Though English electro-house rock crossover DJ and producer Fake Blood canceled his gig scheduled for tomorrow at The Wall (這牆), all is not lost. The party’s promoter, Dance Rock Taipei, has arranged a bash called New Blood as way of recompense.
“I was told that Fake Blood had to cancel all his shows in Asia because of health issues,” says Dance Rock Taipei’s Spykee. “But the incident made me realize that it’s important to support our local acts instead of worshipping big-name foreign DJs all the time ... Actually, there are many neglected gems all around us and we really ought to create more opportunities for them.”
Supporting local talent is, perhaps, the only way to ensure the Taiwanese scene develops. And, in true Dance Rock Taipei form, the night’s music will be as unconventional as the names of those in the lineup.
Four pairs of DJs will play back-to-back: Yuxx and Swingchild, Bounce Girlz (composed of two female DJs), Eat ME! Black Hole! (with two guys behind the decks) plus Spykee and Dino, spinning everything from indie dance to drum ’n’ bass.
New Blood is tomorrow from 11:30pm to 4:30am at The Wall, B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Admission is NT$300.
Speaking of drum ’n’ bass, JD, an up-and-coming drum ’n’ bass DJ from the south of England, is in town for a mini tour. He began his career as a DJ competition (Vinyl Meltdown) winner three years ago. He has since played alongside the likes of Sappo, Hype and Noisia, landed his own radio shows (on www.frequency.twistedbeats.com and www.bassjunkees.com) and became a regular act in the Portsmouth area. “I like to put a lot of energy into my sets and interact with the crowd as much as possible to get the crowd involved. I think if you have a good crowd and they like what you’re playing, then it’s a recipe for a good party!” he says.
Upcoming gigs:
▲JD and Antihero, tonight from 9pm to 4am at Bliss, 148, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段148號). Admission is NT$250 for guys. Ladies get in for free
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Tomorrow, JD plays VU Live House (地下絲絨), B1, 77, Wuchang St Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市武昌街二段77號), with Mos, Elemence and Coffeepot and MCs Babble On and Shaman from Taipei Hip-Hop Crew (H中P在台北). From 10pm until 4am. Admission is NT$350 and includes a drink
▲On Sept. 25, JD, Mos, MC Spitfire, Naked, Mixter-T and Edify play Light Lounge, B1, 85, Huamei W St Sec 1, Taichung City (台中市華美西街一段85號B1) from 10pm to 5:30am. Admission is NT$300.
Hedonists have a rare opportunity to revel for a worthy cause in Taichung tomorrow.
“This pool party is about showing our respect to the relief workers helping victims of Typhoon Morakot. All proceeds go to Taiwan’s Red Cross Society to aid relief efforts,” says promoter Victor Yeh.
Tomorrow from 1pm to 9pm at Jhongjhen Swimming Pool (中正游泳池), 100 Syuesi Rd, Taichung City (台中市學士路100號). The lineup: Hawaii, Juni, D7 and Victor Yeh. Admission is NT$500.
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During the Japanese colonial era, remote mountain villages were almost exclusively populated by indigenous residents. Deep in the mountains of Chiayi County, however, was a settlement of Hakka families who braved the harsh living conditions and relative isolation to eke out a living processing camphor. As the industry declined, the village’s homes and offices were abandoned one by one, leaving us with a glimpse of a lifestyle that no longer exists. Even today, it takes between four and six hours to walk in to Baisyue Village (白雪村), and the village is so far up in the Chiayi mountains that it’s actually
These days, CJ Chen (陳崇仁) can be found driving a taxi in and around Hualien. As a way to earn a living, it’s not his first choice. He’d rather be taking tourists to the region’s attractions, but after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the region on April 3, demand for driver-guides collapsed. In the eight months since the quake, the number of overseas tourists visiting Hualien has declined by “at least 90 percent, because most of them come for Taroko Gorge, not for the east coast or the East Longitudinal Valley,” he says. Chen estimates the drop in domestic sightseers after the
US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo, speaking at the Reagan Defense Forum last week, said the US is confident it can defeat the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the Pacific, though its advantage is shrinking. Paparo warned that the PRC might launch a “war of necessity” even if it thinks it could not win, a wise observation. As I write, the PRC is carrying out naval and air exercises off its coast that are aimed at Taiwan and other nations threatened by PRC expansionism. A local defense official said that China’s military activity on Monday formed two “walls” east
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