Highlight
The Mercedes Amateur Jazz Competition takes place at Taipei American School this Sunday afternoon. Six Taiwanese groups will compete in the event, with onstage critiques given by Gene Aitken, a renowned jazz teacher and recipient of the 2007 Jazz Educator of the Year Award from the American jazz magazine Down Beat.
The event will be presented by ICRT Morning Show hosts Bill Thissen and Rick Monday, who has billed the event as a search for the “next Wang Chien-ming (王建民) of jazz.”
The groups competing in this Sunday’s event were selected by several jazz professionals in Taiwan: Tung Shuen-wen (董舜文), a saxophonist for Rich Huang Jazz Band (黃瑞豐爵士樂團), and veteran jazz guitarist Geddy Lin (林正如), who also runs the Riverside Music Cafe in Taipei.
The Taipei American School jazz band will give a non-competition performance.
▲Mercedes-Benz Amateur Jazz Competition, hosted by the ICRT Morning Show with Rick Monday and Bill Thissen
▲Sunday, from 1:30pm to 6pm
▲Taipei American School, 800, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 6, Taipei City (台北市中山北路六段 800號)
▲Admission is Free
Theater
A mad scientist threatens to launch nuclear missiles against China to ensure Taiwan’s independence in The Party Theater Group’s (同黨劇團) newest play The Sky Crisis (飛天行動). Live comic projections accompany the onstage action. In the play, two actors together play six characters who lend a comic tilt to the weighty political subject.
Guling Street Theater (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
Today, tomorrow and Sunday at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
Tickets are NT$400, available through NTCH ticketing
Blessed with a beautiful singing voice, a country girl moves to the city in search of her dreams in Lil’ Flora (小花) by If Kid’s Theater (如果兒童劇團). While working at a flower shop, Flora is “discovered” by a music industry executive who encourages her to be the ghost singer for an untalented but beautiful star. After accepting the offer, Flora finds it increasingly galling that the person receiving all the accolades is less talented than herself — a reality that gradually alters her idealistic personality.
▲Novel Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
▲Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 10:30am and 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,000, available through NTCH ticketing
Godot Theater Company (果陀劇場) returns to the stage with its adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello. The cast includes Lee Li-chun (李立群) and Chin Shih-chieh (金士傑), two of Taiwan’s most accomplished stage performers, who perform from a script that attempts but largely fails to translate the Shakespearean English of the original text into vernacular Chinese. The play features crude stereotypes of Iago and Othello.
▲Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
▲Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$1,000 to NT$4,000, available through NTCH ticketing
Tellus Theater continues its tradition of adapting classical Western theater to the local stage with Euripides’ Medea, the story of a woman who takes revenge on her perfidious husband. The production is in English.
▲Lien Te Vegetarian Restaurant (蓮德品素天地), B1, 82 Ningpo W St, Taipei City (台北市寧波西街82號B1)
▲Tomorrow at 3pm and 7pm and Sunday at 3pm
▲Tickets are NT$350, available through NTCH ticketing
Classical music
Chen Chung-shen Hsiao Recital (簫聲震武林─陳中申簫獨奏會) sees Chen Chung-shen (陳中申), a specialist in the Chinese bamboo vertical flute, known as the hsiao (簫), perform a program of pieces by modern Chinese composers, including five of his own compositions. He performs with the Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra (小巨人絲竹樂團) under conductor Chen Chih-sheng (陳志昇).
▲Today at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing
2008 Young Stars of Chamber Music — Chia-yuan Liang Harp Chamber Music (樂壇新秀室內樂─梁嘉芫豎琴室內樂) brings the talented local harpist, a Julliard graduate who is currently studying in Germany on a Fulbright Scholarship, to Taipei for a performance of a program that includes Scarlatti’s Sonata in A Major and Sonata in E Major and Hsu Chia-yu’s (許家毓) Taiwanese Folk Songs for Violin and Harp (台灣民謠).
▲Tomorrow at 7:30pm
▲National Recital Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$400 to NT$600, available through NTCH ticketing
The Baroque and Now (巴洛克與現代), features the Hotshot Cello Choir (名加大提琴合奏團), which returns to the performance circuit with a program that includes Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.6 BWV1015, Vivaldi’s Concerto Grosso Op.3, Michael Kibbe’s Dark Moon Op.135, Isaac Albeniz’s 3 Stucke fur vier Violoncelli and Mariano Mores’ Drei Argentinische tangos.
▲Tomorrow at 7:30pm
▲National Taichung Library Chunghsing Concert Hall (台中中興堂), 291-3 Jingwu Rd, Taichung City (台中市精武路291之3號)
▲Tickets are NT$200 to NT$500, available through ERA ticketing
Joel Fan and the Academy of Taiwan Strings — Musical Record of a Floating Life (台灣絃樂團2008中興保全音樂會—浮生樂記 ) brings Joel Fan, the New York-based pianist renowned for his collaboration with Yo-yo Ma (馬友友) and the Silk Road Project, to Taipei to perform with the Academy of Taiwan Strings (台灣絃樂團). He performs a program that includes Telemann’s ”Don Quixote” Suite, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1 in E Minor, Op.11 and Tchaikovsky’s String Sextet in D Minor, Op.70 “Souvenir de Florence.”
▲Monday at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$400, available through ERA ticketing
Film
The Urban Nomad Film Program at the 2008 Taipei Biennial, which runs until Oct 18, continues tomorrow night with The Campaign, a Japanese documentary about a local city council election and the old boy club mentality that prevails in Japanese politics.
▲Taipei Brewery (台北啤酒文化園區), also known as the Taipei Beer Factory, 85, Bade Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市八德路二段85號)
▲Starts at 7:30pm
▲Free admission
Contemporary
Dafu Jazz Trio takes to the stage tonight at Sappho de Base, Taipei’s favorite late-night venue for impromptu jazz sessions. Tomorrow night is rockin’ electric blues from BoPoMoFo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). On Tuesday night, the Grace Jazz Trio plays a set, with an open jam afterwards.
▲B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1). Call (02) 2700-5411 (after 9pm) or visit www.sappho102.biz for more information
▲Performances begin at 10:30pm on weekends, 10pm on weekdays
▲No entrance fee
Tonight at The Wall (這牆), a repeat live performance of the first annual “Olympick” Games with Natural Q (自然捲), whose sound includes vocals, acoustic guitar, violin and hand drums, and another acoustic duo, Lao Die (老爹). Alternative folk-rocker Deserts Chang (張懸) and her band appear tomorrow night. Sunday features metal bands EFTC, Desecration, Nevermore and Hekate.
▲B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Call (02) 2930-0162 or log on at www.the-wall.com.tw for more information
▲8pm tonight and tomorrow; 7:30pm on Sunday
▲NT$450 tonight and tomorrow; NT$350 on Sunday
Appearing at Underworld(地下社會) tonight is Celluloid (賽璐璐), an offshoot of the hugely popular all female ex-combo Ladybug (瓢蟲). Tomorrow features post-rock band Mosquilephant (蚊子大象) and indie duo La Petite Nurse (小護士樂團).
▲B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369-0103 or visit www.upsaid.com/underworld for more information
▲Live shows go from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The bar is open from 8pm daily, closed Mondays
▲Entrance tonight and tomorrow is NT$300 and includes one drink
Wenhui and Friends (雯慧與朋友們) play jazz music with vocal accompaniment tomorrow night at Witch House (女巫店). Chinese jazz fusion band Sizhukong (絲竹空) appears tomorrow night, and next Thursday features Amis folk-rock musician Chalaw and his band Passiwali (巴西瓦里).
▲7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). For more information, call (02) 2362-5494 or visit www.witchhouse.org
▲Performances 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
▲NT$300 entrance includes one drink
Upcoming
The Taipei County Shihmen International Kite Festival (台北縣石門國際風箏節) is not just a chance for groups like the Stunt Kites Association (中華風箏特技推廣協會) to show off their chops, but also a magnificent display of traditional kite-making culture from around the world and advance kite-making technology. Tomorrow and Sunday, kite enthusiasts, including competitive kite-flying teams from Australia, the UK, the US, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia will congregate at the seaside town of Shihmen for displays of kite flying, kite-making classes, fireworks displays and the international competition. Free shuttle buses run from the Hongshulin (紅樹林)
MRT Station on both days of the event (the Shihmen-bound service runs from noon to 8pm on Saturday and 9am to 5pm on Sunday; the Hongshulin-bound service runs from 1pm to 9pm on Saturday and 10am to 7pm on Sunday). Detailed information can be found at the festival Web site at www.shih-men.com
Tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) there’s funk, rock and jazz with Yellow Funky Stuff, featuring Japanese guitarist Eiji Kadota and drummer Toshi Fujii. Taiwanese folk songstress Jasmine (庭竹) appears tomorrow night, followed by a set from Aboriginal folk singer Panai (巴奈), who enjoys a following for her rich voice and intimate acoustic style. On Sunday, the Wen Rhythm Jazz Band takes to the stage.
▲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). Call (02) 2368-7310 or visit www.riverside.com.tw for more information
▲Shows start at 9:30pm tonight and 9pm tomorrow; 5pm and 9pm on Sunday
▲NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, and NT$350 on Sunday; admission includes one drink
This weekend, VU Live House hosts two sets tonight and tomorrow. Tonight starts off with a trio of punk and indie pop groups: Abandoned Machines (留聲機工廠), The Same Day and Sen (仙樂隊). Later on, there’s reggae, dub and ska with High Tide, funk rockers Coach (教練樂團) and Ting from New Zealand. Early tomorrow, it’s Human Brutality, Chant the Dirge and Maelstrom. Afterwards, Pan Africana, a drum ensemble of African and Caribbean expats, takes to the stage.
▲B1, 77 Wuchang St, Taipei City
(台北市武昌街二段77號B1). Call (02) 2314-1868 for more information
▲First sets start at 7:30pm; second sets at 10pm
▲NT$400 per set tonight and tomorrow; entry for the first set includes one drink while admission for the second set includes two drinks
Tonight at Tone 56 Live Bar, a new restaurant near the corner of Fuxing North and Minquan East roads, is the Rubber Band, which plays rock, pop and dance music every Friday. Tomorrow it’s house band Loaded, which plays everything from “rock classics to today’s hits.” Every Sunday features a regular rotation of groups, and this week it’s blues and reggae from Revue Band.
▲1F, 56, Minquan E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市民權東路三段56號1樓), near the corner of Fuxing North Road (復興北路) and Minquan East Road (民權東路). Call (02) 2517-3869 for more information
▲Music shows go from 9:30pm to 12:30pm tonight and tomorrow, and 7:30pm to 9:30pm on Sundays
▲No entrance fee
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill there’s a blues open mic, held by the Blues Society on Taiwan and hosted by Torch Pratt. All are welcome to bring their instruments and sit in on guitar, bass or drums.
▲1F, 218 Changchun Rd, Taipei City (台北市長春路218號1樓). Call (02) 2508-0304 or visit www.cosmo.com.tw for more information
▲8pm to 11pm every Wednesday
▲Free admission
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre (雲門舞集) will broadcast its Tuesday night’s performance of Moon Water, featuring acclaimed Russian cellist Mischa Maisky, live on giant screens set up in the plaza between the National Theater and Concert Hall. Tickets to the five performance run of Moon Water at the National Theater, which begins tonight, sold out in early August, but the company said it was flooded with e-mail and phone requests from disappointed fans seeking additional shows for Lin Hwai-min’s (林懷民) 1998 masterpiece. Since it couldn’t squeeze in more shows, the company decided to simulcast the final performance. Lin used Maisky’s recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Six Suites for Solo Cello for the production, but this revival is the first time Maisky will have performed with the company.
▲Main plaza of the National Theater and Concert Hall
▲Tuesday at 7:30pm
▲Free
Exhibition
Chu Te-chun 88 Retrospective (朱德群88回顧展). Born in China and well regarded in France, the painter is noted for his artistic vocabulary that combines traditional Chinese aesthetics and Western abstractionism. In celebration of Chu’s 88th birthday, the exhibition comprehensively reviews the painter’s career, ranging from his early realistic works of the 1950s to his abstract oil paintings, ink-washes and calligraphic works.
▲National Museum of History (國立歷史博物館), 49 Nanhai Rd, Taipei City (台北市南海路49號). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Tel: (02) 2361-0270
▲Until Nov. 23
Vietnamese Contemporary Art (越南當代知名藝術家油畫聯展). The exhibition features oil paintings by more than 12 contemporary Vietnamese artists that depict ordinary people’s lives with bold colors.
▲Emily’s Art (愛蜜莉藝術), 23, Alley 33, Lishui St, Taipei City (台北市麗水街33巷23號). Open daily from 12pm to 11pm. Tel: (02) 2397-4754
▲Until Sept. 30
A Rhapsody About City Cats (貓．天使). In celebration of Angel Art Gallery’s fifth anniversary, the exhibition puts together works by more than 10 contemporary artists.
▲Angel Art Gallery (天使美術館), 41, Xinyi Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市信義路三段41號). Open daily from 10am to 9pm. Tel: (02) 2701-5229
▲Until Oct. 5
Time — Hung Su-chen Solo Exhibition (洪素珍個人展—時間). San Francisco-based artist Hung Su-chen returns with a new installation piece that features her favorite elements of light, sound and motion.
▲National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (國立台灣美術館), 2, Wuchuan W Rd Sec 1, Taichung City (台中市五權西路一段2號). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Tel: (04) 2372-3552
▲Until Oct. 12
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