images
At a funeral in rural Changhua County, musicians wearing pleated mini-skirts and go-go boots march around a coffin to the beat of the 1980s hit I Hate Myself for Loving You. The performance in a rural farming community is a modern mash-up of ancient Chinese funeral rites and folk traditions, with saxophones, rock music and daring outfits. Da Zhong (大眾) women’s group is part of a long tradition of funeral marching bands performing in mostly rural areas of Taiwan for families wanting to give their loved ones an upbeat send-off. The band was composed mainly of men when it started 50
While riding a scooter along the northeast coast in Yilan County a few years ago, I was alarmed to see a building in the distance that appeared to have fallen over, as if toppled by an earthquake. As I got closer, I realized this was intentional. The architects had made this building appear to be jutting out of the Earth, much like a mountain that was forced upward by tectonic activity. This was the Lanyang Museum (蘭陽博物館), which tells the story of Yilan, both its natural environment and cultural heritage. The museum is worth a visit, if only just to get a
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