Event
Award-winning and internationally-acclaimed Australian author John Marsden will give a talk at Taipei’s National Central Library on Sunday at 2pm. “Australia’s king of young adult fiction,” Marsden has written more than 40 books with five million copies sold internationally. He is possibly best known for the Tomorrow series, now a major motion picture, and has also written books on the craft of writing, manhood and parenting.
■ National Central Library, International Conference Hall (國家圖書館 — 國際會議廳), 3F, 20 Chungshan S Rd, Taipei (台北市中山南路20號3樓)
Photo courtesy of Sherry Cheng
■ Sunday at 2pm (doors open at 1:30pm). The talk is in English. Admission is free, but attendees must register in advance at: activity.ncl.edu.tw
An event will be held tomorrow behind the children’s playground in Da-an Park to raise awareness for Ankylosing Spondylitis, a type of progressive arthritis due to chronic inflammation of the joints and spine that eventually fuses the spine. There will be plenty of space for a picnic, frisbee, food and croquet.
■ Da-an Forest Park (大安森林公園), behind children’s playground on the corner of Xinyi Rd (信義路) and Jianguo S Road (建國南路), Taipei City
Photo courtesy of Duda Deportiva
■ Tomorrow at 2pm. On the Net: www.facebook.com/events/ 1886377794976227/
A number of people will be hiking up Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail (象山步道) on Sunday at the crack of dawn to raise awareness of mental health issues and suicide in Taiwan. Participants will meet at the base of the trail at 4:30am and the hike will last about two hours, after which those who want can join the group for breakfast at a nearby restaurant.
■ 4am on Sunday at Elephant Mountain Hiking Trail (象山步道). Admission is free. For more information, check: www.facebook.com/events/790825141050308
Photo courtesy of The Reggae Riddims
Contemporary
Alternative rock outfit Frande (法蘭黛樂團) performs tonight at Legacy Taipei, a venue that hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts.
■ 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$1,000. Tickets available through www.indievox.com and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Electro duo Trance Zone Family (勸世宗親會) and TonyBand are on the roster tonight at The Wall (這牆), a prominent Taipei venue for indie rock artists. Rapper and hip hop artist Ty. will perform on Sunday. It’s a night of house and techno tonight at Korner, a venue located inside The Wall, with Kavan Spruyt, Pual Trafford, Yun, Debbie Chia, Umbra and others. Tomorrow, both The Wall and Korner will host Organik 2017 After Party, with techno and house by Germany’s Barker&Baumecker, Sweden’s Dorisburg and Kalawila and Barker from the UK set to perform at The Wall, while Korner will host Diskonnected, Al Burro, Jon Du and Germany’s Dennis Lee, among others.
■ 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
■ The Wall shows start tonight at 7pm and Sunday at 7:30pm; Korner shows begin at 11:50pm as does the Organik 2017 After Party
■ The Wall tickets cost NT$500 tonight and NT$800 on Sunday; Korner tickets are NT$200 tonight; Organik tickets are NT$650, available through thewall.tw
Japanese musician Masaki Toraiwa will perform tomorrow at FUZZ Art Space, a performance and art space in New Taipei City. Tonyband will offer support.
■ B1, 199 Zhongshan Rd, Sec 2, New Taipei City (新北市板橋區中山路二段99號B1)
■ Show starts tomorrow at 1pm
■ Tickets are NT$300 at the door
Young Mando-pop talent Sherry Cheng (鄭雙雙) will perform tomorrow at APA Mini (小地方展演空間). On Sunday it is the album release party of Hispanic-Taiwanese pop band Duda Deportiva. Shoegaze, noise pop and dream pop group Dull and Sulk (杜爾與索克) is also on the bill.
■ 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
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$550 tomorrow and NT$350 on Sunday, available through www.indievox.com
House, indie and dance are on the menu tonight at indie rock club Revolver, with Sub, Chaaao, Tecknit, Nova and others set to take the stage. There are two parties tomorrow. The first, beginning at 7:30pm, features metal, grindrock, punk and stone with Vagabond, Ashen, Mutation (突變異種), Bazooka and Head Composer (頭部組成者). Electro and alternative are on the menu for the second party, which begins at 11:30pm, with Ruby Fatale (鹿比—吠陀), Sonic Deadhorse (音速死馬) and Duanger (杜蟲). UGU, TuT and Xing Li Band will perform indie rock and dream pop on Sunday.
■ 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
■ Shows start tonight at 7pm, tomorrow at 7:30pm and 11:30pm and Sunday at 8pm
■ Admission is NT$300 tonight, NT$600 tomorrow at 7:30pm and NT$200 for 11:30pm and NT$300 on Sunday
Beatles tribute band BeeToast will perform 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
Infancy (隱分子), a band that blends jazz, classical with rock ‘n’ roll, will perform tonight at Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area. Singer and guitarist Chang Chieh-ju (張婕汝) is also on the bill. Hakka folk musician Hsieh Yu-wei (謝宇威) will perform 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.
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$350
Folk musician Kuo Ming-lung (郭明龍) will take the stage tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow it is mandopop singer Macy (玫熹). Guitarist Chang Yi-hsiung (張壹翔) and rock group Crockers (鱷魚樂團) will play 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 tonight and tomorrow at 9pm and Sunday at 9:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight, NT$500 tomorrow and NT$350 on Sunday, available through www.indievox.com and tickets.books.com.tw
The Reggae Riddims is a four-piece ska and reggae ensemble that covers the entire gamut of the genres, including classic reggae and ska songs to the acid reggae and chill-out grooves. They will perform tonight at Sappho Live, a late-night lounge bar that hosts mostly jazz shows. J’s Electric Band plays tomorrow. The Niccolini-Dashti Duo, comprised of pianist Oren Dashti and Damiano Niccolini on sax, will perform 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$300 on Wednesday
Classical
The Arts of Play & Lead is a performance tonight at Taipei’s National Concert Hall and tomorrow at the Hsinchu Municipal Performance Hall German-born Kolja Blacher returns to Taipei to conduct the National Symphony Orchestra and to perform the solo role in Johannes Brahm’s Violin Concerto, Op. 77, D major. The program also includes Ludwig von Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, Op. 60, B-flat major and Benjamin Britten’s Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City and tomorrow at Hsinchu Municipal Performance Hall (新竹市文化局演藝廳), 16, Dongda Rd Sec 2, Hsinchu City (新竹市東大路二段17號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Taipei Chamber Singers is a concert hosted by the National Theater Concert Hall tomorrow at Taipei’s National Concert Hall that celebrates Taiwan’s cultural diversity by performing Taiwanese, Hakka and aboriginal folksongs, as well as a few from abroad.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$400 (NT$500 to NT$1,600 tickets are sold out), available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Haydn & Elgar is a performance on Sunday at Taipei’s National Concert Hall. English conductor Paul McCreesh will lead Croatian mezzo-soprano Renata Pokupic and the Taipei Symphony Orchestra in a program that includes Joseph Haydn’s Scena di Berenice for Soprano and Orchestra, Edward Elgar’s Symphony No.2 in E-flat Major, Op.63 and Idomeneo: Ballet Music, KV.367 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Sunday at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will give a one-off performance on Wednesday at Taipei’s National Concert Hall. The program includes Richard Strauss’ Sextet for Strings from Capriccio, Op. 85, Antonin Dvorak’s Quintet in A major for Piano, Two Violins, Viola, and Cello, B. 155, Op. 81, Johannes Brahms’ Trio in C Major for Piano, Violin, and Cello, Op. 87, III. Scherzo: Presto and two works by Felix Mendelssohn: Andante and Scherzo for String Quartet, Op. 81 and Octet in E-flat major for Strings, Op. 20.
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Wednesday at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$600 and NT$800 (NT$1,600 to NT$6,200 are sold out), available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Theater & Dance
The Night Side of Life by EX-Theatre Asia (EX-亞洲劇團) continues this weekend at Taipei’s Experimental Theater. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning documentary The Emperor of All Maladies, the play examines a woman’s struggles with cancer.
■ National Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and her company Rosas will visit Taiwan for the third time, presenting two emblematic choreographies at Taipei’s National Theater. Vortex Temporum (2013) features seven dancers who share the stage with seven musicians from the Belgian music ensemble Ictus, and will be performed on Thursday. Fase (1982), De Keersmaeker’s first creation, is based on four pieces of music composed by Steve Reich, and features female dancers wearing simple outfits, engage in simple dance phrases based on elemental movements like turning and jumping. It will be performed on May 13.
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Thursday and May 13 at 7:30pm. The only tickets left are in the NT$700 and NT$900 price range, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Resident Island Dance Theatre (滯留島舞蹈劇場) will give three performances of Lost in Grey, founder and choreographer Chang Chung-an’s (張忠安) latest work at Huashan 1914 Creative Park as part of the seven-year-old troupe’s national tour.
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), East Hall 3 (Umay Theater (東3館 烏梅劇院), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Saturday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$350, available through NTCH ticketing, online at www.artsticket.com.tw or at the door.
Upcoming
Pop singer Britney Spears will give her first performance in Taiwan on June 13 at Taipei’s Nangang Exhibition Center. Tickets will come available on May 13.
■ Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei City
■ June 13 at 8pm. Tickets are NT$1,680 to NT$7,680, available throught 7-Eleven kosks
Japan is celebrated for its exceptional levels of customer service. But the behavior of a growing number of customers and clients leaves a lot to be desired. The rise of the abusive consumer has prompted authorities in Tokyo to introduce the country’s first ordinance — a locally approved regulation — to protect service industry staff from kasuhara — the Japanese abbreviated form of “customer harassment.” While the Tokyo ordinance, which will go into effect in April, does not carry penalties, experts hope the move will highlight a growing social problem and, perhaps, encourage people to think twice before taking out their frustrations
Oct. 14 to Oct. 20 After working above ground for two years, Chang Kui (張桂) entered the Yamamoto coal mine for the first time, age 16. It was 1943, and because many men had joined the war effort, an increasing number of women went underground to take over the physically grueling and dangerous work. “As soon as the carts arrived, I climbed on for the sake of earning money; I didn’t even feel scared,” Chang tells her granddaughter Tai Po-fen (戴伯芬) in The last female miner: The story of Chang Kui (末代女礦工: 張桂故事), which can be found on the Frontline
There is perhaps no better way to soak up the last of Taipei’s balmy evenings than dining al fresco at La Piada with a sundowner Aperol Spritz and a luxuriant plate of charcuterie. La Piada (義式薄餅) is the brainchild of Milano native William Di Nardo. Tucked into an unassuming apartment complex, fairy lights and wining diners lead the way to this charming slice of laid-back Mediterranean deli culture. Taipei is entirely saturated with Italian cuisine, but La Piada offers something otherwise unseen on the island. Piadina Romagnola: a northern Italian street food classic. These handheld flatbreads are stuffed with cold
President William Lai’s (賴清德) National Day speech was exactly what most of us expected. It was pleasant, full of keywords like “resilience” and “net zero” and lacked any trolling of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Of course the word “Taiwan” popped up often, and Lai reiterated the longtime claim of his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), a claim that now dates back 30 years on the pro-Taiwan side. But it was gentle. Indeed, it was possible to see the speech as conciliatory, leaving room for the PRC to make a gesture. That may have been one of its purposes: if
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