For the first time in 19 years, there won’t be an Urban Nomad Film Festival due to COVID-19. But the event’s signature genre-bending Freakout Music Festival is still on — although arriving almost six months late — this time packed into a one-day, 15-hour multi-stage music marathon at the usual spot in Tiger Mountain.
(Full disclosure: this reporter is playing in the festival with the band All My Boyfriendz.)
Organizer David Frazier debated what to do in these dark times, despite Taiwan being relatively safe and one of the few places in the world where events can still go on as usual. Ultimately, the crew decided that they were going to fight for the right to party.
Photo courtesy of Urban Nomad Film Festival
“The Taiwanese government has it figured out, and as long as we obey the rules, people will generally be happier and healthier if they have their fun and social outlets,” he says.
With 15 booked “god-almighty amazing” foreign acts out of over 40 performers, the festival was originally set to be the most international edition ever — but now it’s a completely local affair that aims to be “as fun as possible,” Frazier says. What sets the event apart from other festivals is the diversity and expected weirdness of the acts: one just has to be curious what “experimental electro-clown music” sounds like.
Frazier calls the main stage the “happy” stage, with five out of six bands featuring horn sections. High-octane bands like Skaraoke and Higher Rootz are sure to get the crowd moving frenetically. The temple stage will feature a rocking mix of punk, shoegaze, urban folk, surf rock and prog rock until 10pm, when hip-hop, soul and funk acts take over and keep the party going until the wee hours.
Photo courtesy of Urban Nomad Film Festival
At the jungle stage, DJs such as Vicar and Yo Hey Li will be spinning vinyls before it culminates in an all-night reggae and techno blowout. Frazier will be performing at the festival for the first time as DJ Bootleg Oh Yeah, flaunting his collection of bootleg Taiwanese records from the 70s and 80s, a throwback to a time where there were no intellectual property laws and record companies put out compilations of Billboard and other Western party hits. The circus stage will offer acrobats, fire dancers and other acts, and of course there will be food (vegan options available), beer, crafts and a hair salon.
Frazier hopes to bring the film festival back next year for its 20th anniversary.
Photo courtesy of Urban Nomad Film Festival
Photo courtesy of Urban Nomad Film Festival
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