Event
Urban Nomad Film Fest co-founder and program director David Frazier will speak at a town hall on Sunday at Not Just a Library, inside Taipei’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, where he will discuss the film festival’s future direction. Taipei Filmmaker Nights invites the public to offer ideas and feedback as to how the festival can better serve Taiwan’s filmmaking community, particularly international filmmakers living in Taiwan. Frazier will also touch on the festival’s background, needs, goals and programs. The event will kick off with a 30-minute film screening followed by the talk and rounded out with snacks and beer. Founded in 2002, the Urban Nomad Film Fest is one of Taiwan’s top film festivals and is the only festival that is independent of government support. It hosts about 10,000 visitors per year to screenings, parties, panels and other events.
■ Not Just a Library, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (松山文化園區), 2F 133 Guangfu S Rd, Taipei City (台北市光復南路133號2F)
Photo courtesy of Learners
■ Admission is free. Sunday from 7pm to 9:30pm
Contemporary
Post-rock combo Constant & Change (康士坦的變化球) will perform tonight at Legacy Taipei, a venue that hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Wednesday’s concert by alt-rock chanteuse Faith Yang (楊乃文) is sold out.
Photo courtesy of The November
■ 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).
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$800, available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Blues/country/grunge outfit Anteater (食蟻獸) and four-person punk group Cheap Chill (起秋樂團) take the stage tonight at The Wall (這牆), a prominent Taipei venue for indie rock artists. Tomorrow, Japan’s four-piece alternative rockers, The November, will perform tunes from their sixth album Hallelujah. On Sunday, two-piece Japanese alt band Honey L Days will take the stage. It is a night of club music tonight at Korner, a club located inside The Wall, as Denmark’s Troels Knudsen lays down his “fast-paced and futuristic style” music. Katrina, Yunn, Sam Thomas and others will provide support. Dubstep, bass, dub and house are on the menu tomorrow with @allenblow, Synaptic FX, Toska and Goth-Trad performing.
■ 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: thewall.tw
■ Shows start at The Wall tonight and tomorrow at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm; Korner shows begin at 11:50pm
■ Tickets for The Wall cost NT$350 tonight, NT$1,400 tomorrow and NT$1,800 on Sunday; Korner tickets are NT$500 tonight and NT$550 tomorrow, available through thewall.tw
Acoustic folk duo Crispy (脆樂團) play tonight at APA Mini (小地方展演空間). Tomorrow it is the Rockability Invasion with Sugar Lady (蜜糖女郎) and Fullhouse, and Japan’s Learners and The Neatbeats are also scheduled to play.
■ B1,147, Hangzhou S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市杭州南路一段147號B1), tel: (02) 2327-8658. On the Net: www.facebook.com/apamini
■ Show starts tonight at 8:30pm and tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ Admission is NT$500 tonight and NT$1,000 tomorrow, available through www.indievox.com
It is a night of ACG dance music tonight at indie rock club Revolver, as Tomi, Troubl3 P and Persona and Peryo B2B take the stage. There are two parties tomorrow. The first, at 6:40pm, brings together punk rockers SADOG and Lee Chi-ming (李奇明), better known as Ah-Chang (阿強) from garage rock favorites 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽). Special guests Mountain will be in town from South Korea. Hip hop, jazz and soul make up the genres for the second bash, with Meuko Meuko, Tara Lin and Dj Timing, among others, to take the stage. Rockabilly and pop rock is on the menu Sunday with Japan’s Koncos, Learners and The Neatbeats.
■ 1-2, Roosevelt Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路一段1-2號), tel: (02) 3393-1678. On the Net: www.facebook.com/revolver.taipei
■ Show starts tonight at 11:30pm, tomorrow at 6:40pm and 11pm and Sunday at 3:30pm
■ Admission is NT$300 tonight, NT$300 tomorrow at 6:40pm and NT$400 tomorrow at 11pm and NT$800 on Sunday
Balkazar will have you shaking your bones to their version of Balkan music with a twist of funk, tomorrow at Bobwundaye (無問題), a small pub in Taipei.
■ 77, Heping E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市和平東路三段77號), tel: (02) 2377-1772
■ Shows start at 10pm
■ Admission is NT$300
Singer-songwriter Lee Ruo-han (李若涵) performs tonight at Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area. Folk rocker Cliff (克里夫, real name Huang Ke-wei 黃科維) and psychedelic folk act Spell Lee (李漫) take the stage tomorrow.
■ 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$350
Pop rocker Ardor Huang (流氓阿德) plays tomorrow at Kafka by the Sea (海邊的卡夫卡), a coffee house-cum-music and arts venue.
■ 2F, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷2號2樓). On the Net: www.kafkabythe.blogspot.tw
■ Show starts at 8pm. Cafe/bookstore opens noon to midnight Sundays through Thursdays, noon to 2am Fridays and Saturdays
■ Admission is NT$400, available online through www.indievox.com
Riverside Live House (河岸留言西門紅樓展演館) will hold two performances on Sunday. The first, at 2pm, will see H.T.J. (H.T.J.樂團) offering up some rhythm and blues. At 8pm, Mandopop singer Lockon Lee (李冠群) will hold a concert with special guests, including blind actor Chang Che-jui (張哲瑞) and crooner Wisi (微希).
■ 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 on Sunday at 2pm and 8pm
■ Admission is NT$600 for the 2pm performance and NT$500 for the 8pm performance, available online through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Mandarin-crooning expat rockers Transition (前進樂團), rock/rap act Rock ‘N’ Rap (凍頂樂團) and Wang zi Men (王子MEN樂團) perform tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Atayal musician Amuyi takes the stage tomorrow. On Sunday, Amis noise folk artists Outlet Drift (漂流出口) and Marionette’s Danced (舞人舞屍) will perform. On Wednesday, it is metalcore scream group Break one’s all (衝擊人生) with Starred City (微光城市) also on the bill.
■ 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
■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$350 on Sunday and Wednesday, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
Singaporean jazz group The Ark Royal will perform songs from their new Mandarin jazz album, Marco Lopo, tonight at Sappho Live, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows. Brian Chiu & the Soy Beats play funk, soul and jazz, from Herbie Hancock to Marvin Gaye, tomorrow. They will be joined by special guest saxophonist Derek Brown. The Tone-Sound Piano Trio will play jazz standards on Wednesday.
■ 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.sappholive.com
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, and NT$350 on Wednesday
Garage/shoegaze act Skip Skip Ben Ben and math rock band Elephant Gym (大象體操) take the stage tonight at There Cafe & Live House (那兒咖啡), a venue for indie music in Taoyuan.
■ B1, 454, Fuxing Rd, Taoyuan City (桃園市復興路454號B1), tel: (03) 339-8819.
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$500, available online through tickets.books.com.tw and www.indievox.com
Indie electronica ensemble moRning cAll (輕晨電) performs tomorrow at Legacy Taichung, a spin-off of Legacy Taipei. Four-piece rockers Pacers (步行者) take the stage on Sunday.
■ 117, Anhe Rd, Taichung City (台中市安和路117號), tel: (04) 2359-8780. On the Net: www.legacy.com.tw/taichung.
■ Show starts tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 7pm
■ Admission is NT$750 tomorrow and NT$700 on Sunday, available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Singapore’s Dawn Wong & The Ark Royal (黃川美+阿客號) presents original Mandarin jazz music that blends jazz harmonies with pop, folk, rock and classical influences tomorrow at Forro Cafe (呼嚕咖啡) in Taichung.
■ 47, Jingcheng 3rd St, Taichung City (台中市精誠三街47號), tel: (04) 2310-1661. On the Net: forrocafe.blogspot.tw
■ Show starts at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$400, available through www.indievox.com
French musician OBu will perform his version of jazz, hip hop, rock and ambient music tomorrow at The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung. Madzine is also on the bill.
■ 46 Liwen Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市立文路46號), tel: (07) 550-8617.
■ Show starts at 7:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$250, available at www.indievox.com
Rockers Uncles&Lady (大叔與淑女)perform tonight at Sound Live House (迴響音樂藝文展演空間), an independent venue for music performances and art exhibitions in Taichung. Tomorrow it’s Burning Beak and Liberation Zoo (解放動物園). Street musician Yan Fan (嚴梵) and Pop Cans (易開罐樂團) perform on Sunday.
■ B1-1, 429, Henan Rd Sec 2, Greater Taichung (台中市河南路二段429號B1-1), tel: (04) 2451-1989. On the Net: soundlivehouse.msmusic.com.tw
■ Show starts tonight and Sunday at 7:30pm and 7pm tomorrow
■ Admission is NT$350 tonight and NT$300 tomorrow and Sunday, available through www.walkieticket.com and www.indievox.com
Dance rock group P!SCO will take the stage on Sunday at Paramount Bar (百樂門酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, with Japan’s Who the Bitch also on the bill.
■ 70 Minzu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市三民區民族一路70號), tel: (07) 389-0501
■ Show starts at 6pm
■ Entrance is NT$700, available through www.indievox.com
Jazz flutist Lorenzo Colocci will perform tonight at The Goat Restaurant & Bar (山羊飯館), a music venue and restaurant in Pingtung. Tomorrow it is punk/emo group RCM (激進主義).
■ 23-2 Hengnan Rd, Hengchun Township, Pingtung County (屏東縣恆春鎮恆南路23-2號), tel: (08) 888-0183
■ Shows start at 8:30pm
■ Admission is NT$200, available through www.indievox.com
Matzka, an Aboriginal four-piece from Taitung with reggae-influenced grooves, performs tonight at Tiehua Music Village (鐵花村), an arts village in Taitung City. Tomorrow’s show is by folk act Lee Te-yun (李德筠).
■ 26, Ln 135, Sinsheng Rd, Taitung City (台東市新生路135巷26號), tel: (089) 343-393. On the Net: www.tiehua.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8pm. Music venue and crafts shops are open 2pm to 10pm Tuesdays through Sundays
■ Entrance is NT$120, available at tickets.books.com.tw
Classical
American teenage voice sensation Lexi Walker will give a Christmas performance tonight at Taipei’s National Concert Hall, where she will perform Christmas classics such as Jingle Bells, Oh Holy Night, A Merry Christmas To Me as well her YouTube-famous rendition of Let it Go. The performance, featuring the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra under conductor Yang Chi-chin (楊智欽), also features Leroy Anderson: A Christmas Festival, White Christmas and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tonight at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$1,200 (NT$800, NT$1,600 to NT$3,200 tickets are sold out)
Paris Reflections is the title of a piano recital given tonight at Taipei’s National Recital Hall by Lin Wei-chi (林瑋祺). The program includes Cesar Franck’s Prelude, Choral et Fugue, two pieces from Nocturne or Impromptu by Gabriel Faure and Franz Liszt’s Faust Waltz (Waltz on themes of Gounod’s Faust).
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tonight at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$300 to NT$800
Taiwan Meets Greece is a concert tomorrow at Taipei’s National Recital Hall, in a musical dialogue between Greek violinist Dimitris Karakantas and pianist Lu Yi-chih (盧易之). The program includes Philipos Tsalahouris’ Sonata No.1 for Violin and Piano, Jannis Constantinides’ Suite Dodecanaise for violin and piano, Ma Shui-long’s (馬水龍 ) Dialog for Violin and Piano Violin and works from Tyzen Hsiao (蕭泰然).
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tomorrow at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,000
The Taipei Flute Festival I is a concert on Monday at Taipei’s National Concert Hall with Patrick Gallois as principal flutist, Kazunori Seo on piano and Lee I-che (李怡徹) on flute. The program includes movements from Hector Berlioz’ L’enfance du Christ (The Childhood of Christ) for two flutes and piano, Claude Debussy’s Prelude a l’apres-midi d’un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) and Olivier Messiaen’s Le merle noir (The Blackbird).
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Monday at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$500 to NT$5,000
In 2020, a labor attache from the Philippines in Taipei sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanding that a Filipina worker accused of “cyber-libel” against then-president Rodrigo Duterte be deported. A press release from the Philippines office from the attache accused the woman of “using several social media accounts” to “discredit and malign the President and destabilize the government.” The attache also claimed that the woman had broken Taiwan’s laws. The government responded that she had broken no laws, and that all foreign workers were treated the same as Taiwan citizens and that “their rights are protected,
A white horse stark against a black beach. A family pushes a car through floodwaters in Chiayi County. People play on a beach in Pingtung County, as a nuclear power plant looms in the background. These are just some of the powerful images on display as part of Shen Chao-liang’s (沈昭良) Drifting (Overture) exhibition, currently on display at AKI Gallery in Taipei. For the first time in Shen’s decorated career, his photography seeks to speak to broader, multi-layered issues within the fabric of Taiwanese society. The photographs look towards history, national identity, ecological changes and more to create a collection of images
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