Organized by Dance Works (舞工廠舞團), the fifth edition of Taipei Tap Festival (台北踢踏節) presents two tap-dance shows at Red House Theater tomorrow starring some of the world’s top tap dancers, including Derick K. Grant, Chloe Arnold, Ron XII, Suji and Keitaro. A
pre-show party will be held tonight at Huashan Culture Park. Visit www.taipeitap.com.tw for more information.
■ Huashan Culture Park (華山創意文化園區), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號) and Red House Theater (紅樓劇場), 10 Chengdu Rd, Taipei City (台北市成都路10號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm (Huashan), tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm (Red House Theater)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$800
for tomorrow’s shows, available through NTCH ticketing or online
at www.artsticket.com.tw
A collaboration between Taiwan’s Su Wen-chi (蘇文琪) and Belgian choreographer Arco Renz, Heroine (迷幻英雌) is a solo dance piece performed by Su that dwells on cultural difference as reflected in the performing arts, namely perceptions of time and space in the West and the East.
■ Taipei Cultural Center, Wenshan Branch (台北市立社會教育館文山分館), 32 Jingwen St, Taipei City (台北市景文街32號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm
■ Tickets are NT$600, available
through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Musician and singer Summer Lei (雷光夏) meets a young William Shakespeare in Sonnets of Light and City (光與城市的十四行詩). Produced in collaboration with artist Chen Chien-chi (陳建騏) and theater veteran Michael Li (黎煥雄), the work features Lei chanting and singing the Bard’s sonnets.
■ Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yenping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Asoka (阿育王) by Siou-Ching Taiwanese Opera Troupe (秀琴歌劇團) recounts the life story of Asoka, an ancient Indian emperor and famous convert to Buddhism.
■ Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Famed Taiwanese dancer Sheu Fang-yi (許芳宜) and her choreographer partner Bulareyaung Pagarlava (布拉瑞揚) have added an extra show onto their sold-out Taipei Arts Festival run next week, to help raise money for the latter’s Typhoon Morakot-devastated hometown, Jialan Village (嘉蘭) in Taitung County. All proceeds from Sunday night’s show will go to relief efforts.
■ LAFA Ode to Joy. A Philanthropic Evening-Typhoon Relief Donation, Taipei Cultural Center, Wenshan Branch (台北市立社會教育館文山分館), 32 Jingwen St, Taipei City (台北市景文街32號)
■ Sept. 6 at 7pm
■ Tickets are NT$3,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Judith Mendenhall Flute Recital (茱蒂•曼德赫長笛獨奏會) features Judith Mendenhall, a professor of music at The City University of New York, performing a program that includes Telemann’s Methodical Sonata in G Minor, and works by Gaubert, Bartok, Poulenc and Doppler.
■ Today (Taipei) and Tuesday (Kaohsiung) at 7:30pm
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City and National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center, Kaohsiung City (高雄中正文化中心至善廳), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,000 (Taipei) and NT$300 to NT$800 (Kaohsiung), available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Mischa Maisky & NTSO (米夏•麥斯基與國臺交) sees the renowned cellist back in Taipei performing together with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra (國立台灣交響樂團) with guest conductor Chien Wen-pin (簡文彬). The program includes Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1 for Eight Cellos, Haydn’s Cello Concerto No.1 in C Major and Elgar’s Sospiri, Adagio for String Orchestra, Harp and Organ, Op. 70.
■ Tomorrow (Taichung) and Sunday (Taipei) at 7:30pm
■ Chunghsing Concert Hall, Taichung (台中中興堂), 291-3 Chingwu Rd, Taichung City (台中市精武路291之3號) and National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,600 (Taichung) and NT$600 to NT$3,000 (Taipei), available through NTCH ticketing (www.artsticket.com.tw)
for Taichung and ERA ticketing
(www.ticket.com.tw) for Taipei
Nobuko Imai & NTSO (今井信子中提琴獨奏會) brings the highly regarded Japanese violinist to Taipei to perform with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra (國立台灣交響樂團). Imai will play the viola accompanied by Tomizawa Naoko, with Yen Hua-rung (顏華容) on piano. The program includes the viola solo of Telemann’s Excerpts From 12 Fantasies and Vieuxtemps’ Viola Sonata in B-Flat Major Op. 36.
■ Monday at 7:30pm
■ National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra Music Hall (國立台灣交響樂團演奏廳), 738-2 Chungcheng Rd, Wufeng Township, Taichung County (台中縣霧峰鄉中正路738之2號)
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Islandjam presents its end-of-summer session, Hottaz, at Bliss tomorrow night, featuring Black Reign International Sound spinning dancehall, reggae, soca, hip-hop and zouk.
■ 148, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段148號), one block east of Dunhua South Road (敦化南路). Tel: (02) 2702-1855. On the Net: www.bliss-taipei.com; www.myspace.com/blisslivehouse
■ Show starts at 10pm tomorrow. Open from 9pm daily
■ Entrance fee is NT$350 for tomorrow and includes a drink
Post-rock band Sugar Plum Ferry (甜梅號) appears tonight at The Wall (這牆). Tomorrow the venue will show an animated film starring members of Material, a band that promotes environmental awareness. Former Sticky Rice frontman Ma Nien-hsien (馬念先) makes a guest appearance. Afterwards it’s the Old School, All Skull party with DJs Soccer Boy, Mykal, Spykee and Dino. On Sunday, Scottish indie folk singer Ally Kerr, on tour in Asia, performs quiet and dreamy acoustic-pop music.
■ 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:
www.thewall.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight and tomorrow and at 11:30pm tomorrow
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 for tonight’s show and tomorrow’s early show. Tomorrow’s late show is NT$500 in advance or NT$600 at the door (includes a drink). Sunday’s show is NT$500 in advance or NT$700 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Symmetry Quartet, a jazz outfit consisting of two guitarists, a double bassist and a drummer, plays tonight at Witch House (女巫店). Post-rock group Mosquilephant (蚊子大象) plays tomorrow. On Thursday it’s Supergotan (探戈四重奏), a group with an erhu (二胡) player that plays tango-influenced music.
■ 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
■ 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
■ Entrance fee for music shows is NT$300
Tonight Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) hosts a tribute concert to John Scofield in anticipation of the famed jazz guitarist’s appearance in Taipei next week. Performing will be venue owner Geddy Lin (林正如) and his band. [See story on Page 13 of next Friday’s Taipei Times.] Also appearing is American experimental jazz vocalist Jen Shyu. [See Highlight.] Tomorrow it’s veteran indie band La Petit Nurse (小護士). On Sunday Puyuma folk star Pau-dull (陳建年) takes to the stage. Monday is open jam night.
■ 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 9:30pm tonight and 9pm tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. Open jam starts at 9pm. For a list of standard songs and ground rules, visit the venue’s Web site
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight, tomorrow and on Sunday and NT$150 on Monday
Tonight Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館) hosts Jing Chang (張芸京), a graphic designer-turned-singer who became a household name through her appearances on TTV’s talent competition Super Idol. Tomorrow it’s pop singer Shino Lin (林曉培). Pop-rocker pretty boys Champion (強辯樂團) take to the stage on Sunday.
■ 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 at 8:30pm tonight and tomorrow and at 7pm on Sunday
■ Entrance fee is NT$550 tonight, NT$450 tomorrow and NT$500 on Sunday. Tickets can purchased online through tickets.books.com.tw or
www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse
Tonight at Underworld (地下社會) it’s Boyz and Girl (男孩們女孩), indie-folk rocker Ban Ban’s (斑斑) band, and experimental rock band Macbeth (馬克白). [See Highlight.] Tomorrow indie-rocker group Braces (牙套) celebrates its 10th anniversary. On Sunday the venue opens for a special show with Taiwanese reggae and dub band Down in Air (盪在空中), indie favorites 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽), punk group Random (隨性) and post-rockers Mosquilephant (蚊子大象).
■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Net: www.upsaid.com/underworld
■ Music shows run from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 9pm to 11pm on Wednesdays. Sunday’s show is from 7pm to 11pm. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy Hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance is NT$300 tonight and tomorrow and includes a drink and NT$100 on Wednesday and Sunday
Jazz Your Mind performs acid jazz and cool jazz tonight at Sappho de Base. Performing tomorrow night is New Orleans funk and blues group The Kenyatta Trio. On Tuesday rock band Double J takes to the stage. Tammy and Friends play on Wednesday. On Thursday the venue hosts an open jam.
■ 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.sappho102.biz
■ Music shows begin at 10:30pm on weekends, 10pm on weekdays. Sappho is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ No entrance fee
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill there’s an open mic hosted by keyboardist Andrew Page, with the music mainly covering blues and jazz. All are welcome to join in. Participants receive 20 percent off drinks.
■ 1F, 218 Changchun Rd, Taipei City (台北市長春路218號1樓). Tel: (02) 2508-0304. On the Net: www.cosmo.com.tw
■ 8:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday
■ No entrance fee
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights this week include pub legend and songstress Tiger Huang (黃小琥) who performs every Monday. Julia Peng (彭佳慧) is another major draw who appears every Tuesday. Pop crooner Liu Wei-zen (劉偉仁) appears on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
■ 211, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市安和路二段211號). Tel: (02) 2738-3995. On the Net: visit www.ez5.com.tw
■ Music shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
■ Entrance fee (includes two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
Franz and Friends (城市舞台藝文沙龍) hosts music shows every night. Weekly highlights include Denise Juan (阮丹青), a former pop singer turned piano teacher and television presenter, and her band Sunshine Costa. They play tonight. Tomorrow it’s Buona Sera featuring soprano Chang Hsiao-ni (張曉倪).
■ 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號B1). Tel: (02) 2579- 0558. On the Net: www.franzandfriends.com.tw
■ Minimum charge of NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays. On other nights there’s a one-drink minimum
The Other Side is a “party-until-the-sun-comes-up” spot. DJs spin classic dance and rock from bands and musicians like Nirvana, The Ting Tings, Oasis, The Cure and Michael Jackson.
■ B1, 20, Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路20號B1). Tel: (02) 2723-3257. On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw
■ Open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10pm to 4am, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm to 7am
■ Cover charge for women is NT$300, except Wednesdays, when they get in free. Cover charge for men is NT$400 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and on Fridays and Saturdays before 1am. After 1am on weekends cover charge for men is NT$500
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