Don’t stop ’til you get enough in Tainan tomorrow as Taiwanese promoter and DJ Freaky Squeaker is putting on a thriller called Zombie Dance Zombie at Hive Lounge, and on a slow weekend this is the best of the bunch come tomorrow night.
On the decks with Freaky Squeaker are three other DJs, Naked, Steppa and Scottie Pimpin, all of whom are the monkey business right now. They’ll drop remixed Michael Jackson tracks to help punters remember the time when he ruled the pop firmament.
Scottie Pimpin, aka Scott L. Levy from Canada, has been spinning since 1992 and plays predominantly underground hip-hop, mixed in with a bit of drum ’n’ bass and funky breaks.
Since moving to Taiwan in 2002, Pimpin, 36, has been playing at Dreams in Kaohsiung, Peach in Taichung and Fusion in Tainan.
The Tainan resident isn’t down with the scene, though; “in a word it is lame,” he says, with the “same old shit everywhere you go.”
“I had a weekly night at LaSight in Tainan for a few months,” Pimpin said, “but ended it because the crowd only wanted to hear Top 40-jiggy shite.”
Because there are so many DJs out there, said Naked, aka Kurt Buttress from South Africa, who plays tech house, “DJs are now more challenged … it comes down to being a good entertainer.”
As for tomorrow, Hive is “a very intimate venue, so I’ll try to tone it down as I usually go crazy,” said Naked, who played at the 48Renu festival in Pingtung County over the Spring break holiday. “I’ll play some house and electro — and generally just take it from the crowd … but expect some bangers though.”
Naked plays CDs, Pimpin is on Serato, so it makes sense that Steppa, aka Kevin Wu (吳炫輝), plays drum ’n’ bass and the next big thing, dubstep, in the traditional way, on vinyl.
If you wanna be starting something for the weekend and hear some fresh tunes, ease on down the road to Hive Lounge tomorrow.
Zombie Dance Zombie is at Hive Lounge, 3, Ln 21, Zhongzheng Rd, Tainan City (台南市中正路21巷3號), tomorrow from 10pm until 3am. Admission is NT$350 with two drinks.
Up in Taipei, Doi Moi, aka Toby Garrod, has put together a Ween night featuring only the music of arguably the most misunderstood, yet finest electro-rock band of our time. Expect enough Ween to make you cry.
“The brilliance of their early work stems from their gutsy, innovative and incredibly catchy songs, combined with their unsarcastic humor (a rare commodity) and the beauty of their brotherly interactions,” said Garrod of Ween. “Their later work takes those sentiments, and … refines them into increasingly beautiful works of art … It’s the combination of their human nature, their incredible skills and a knack for knowing what the listener likes.”
DJs and expat band Killing Zoe will play Ween covers after Doi Moi’s stint on the ukulele. Send an e-mail to weenintaiwan@yahoo.com with song requests or to confirm attendance.
The Ween Project at Vicious Circle, 1F, 8, Alley 26, Ln 205, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段205巷26弄8號1樓). Tomorrow from 9:30pm until 2am. No cover. Tel: (02) 2777-2218.
And now, what you’ve all been waiting for, it’s the Vinyl Word Challenge. Hidden in plain sight in this article are the titles of some of Michael Jackson’s songs. How many can you spot? Send an e-mail with your answer and contact details to features@taipeitimes.com and the winner will be sent a bottle of Mystique de Michael Jackson eau de toilette, a much sought-after scent produced in 1989 that sports a high-quality holograph of the King pulling a serene smile.
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