Taipei City looks to cement its position as the Mando-pop capital of the world with the Taipei Pop Festival (臺北流行音樂季), a series of outdoor music events and indoor concerts that will run until October at venues throughout the city.
“Taipei has been the creative cradle of Chinese pop music. Taiwan’s musicians aim to use music to realize their dreams and change the world,” Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Liu Wei-gong (劉維公) told reporters at an event to kick off the festival earlier this month.
Governmental measures to bolster the industry have included building a Pop Music Center (流行音樂中心) and synergizing music festivals.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Culture
The Haikuo Music Festival takes place today and tomorrow at the music room at the Hankyu Department Store (統一阪急百貨), where emerging bands will compete to win gold in one of four categories, including Band Young (高校聯賽), Band (無限制聯賽), Acoustic (木吉他) and Fender (電吉他).
The Star Music Summer Night Concert, which will take place at Taipei Expo Park on Aug. 31, will feature well-known pop acts such as singer/songwriter Lala Hsu (aka Hsu Chia-ying, 徐佳瑩), Golden Melody-winning crooner William Wei (韋禮安), indie chanteuse Waa Wei (魏如萱), Puyuma songstress Jia Jia (家家) and emerging act Jess Lee (李佳薇). Winners from the tie-in music competitions will appear on the stage too.
The I Want Music Festival (銀河音樂聚) will take place today and tomorrow at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Plaza (信義香堤大道廣場), where indie bands will take the stage (check schedule below).
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Culture
The festival will also feature a concert series, Songwriters’ Fulfillment Project (創作人圓夢計畫), that includes emerging musicians, and the Pop Music Sharing Session (流行音樂分享會), both at the newly opened Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文創園區戶外場地).
Performance Notes
WHAT: Taipei Pop Music Festival (臺北流行音樂季)
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Culture
WHEN: August to October, 2013
WHERE: Throughout Taipei
ADMISSION: Free
ON THE NET (Chinese): www.taipeimusic.com.tw
Haikuo Music Festival
(海國音樂祭)
WHEN: Today and tomorrow from 1pm to 9pm
WHERE: Hankyu Department Store (統一阪急百貨), 8, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 5, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路五段8號)
Today’s lineup
P Ta-san (紋面樂團): 3:10pm-4pm
Hsiao Chao (小朝, aka, Hsiao Huei-ling, 蕭慧靈): 7pm to 7:30pm
Baobu Badulu (保卜): 7:30pm to 8pm
Tomorrow’s lineup
Echo (回聲樂團): 3pm to 3:30pm
Coach (教練樂隊): 7pm to 7:30pm
Star Music Summer Night Concert (花博星聲音夏夜演唱會)
WHEN: Today at 6:30pm
WHERE: Taipei Expo Park (花博公園), at the intersection of Zhongshan North Road (中山北路) and Minzu East Road (民族東路), Taipei City
Performers:
Lala Hsu (徐佳瑩), William Wei (韋禮安), Waa Wei (魏如萱), Jia Jia (家家) and Jess Lee (李佳薇)
I Want Music Festival (銀河音樂聚)
WHEN: Today and tomorrow from 4pm to 9:30pm
WHERE: Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Plaza (信義香堤大道廣場), at the plaza between A8 and A11 buildings, Taipei City
Today’s lineup
Four Pens (四枝筆): 4pm to 4:40pm
REID: 4:40pm to 5:20pm
Dream Toy (夢托翼): 5:20pm to 6pm
4X4 (4X4樂團): 6pm to 6:40pm
French Cheese (法式綺思): 6:40pm to 7:20pm
The Traveler (迷途者): 7:20pm to 8pm
Hsieh Yu-wei (謝宇威): 8pm to 9:00pm
Tomorrow’s lineup
Ground Zero (放射空間): 4pm to 4:40pm
Double Cheese (大波起士): 4:40pm to 5:20pm
Jesus Fashion: 5:20pm to 6pm
The Fan (奮樂團): 6pm to 6:40pm
DFM Jazz Club: 6:40pm to 7:20pm
Singinglynn Lee (李昀陵): 7:20pm to 8pm
Ten Realms (十界集樂坊): 8pm to 8:40pm
Under The Moon: 8:40pm to 9:20pm
Songwriters’ Fulfillment Project (創作人圓夢計畫)
WHEN: Aug. 31, Sept. 7 and Sept. 21, from 1pm to 4pm
WHERE: Songshan Cultural and Creative Park Outdoor Plaza (松山文創園區戶外場地-文創大街), 133, Guangfu South Rd, Taipei City (台北市光復南路133號)
Pop Music Sharing Session
(流行音樂分享會)
WHEN: Oct. 5 and Oct. 12 from 1pm to 5pm
WHERE: Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Creative Building, 6F, (松山文創園區臺北文創大樓-6F多功能廳), 133, Guangfu South Rd, Taipei City (台北市光復南路133號)
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