Theater
Legend Opera II: Kuan Yu, the Military Saint (武聖關公), a production in the Contemporary Legend Theater’s (當代傳奇劇場) Legenary Classic Drama Series. This production features tales from the Three Kingdoms (三國) saga and focuses on the character of Kuan Yu (關羽), a historical figure who was deified as the Taoist god of war and righteousness. Starring Contemporary Legend’s founder Wu Hsing-kuo (吳興國) in the title role. Another production in the series to run contemporaneously is New Havoc in the Dragon Palace (新鬧龍宮), which opens Sept. 19
■ Today (sold out) and tomorrow at 7:30pm; performances that still have tickets available include Nov. 10 at 2:30pm and Dec. 14 at 7:30pm (Kuan Yu, the Military Saint); Sept. 19 at 7:30pm (New Havoc in the Dragon Palace), with performances running through to Dec. 15
■ Auditorium of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, 21 Zhongshan S Rd, Taipei City (台北市中山南路21號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Sorceress Bride (花嫁巫娘), a production by the Taiwan Bangzi Opera Company (台灣豫劇團) starring Henan opera diva Wang Hai-ling (王海玲) together with Beijing opera star Tsao Fu-yung (曹復永).
■ Tomorrow 7:30pm
■ Tainan Municipal Cultural Center Performance Hall (台南市立文化中心演藝廳), 332, Jhonghua E Rd Sec 3, Greater Tainan (台南市中華東路三段332號)
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$800; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Grand Auntie Liu (劉姥姥), a production of Henan opera by performers from China and Taiwan, based on a story taken from the classic Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber.
■ Wednesday at 7:30pm
■ Northern Miaoli Art Center (苗北藝文中心演藝廳), 206 Gongyuan Rd, Jhunan Township, Miaoli County (苗栗縣竹南鎮公園路206號)
■ Tickets are NT$100; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Panta Rhei V, is a part of the 2012 Summer Move — Interdisciplinary Spectrum (舞上癮) series being hosted by the Taipei Artists Village (台北國際藝術村). Performed by VestaAndPage, a collaboration of German and Italian artists, their aim is to input “visceral and mythical reflections on death and rebirth into the narrative of urban regeneration.”
■ Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm; Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Barry Room, Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村百里廳), 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路7號),
■ Tickets are NT$200; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
Conductor Hubert Soudant will lead the Taipei Symphony Orchestra and first violinist Hu Nai-yuan (胡乃元) through a program that includes Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, (Op.55) and Dvorak’s Violin Concerto in A Minor Op. 53.
■ Saturday at 2:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Russian pianist Konstantin Scherbakov, who won the first ever edition of the Rachmaninoff Competition in 1983, performs an afternoon and evening recital of mostly Beethoven sonatas at the National Concert Hall. The afternoon program includes Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1, Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10 No. 2, while the evening show features a performance of Piano Sonata, No. 28, in A Major, Op. 101 and Liszt’s solo arrangement of Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68.
■ Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$800 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Monomania (偏執狂), 36 Roundhouse Kicks (三十六迴旋踢) and Homework (轟沃克) are upstart bands that play tonight at The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists. Tomorrow Hong Kong indie pop band My Little Airport takes the stage, and on Sunday, it’s male heartthrob J-pop star J. Japanese rapper Kreva and local hip-hop star Soft Lipa (蛋堡) perform on Thursday.
■ 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, except Saturday’s dance party, which starts at 11:30pm.
■ NT$500 tonight, NT$1,000 on Saturday, (NT$900 in advance) NT$2,000 on Sunday (NT$1,800 at the door) and NT$1,000 on Thursday (NT$800 in advance). Tickets for all shows can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area, hosts Jimmy Wang (王俊傑), a folk and ballad singer from Tamsui (淡水). Tomorrow, it’s Human Nature, a trio of two guitarists and a flute player. On Thursday, Taitung folk rock musician Balai (巴賴) takes the stage.
■ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號), tel: (02) 2362-5494. On the Net: www.witchhouse.org
■ Shows start at 9:30pm. Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist bookstore and large collection of board games, open 11am to midnight Sundays through Wednesdays, 11am to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$300
Garage rock group Bowztiger (包子虎) and Hoklo-singing indie rock group Poetgoodtalk (詩人骨頭走唱團) perform tonight at Underworld (地下社會), a small basement club in Taipei. Tomorrow it’s glam-rock band Naila (奈落) and post-rock trio The Capelin (柳葉魚). On Wednesday, it’s upstart bands Who Are You (隱藏人物) and The Junk (帆人).
■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1), tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Net: www.upsaid.com/underworld
■ Shows run from 9pm to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays, which includes one drink. Entrance for Wednesday shows is NT$100
Tonight Revolver hosts live music from a long list of indie, punk and metal bands, including OCD Gir (強迫女孩), Faint Crow, Mr Dirty, Samurai Chop, Akiradeath, Hinemosu Dajin, IK, Memetor and Heita Spiro. Tomorrow night it’s DJs Salamander-z, Chamber, Apeshit and AM Stereo.
■ 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 NT$350 tonight and NT$300 tomorrow. Admission includes one free drink.
Jazz group Texas Cactus performs tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Pop-rocker pretty boys Champion (強辯樂團) appear tomorrow night. Solo act Easy and indie pop duo Yi-Cheng (依錚) share the billing on Sunday.
■ 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
■ NT$400 tonight, NT$500 tomorrow and NT$350 Sunday; NT$400 all other nights. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Mando-pop singers Elmer Ou (歐育齊) and Ku Hsiao-wei (古小偉) appear tonight at Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館). No other shows are schedule this weekend as of press time.
■ 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 tonight. 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 Renaissance Trio, a piano/bass/drums outfit that performs contemporary music along with jazz standards. Blues Vibrations play blues, funk and rock on Saturday. On Tuesday, the Ka Dao Yin Trio (卡到音特別之夜) takes the stage and on Wednesday, it’s the MaJaM Jazz Band (麻將爵士樂團).
■ 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 tonight and tomorrow; 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.
■ 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
Tomorrow, Bobwundaye, a small pub on Heping East Road (和平東路) in Taipei, hosts funk/reggae/soul band The Shiznits. The venue holds an open mic every Wednesday.
■ 77, Hoping E Rd, Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市和平東路三段77號)
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ NT$200 on Saturday
On Fridays at Italian restaurant Capone’s, 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. Duo Blurrs Bros perform blues and American songbook tunes on Thursdays.
■ 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 drummer Ed Schaefer and his jazz trio tonight. The Renaissance Trio, a piano/bass/drums outfit that performs contemporary music along with jazz standards, performs on Saturday. Pianist Andrew Page takes the stage on Sunday. Tuesday is Milonga night, hosted by Tango Taiwan.
■ 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 free on Thursday, NT$350 on weekends. 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 features Hong Kong indie pop band My Little Airport, while tomorrow grunge band KoOk (庫克樂團) takes the stage.
■ 1 Dayong Rd, Yancheng Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市鹽埕區大勇路1號). On the Net: pierer-2.khcc.gov.tw, www.thewall.com.tw
■ Shows start at 7:30pm
■ NT$900 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow.
The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts live music every Saturday. This weekend, it’s metal bands Burning Island (火燒島) and Losing Art (漂浮者).
■ 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 a drink
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