People living near the Taipei Arena have complained about “tremors” after an A-mei (阿妹) concert reportedly disrupted life in surrounding neighborhoods, which had also been an issue for the pop diva seven years ago when she was barred from performing at the venue.
The “Queen of Pop,” whose real name is Chang Hui-mei (張惠妹), has sold out 12 shows at the venue in Songshan District (松山), with the last scheduled for Saturday.
However, Zhonghua Borough (中華) Warden Yu Chih-hsing (游吉興) said in a statement on Monday that the concerts are once again disrupting life for residents in the area.
Photo courtesy of Mei Entertainment
Detractors have flooded the borough office’s Google Maps listing with one-star reviews, saying that Yu is pandering to A-mei fans while ignoring more pertinent issues, including complaints about tremors, apparently caused by fans jumping to the music.
Yu called for a “rational discussion.”
“The borough has long discussed the issue of tremors caused by concerts,” he said. “Never has it been about a particular singer or company, only that they happen, how to prevent them and fighting for our rights.”
Multiple city counselors forwarded the statement, which was accompanied by video footage of rattling in a home during a concert.
“Those who have never experienced it have no way of understanding what it is like feeling on edge for nearly 20 minutes straight every time there is an artificial tremor,” Yu said in the statement.
Even Taipei Deputy Mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) felt one when she visited a home in the area, Yu said, adding that some residents went out late at night to avoid the shaking.
Although the Taipei City Government has said that nothing can be done to fix the problem, Yu vowed to keep communicating with event organizers to find a solution.
The protests have not been in vain, as organizers have been working to get concertgoers to refrain from jumping, with notices displayed in the arena, Yu said.
He also thanked A-mei, the city government and concert organizers for their assistance and sincerity in responding to the issue.
However, continued efforts are required, he said.
Regarding the critical response online, Yu said he “humbly accepts and would review any shortcomings,” but added that he would not comment further on the matter, although he reserved the right to respond to any personal insults or threats.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) on Monday said that the Taipei Arena was built on land that has a high risk of soil liquefaction.
The relatively high water level in the area helps transmit vibrations, Ko said.
Boards were laid to absorb vibrations, which were effective for the first two hours of the concerts, he said.
However, when fans started jumping in the final 15 minutes of the show, there was a problem, he said.
Additional reporting by Tsai Ssu-pei
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