Theater
Tripitaka: Beyond the Legend (神話以外的唐三藏) is a multimedia stage production by Golden Lotus Performance Group (金色蓮花表演坊劇團) telling the story of the Buddhist missionary who features prominently in the Chinese fantasy classic Journey to the West (西遊記). This lavish stage production provides a more historically-based picture of the monk who traveled to India to obtain scriptures that were crucial to the development of Buddhism in China.
■ Today at 7pm
■ Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (台北國父紀念館), 505, Renai Rd, Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段505號2樓)
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,800; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Taste of Happiness (幸福的味), an original production by the Wanhua Theater (萬華劇團), explores food, desire, sexuality and, as the title suggests, happiness.
■ Today, tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
■ Tickets are NT$500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Les Chaises, an interpretation by renowned Swiss director Luc Bondy of Theatre of the Absurd master Eugene Ionesco’s original work performed by the Theatre Vidy-Lausanne. Extensive details in English can be found at the Taipei Arts Festival Web site at eng.taipeifestival.org.tw.
■ Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm; Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25 Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Also part of the Taipei Arts Festival is Der Goldene Drache(金龍), an experimental theater production by the Tainaner Ensemble (台南人劇團), based on the work of German writer Roland Schimmelpfennig and directed by Tilmann Kohler.
■ Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30pm
■ Multifunction Auditorium at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文創園區多功能展演廳), 133 Guangfu S Rd, Taipei City (台北市光復南路133號). Enter from Lane 553 of Zhongxiao East Road Section 4 (忠孝東路四段553巷)
■ Tickets are NT$600 and NT$1,000; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Let the Water Bless the Land (奇想河圳), a new production by Taipei Dance Circle (光環舞集舞蹈團), is a three-part work with each section created by a different choreographer. The basic format continues Taipei Dance Circle’s infatuation with covering their dancers with baby oil.
■ Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ National Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
The 2012 Taipei International Choral Festival, which started last week, concludes this weekend at the National Concert Hall. Tomorrow night features the chamber choir Kammerchor Stuttgart, a highly reputed vocal ensemble in Europe led by conductor Frieder Bernius. On Saturday, British octet VOCES8 will perform a repertoire that ranges from Renaissance polyphony to jazz and pop. For Sunday’s finale, Hungarian conductor Gabor Hollerung leads Taiwan Philharmonic Chorus (台北愛樂合唱團) and Taipei Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (台北愛樂青年管弦樂團) in a performance of Beethoven’s Mass in C major, Op. 86.
■ Tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Legacy Taipei, located in a former warehouse at Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Saturday’s show featuring veteran indie-pop musicians Ciacia (何欣穗) and Ze Hwang (黃小楨) is sold out. On Sunday afternoon, it’s singer-songwriter Zulin Wu (吳志寧), Aboriginal folk icon Panai (巴奈) and Taiwanese poet Wu Sheng (吳晟). On Wednesday, jazz-pop singer Paige Su (蘇珮卿) performs a program featuring original compositions performed on the harp.
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), Center Five Hall (中五館), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Saturday 8pm, Sunday 4pm and Wednesday 8:30pm
■ Sold out Saturday, NT$800 Sunday (NT$700 in advance) Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased at ERA ticketing outlets, online through www.ticket.com.tw, www.legacy.com.tw and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Noisy experimental rock group The Sign of Human (記號士), garage rock group Fever Trend, and ambient electronica artist Empty Space on a Chessboard (棋盤上的空格) play tonight at The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists. Tomorrow it’s upbeat punks Punkhoo (胖虎樂團). No shows are scheduled for Saturday, but on Sunday, it’s Aboriginal rock bands Nuka (鹿角), P Ta-san (紋面) and Vangsaran (部落美男子).
■ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Tel: (02) 2930-0162. On the Net: www.thewall.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8pm.
■ NT$200 tonight, NT$500 tomorrow (NT$400 in advance) and NT$200 on Sunday. Tickets for all shows can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight indie rock club Revolver hosts its monthly live acoustic performances. Tomorrow it’s Roxymoron, Presidon’t Sad, Dronetonic and Braces (牙套). On Saturday, it’s DJs Charles, Vicar and Twohands for an event meant to called “Baker’s Dozen,” an art show related to vinyl records. On Wednesday, the lineup includes metal, punk and goth bands: Rectum Raiders, Guntzepaula (槍擊潑辣), Pink Noise (粉紅噪音樂團) and Qi Lai Observatory (奇萊山觀測站).
■ 1-2, Roosevelt Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路一段1-2號), tel: (02) 3393-1678
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ Entrance is free tonight, NT$300 tomorrow and Saturday, and NT$200 on Wednesday. Admission includes one free drink.
Up-and-coming Mandopop singers Connie Chang (張采璇) and Iris Lin (林綾) appear tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow it’s surgeon-turned-country pop singer-songwriter Oli Hang (杭士琁). Pop singer Eve Ai (艾怡良) takes the stage on Saturday, and on Sunday, it’s rock bands Hui Yao Days (搖滾創作樂團) and Rosy (玫瑰紅).
■ 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), tel: (02) 2368-7310. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Shows start at 9pm
v NT$350 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow, NT$500 Saturday and NT$450 Sunday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Folk pop singer-songwriter Achau (阿超) appears tomorrow at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館). On Saturday, the venue hosts the winner of this year’s Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival’s (國際海洋音樂祭) battle of the bands, punk band Random (隨性樂團), as well as the runner-ups, Guntzepaula (槍擊潑辣) and indie pop/acoustic duo Ding Ding and Shi Shi (丁丁與西西).
■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西寧南路177號), tel: (02) 2370-8805. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8:30pm
■ NT$400 for all shows. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight Sappho de Base, a late-night jazz/lounge bar, hosts the trio The Expats with special guest saxophonist Terry Hsieh (謝明諺). Tomorrow, it’s Mark Kuo’s Neo Retro Jazz Trio. On Tuesday, the venue’s house band leads an open jam.
■ B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1), tel: (02) 2700-5411. On the Net: www.sappho102.biz
■ Shows start at 10pm. The venue is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$200 tomorrow and Saturday; free all other nights
Acclaimed Aboriginal singer Samingad (紀曉君) performs every Thursday at EZ5 Live House, which hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights for the week ahead include TV actress and singer Phoebe Huang (黃嘉千), who performs on Fridays.
■ 211, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市安和路二段211號), tel: (02) 2738-3995. On the Net: visit www.ez5.com.tw
■ Shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
■ Entrance fee (includes two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
Guitar duo Blurrs Bros perform American songbook tunes tonight at Italian restaurant Capone’s. On Fridays, Taipei Swing holds dance socials with live music from electric blues band Taipei blues band Bopomofo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). On Saturday, drummer Abe Nbugu Kenyatta leads a band playing music from his hometown of New Orleans. Iris sings “romantic chansons” Sunday nights and on Wednesdays, it’s Latin music from guitarist Roberto Zayas.
■ 312, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段312號), tel: (02) 2773-3782
■ Live music from 9pm to 11:30pm on Fridays, 8pm to 11:30pm on Saturdays
■ On Fridays, minimum charge of one drink. On Saturdays, minimum charge is NT$300.
The TAV Cafe (村落餐廳), a bar and cafe located at the Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村), hosts jazz saxophonist Terry Hsieh (謝明諺) and his ensemble tonight and tomorrow. On Saturday, it’s swing jazz and jump blues with The Flat Fives. Tuesday is tango night with a Milonga being held by Taipei Tango.
■ 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路7號), tel: (02) 3393-7377, ext 207
■ Shows start at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$300 tonight, NT$350 tomorrow and NT$250 on Tuesday. Admission includes one drink
The Wall (這牆) programs regular live rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). Tonight it’s post-rock trio The Capelin (柳葉魚) and Third Party (第三者). On Saturday, pop-punk outfit Punkoo (胖虎) take the stage.
■ 1 Dayong Rd, Yancheng Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市鹽埕區大勇路1號). On the Net: pier-2.khcc.gov.tw, www.thewall.com.tw
■ Shows start at 7:30pm
■ NT$300 tomorrow and NT$400 Saturday
The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts live music every Saturday. This weekend, it’s shoegazer rock band Sorry Youth (拍謝少年) and pop-punks Yidiansheng (一點生).
■ 46 Liwen Rd, Zuoying Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市左營區立文路46號), tel: (07) 550-8617. On the Net: mercurybar.blogspot.com
■ Starts at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$250, includes one drink
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