Theater
National Guoguang Opera Company (國立國光劇團) bids farewell to the lunar year with a series of highly anticipated productions under the themes of imposters and mistaken identity. The presence of Peking opera diva Wei Hai-min (魏海敏), veteran performer Tang Wen-hua (唐文華) and renowned Kunqu Opera (崑曲) artist Wen Yuhang (溫宇航) alone is bound to guarantee a large turnout. The selected pieces include A Handful of Snow (一捧雪), Stopping the Horse (擋馬), Lotus Meets Pearl (荷珠配) and Phoenix Returns to the Nest (鳳還巢).
■ Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yanping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,200, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
What Is Becoming of Macbeth (馬克白!?什麼東西) by Lyric’s Studio offers a comic take on Shakespeare’s play that mixes elements of mime and Taiwanese opera.
■ Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
■ Tomorrow and Sunday at 6pm
and 8pm
■ Tickets are NT$350. For more information, call Ms Tsai at 0927-161-978
Founded by a group of diabolo artists in 1986, Diabolo Dance Theatre (舞鈴劇場) has staged over 300 shows in more than 20 countries. Its latest production, Entrance (奇幻旅程), shows off the troupe’s eye-dazzling styles and techniques in an imaginative story about a little girl’s dreams and fantasies.
■ 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, Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Taipei-based English-language troupe Tellus Theatre is holding a series of workshops that are open to all. Several participants will be chosen for roles in the company’s upcoming spring production scheduled for April 10 to May 2. Workshops are conducted in English, and participants are advised to wear comfortable clothing.
■ O Space, 1-8, Ln 34, Quanzhou St, Taipei City (台北市泉州街34巷1-8號)
■ Workshops will be held tomorrow from 6pm to 10pm, on Sunday from 2pm to 6pm and Jan. 23 from 8pm and 10pm
■ Fees are NT$120 for three workshops. Call troupe director Daniel at 098-1472-451 or Nita at 0982-204-577 for more information
Godot Theatre Company’s (果陀劇場) The 39 Steps (步步驚笑) is a comedic espionage thriller adapted from the novel of the same title by John Buchan. The star-studded cast includes veteran thespians Chin Shih-chieh (金士傑) and Tien Hsin (天心) and television and theater actors Pu Hsueh-liang (卜學亮) and Renzo Liu (劉亮佐). The four play a total of 48 characters in this Mandarin adaptation of the play. This is the first major Broadway production licensed in Chinese. The original continues to run in New York and London.
■ Tainan Municipal Cultural Center (台南市立文化中心), 332, Jhonghua E Rd Sec 3, Tainan City (台南市中華東路三段332號)
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday
at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
Who’s There, In the Shadow (NSO 2010旅人之歌 — 交錯的浪漫身影) features pianist Chang Chiao-ying (張巧縈) and cellist Lana Hsiung (熊士蘭) performing with the National Symphony Orchestra (國家交響樂團) under the direction of Chien Wen-pin (簡文彬). The program includes Tyzen Hsiao’s (蕭泰然) Piano Concerto in C Minor, Op. 53 and Cello Concerto in C, Op. 52.
■ Today at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
36th Junior Original Concert (第36屆山葉兒童創作曲發表會) is a concert for child composers and performers. Performances will be on piano or Electone, as solos or with orchestral
or choral accompaniment.
On the Net: www.yamahakhs.com.
■ Sunday at 7pm (Taipei) and Jan. 23 at 7pm (Kaohsiung)
■ Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號) 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$300 for Taipei and NT$150 for Kaohsiung, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Legacy Taipei tonight hosts The Next Big Thing, a showcase of up-and-coming artists, which the venue is promoting with its sister company, streetvoice.com. Performers include electronica group Frande, rapper Soft Lipa (蛋堡), electro-pop band The Girl and the Robots and post-punk band Psycho. Tomorrow popular Taiwanese shredder Marty Young (楊沛霖) takes the stage. On Wednesday, reggae rockers Matzka and Di Hot make their weekly appearance, along with Aboriginal singer Jia-jia (家家). On Thursday, it’s famed mashup outfit 2manydjs [see Page 13].
■ 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight and tomorrow, and 10pm on Thursday
■ Entrance is NT$200 tonight, NT$900 tomorrow (NT$800 in advance), NT$400 on Wednesday and NT$1,800 on Thursday (NT$1,700 in advance). Prices include one drink. Tickets are available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw or
www.legacy.com.tw
Folk-pop rockers Staycool play tonight at the The Wall (這牆). Tomorrow post-rock/folk-rock band We Save Strawberries (草莓救星) and post-rock group Selfkill take the stage. Later on, it’s Stylicon Asia, a dance party featuring Japanese DJs Verbal and Mademoiselle Yulia [see the Vinyl Word]. On Sunday, metal buffs will likely be out in full force for Finnish band Ensiferum. Girl and The Machine, an atmospheric lounge rock act from Canada that is currently touring Asia, takes the stage on Thursday [See Highlights].
■ 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
■ Music shows start at 8pm
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow for music shows, NT$900 tomorrow (NT$600 in advance) for the dance party, NT$1,000 on Sunday (NT$900 in advance) and NT$300 on Thursday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Tango Negro (黑探戈) brings an Argentinean mood to Witch House (女巫店) tonight. Appearing tomorrow is American musician Ken Stringfellow, best known for his work with power-pop band the Posies, REM and Big Star. Indie rock band Queen Suitcase (皇后皮箱) is also on the bill. Girl and The Machine, an atmospheric lounge rock act from Canada, appears on Sunday [see Highlights].
■ 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, except this Sunday, which
is NT$400
Expect a full house tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言), which hosts JACK, or “jazz plus rock,” featuring pianist Chang Kai-ya (張凱雅) and violinist Hsieh Chi-pin (謝啟彬). The two lead a jazz band that performs classic rock and pop songs, which in the past have included Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song and the Jackson Five’s Going Places. Indie-folk duo katncandix2 (棉花糖) appear tomorrow. On Sunday it’s pop singer Alan Kuo (柯有綸). Monday is the venue’s weekly open jam.
■ 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 9pm tonight, tomorrow and Sunday. Monday’s 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 Sunday and NT$150
on Monday
Pop singer Alien Huang (黃鴻升) splits the bill with pop-rock band Rock Oriental Express (搖滾東方) tonight at Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館). No shows are scheduled for tomorrow. The venue hosts Mando-pop singer Chi Hsin-pei (季欣霈)
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 Sunday
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and Sunday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Indie-pop band Come On! Bay Bay! (來吧!焙焙!) opens up for The Peppermints (薄荷葉), who play tonight at Underworld (地下社會) in support of their newly released album, Banished (流放地). British hard-rock band Goober Gun appears tomorrow, sharing a bill with expat funk rockers New Hong Kong Hair City. On Wednesday, it’s CC Zone and
Looking Glass.
■ 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. Underworld is open daily from
9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy
hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance is NT$300, which includes one drink, and NT$100 on Wednesday
Jo Jo Ma Quintet, a group led by saxophonist Joseph Marchione, performs tonight at Sappho de Base. South African expat pop-rock musician David Vorster appears tomorrow night. Pianist Andrew Page brings his group, The Flock, on Tuesday night, Edamame Jazz Trio (毛豆) plays on Wednesday and on Thursday, it’s the Jason Hayashi Trio.
■ 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 10pm on Friday and Saturday and 9:30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$100 tomorrow, free on other nights
Highlights for the week at EZ5 Live House include beloved female singer Tiger Huang (黃小琥), who performs two sets every Monday, male crooner Liu Wei-zen (劉偉仁), who appears on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Shin Lung (辛隆), who performs every Saturday.
■ 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
Tonight Roxy Roots hosts British hard rockers Goober Gun and indie-rock favorites 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽). Tomorrow night is Fiesta Latino, with live music from Taipei Latin Soul and DJs afterwards. Wednesday night is the venue’s musical showcase, featuring a roster of bands organized by a different musician every week. This week is hosted by folk rocker TJ Higgins. Come ready to dance on Thursday for Salsa and Mambo night with DJs Francisco and Daniel.
■ 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路90號). Tel: (02) 2725-3932. On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw
■ Shows start at 10pm
■ Entrance is free
The Mercury (水星酒館), a club that opened a few months ago in Kaohsiung, features indie bands. Windmill (風籟坊) takes the stage tomorrow.
■ 46 Liwen Rd, Zuoying Dist, Kaohsiung City (高雄市左營區立文路46號). Tel: (07) 550-8617. On the Net: mercurybar.blogspot.com
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ Entrance is NT$200
Tonight Taichung’s 89k hosts Girl and The Machine, an atmospheric lounge rock act from Canada currently touring Asia. Also appearing is indie-rock singer Andy Goode. Gruveballs and Mr Dirty (骯髒先生) split the
bill tomorrow.
■ 21 Daguan Rd, Nantun Dist, Taichung City (台中市南屯區大觀路21號)
■ Shows start at 10pm
■ Entrance is NT$300
CORRECTION
Because of an editing error, our report on Chthonic on Page 13 of Monday’s edition of the Taipei Times incorrectly stated that they won British magazine Terrorizer’s readers’ poll for best band. Chthonic placed ahead of Megadeth and Slayer as noted in the article, but took second place overall. The Taipei Times regrets the error.
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