As the economy slows, bitter political bickering gathers pace and there seems no escaping melamine, musician and record label boss Zhang 43 (張43) says there’s a remedy to Taiwan’s woes — love: “If you have love, then you can have mutual tolerance ... we should have more love.”
Enter the first ever Love Love Rock Festival (愛愛搖滾帳棚音樂節), organized by Zhang and his alternative rock and folk label TCM (Taiwan Colors Music, 角頭音樂).
The festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday at the Tung-hsiao Beach Resort (通霄海洋渡假村) in central Taiwan’s Miaoli County (苗栗縣), and features beachside performances from Taiwan’s indie music circuit regulars, including TCM artists like 88 Balaz (八 十 八顆芭樂籽) and Puyuma folk duo Hao-en (昊恩) and Jia-jia (家家), as well as Aboriginal folk legend Kimbo Hu (胡德夫) and pop and rock icon Bobby Chen (陳昇).
But the festival is not just about rock ’n’ roll, says Zhang. He hopes the scenic beach and forest at this 32-hectare resort will create a “romantic, slow-paced” atmosphere, in contrast to the crowded summer annual Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival, which was also started by TCM.
With Love Love Rock, Zhang wants to cultivate among Taiwanese a different appreciation for their homeland — “a love for the island” — through camping. The resort’s campground is located in a wooded area; festivalgoers are encouraged to bring their own tents or rent one from the resort, which has 3,000 available.
The festival has another goal: to bring people together. Zhang thinks the nation’s youth would benefit from looking beyond social relationships forged on the Internet. “So many [young people] can’t communicate ... they can only use MSN ... This is so dangerous,” said Zhang. On both days of the festival, the Love Love Friendship Team (愛愛交友團隊) will be holding ice-breaking activities at the piano stage.
But if such formalities are of no interest, there’s always the white sand beach, or the outdoor movie theater screening Taiwanese oldies.
The resort offers plenty of dining options with restaurants, vendor stalls and a barbeque area, with food and supplies available on-site. The music takes place on three small stages from 1:30pm to 5:30pm, and the main Love Love Rock stage, which holds performances from 4:45pm to 11pm.
Zhang hopes Love Love Rock will become an annual arts event in central Taiwan, and eventually have a more “international” feel. He says with the site’s camping vibe, backpackers would feel particularly welcome.
While the festival’s love mantra is unlikely to stop Taiwan’s political strife, Zhang remains optimistic. “We still have to have a dream ... Only when we have dreams can we move forward.”
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