Responsible for organizing last month’s Intro 2009, Beijing’s first electronic dance music festival, Taiwanese DJ/producer Elvis T (涂孝華) has secured an iconic status in the minds of many techno fans in both China’s capital and Taiwan.
Intro boasted a turnout of more than 7,000 partygoers. “I think the best thing about it is that the music has reached a lot more people than we could ever do before and it’s also made us more influential,” said Elvis T. “But even so, I still cannot tell you if it will be possible to throw another big party like this next year because the Chinese government simply doesn’t like it when you round so many people up in one place.”
It’s been more than two years since Elvis T relocated to China. “There wasn’t much going on in Taiwan then so I decided to make the move,” he said. His first stop was Shanghai, where he stayed for six months, but it wasn’t the place for him. “I didn’t really like it there because the scene was too commercial,” he said. So after visiting Beijing for a gig at Midi Music Festival in 2007, he moved there.
“Perhaps it’s the geographical location, Beijing is a very ‘cool’ city. And maybe that’s also why the people here seem to appreciate the sound of cold, industrial music like techno more than anything else,” said Elvis T, who found himself in his element. “In only two years, I’ve accomplished so much stuff that I’d never [have] been able to do ... as a DJ in Taiwan.” He’s launched his own label, Acupuncture Records (針刺療法), put together about 100 events from September 2007 to September last year, released eight singles, toured Japan and played alongside some of his favorite techno artists, such as Joris Voorn, Format:B and Ken Ishii.
Elvis T is back in Taiwan on tour to promote his debut album NIL. Tomorrow he plays PP, B1, 10, Siwei 4th Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市四維四路10號B1), his last show before returning to Beijing. Admission is free for girls, NT$400 for guys. On the Net: www.myspace.com/acupuncturerecords. From 10pm to 4am.
Tonight in Taipei sees another “straight” night at “gay” Club Jump. Called Make Electro, the party is the second installment of Tripper Records’ Make Music series. The lineup is out of the ordinary: Tripper Records’ leading DJ/producer Kotoswitch with supporting DJs Terrence J, Sanki and Fratzuki. From 10pm to 5am at Club Jump, B1, 8, Keelung Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市基隆路一段8號B1). On the Net: www.club-jump.com. Admission is NT$500.
What with the myriad Facebook quizzes doing the rounds, screwing up people’s “walls” and sullying the reputation of participants as probably a bit bored and/or boring, we thought we’d jump on the bandwagon. Did anyone out there answer last week’s Vinyl Word Challenge questions?
The answers: Jimmy Chen and Shaun Kidd’s sets were awesome and by standing between the two rooms at Club Jump, both could be heard. Jimmy Chen was “horny” at the pool party because Wesley James from the Money Shot Horns and High Tide blew trumpet through his set. And, for the Vibers, after being denied the final DJ slot, Marcus Aurelius polished off his set with The End by The Doors at around 3:30am, while Roxy Vibe’s resident DJ, it is said, ended proceedings with Punky Reggae Party by Bob Marley.
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