Three grand might sound like a lot to splash on a night out at The Wall (這牆) - which is roughly how much it will cost if you see Broken Social Scene on Tuesday and consume two drinks in the process - but think about it this way: pretty much every notable Canadian indie band has members in this sprawling 20-musician collective, or, if not, then they are probably somehow closely related to it. Another way of saying this is that Broken Social Scene, whether as the collective itself or through the side projects and solo acts of members such as Emily Haines and Leslie Feist, can claim responsibility for some of the best indie-music records of recent years.
The group that spearheaded the Canadian invasion of the US indie charts has a sound that's as diverse as the number of its components: catchy pop tunes and homages to Pavement; groovy semi-falsettos and jazzy crescendos; psychedelia, funk, post-rock and blues; strings and horns in full effect; and a 10-minute opus called It's All Gonna Break described in the liner notes to the Juno Award-winning album, You Forgot It in People, as "Bob Seger on acid."
Unfortunately, the Wu Tang Clan of indie-rock does not tour with its full complement of musicians. Only six - Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, Charles Spearin, Sam Goldberg - are making the trip to Taipei. Then again, that's probably about as many as will fit on stage at The Wall.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF ARTS AND CRAFTS
Broken Social Scene has won four Juno awards - Canada's equivalent of a Brit Award - including twice in the category of Alternative Album of the Year. Tour manager David Schein answered a few questions submitted by e-mail earlier this week.
Taipei Times: I heard last year that Broken Social Scene was one of the better-selling groups at White Wabbit Orange, the indie record store run by the people who are bringing you to Taipei. Why do you think your music has been relatively well-received in Taiwan?
David Schein : Since I've never been to Taipei it would be very difficult to answer this. Possibly because our sound cannot be confined or defined to merely a North American audience.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF ARTS AND CRAFTS
TT: Being such a large group and having members with other bands and solo projects, how have you been able to cope with the demands of becoming an international touring band?
DS: Fortunately we have been touring with Stars and Feist [two indie-pop groups related to Broken Social Scene] as of late so we have been borrowing from their bands. Otherwise, we just do our best to put together a good lineup for ourselves and the shows.
TT: Tell me about what your Taipei show will be like. Which albums will you draw your set list from?
DS: We'll play a little from [You Forgot It in People, which won the 2003 Alternative Album of the Year Juno Award] and [our] self-titled record [Broken Social Scene, winner of the 2006 Alternative Album of the Year Juno Award] as well as Spirit If [the 2007 album by side project Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew] and some new tunes.
TT: Not everyone associated with Broken Social Scene tours with the band. How do you adapt your music for live performances?
DS: We are like chameleons.
When the Dutch began interacting with the indigenous people of Taiwan, they found that their hunters classified deer hide quality for trade using the Portuguese terms for “head,” “belly,” and “foot.” The Portuguese must have stopped here more than once to trade, but those visits have all been lost to history. They already had a colony on Macao, and did not need Taiwan to gain access to southern China or to the trade corridor that connected Japan with Manila. They were, however, the last to look at Taiwan that way. The geostrategic relationship between Taiwan and the Philippines was established
“Once you get there, you think, that’s a little embarrassing or revealing or scary... but ultimately, I learned that is where the good stuff is,” says Taiwanese-American director Sean Wang about writing indie breakout Didi (弟弟), which debuted at Sundance Film Festival Asia 2024 in Taipei last month. Didi is a heartwarming coming-of-age story centered on the Asian American experience. Not just a 2000s teenage nostalgia piece, but a raw, unflinching look at immigrant families and adolescent identity struggles. It quickly became the centerpiece of the event, striking a chord with not only those sharing similar backgrounds but anyone who’s ever
This Qing Dynasty trail takes hikers from renowned hot springs in the East Rift Valley, up to the top of the Coastal Mountain Range, and down to the Pacific Short vacations to eastern Taiwan often require choosing between the Rift Valley with its pineapple fields, rice paddies and broader range of amenities, or the less populated coastal route for its ocean scenery. For those who can’t decide, why not try both? The Antong Traversing Trail (安通越嶺道) provides just such an opportunity. Built 149 years ago, the trail linked up these two formerly isolated parts of the island by crossing over the Coastal Mountain Range. After decades of serving as a convenient path for local Amis, Han settlers, missionaries and smugglers, the trail fell into disuse once modern roadways were built
“Magical,” “special,” a “total badass:” step forward Kamala Harris, the 59-year-old dynamo who has rebranded her country at lightning speed, offering it up as a nation synonymous with optimism, hope and patriotism. For the rest of us, Kamala’s gift is her joy and vibrancy — and the way she is smashing it just months away from her seventh decade, holding up 60 in all its power and glory. Welcome to the new golden age. Hers is the vibrancy of a woman who owns her power, a woman who is manifesting her experience and expertise, a woman who knows her time has
RSS