A R O U N D T O W N 發光的城市 15 TAIPEI TIMES • FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2009 BY Alita Rickards NIGHTLIFE Break on through to The Other Side

Roxy has expanded its nightlife empire with the recent opening of Venue notes: three new venues: The Other Side, Roxy Rocker and Roxy Roots What: The Other Side Address: B1, 20, Songshou Rd, ick-up joint Roxy Vibe closed because frequent clubgoer and part-time promoter: popular dance club Room 18, which already Taipei City (台北市松壽路20號B1) it was only busy as an after-hours “[A] sub-basement club, small two-stall has a loyal clientele, the future of Roxy Telephone: (02) 2723-3257 venue from 5am to 7am on Friday bathrooms, and mostly loud hip-hop and Roots still seems a bit touch-and-go as to Open: Wednesdays to Sundays from Pand Saturday nights, which the owner Top 40 mixed in with a bit of indie, rock whether it can attract a regular crowd to 9pm to 7am said didn’t provide enough revenue to and electro, though in a much newer sustain its 24-hour bar and menu. Having a Admission: Women always pay cover expenses, never mind turn a profit. location with great sound.” live band playing appears to be the greatest NT$300, except Wednesdays, when Although The Other Side, Roxy’s newest With the green lasers speckling the draw at this point. they get in free. Men pay NT$400 venture, also stays open until 7am, the maze of people into a soft anonymity, the Though Roxy Rocker, the first to open, on Wednesdays, Thursdays and management, through its public relations venue does feel a bit like a time warp, often has more staff (eight to 10 people) Sundays, and Fridays and Saturdays staff, adamantly claims that the club is not despite its private booths and fancy decor. than customers, it is slowly building a before 1am. After 1am on weekends the new Vibe. So much so that the cover Mike Tennant, who plays in BoPoMoFo clientele. The ambient lighting and excellent men pay NT$500 charge was originally set on a sliding (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ), High Tide and New Hong Kong music selection are only part of the appeal. scale that made coming late increasingly Hair City agreed: “Between the hip-hop and It’s also becoming a neighborhood pub What: Roxy Rocker expensive — with the entrance fee starting band scene [it] gives you something in the of sorts for those looking for a slightly at NT$400 and rising to NT$700 by 5am. middle,” but he also said the music had “a more upscale hangout in the Shida area, Address: B1, 177, Heping E Rd Sec 台北市和平東路一段 That plan, however, has been scrapped, greatest hits” feel with classic “Vibe” songs one in which you can select an album from 1, Taipei City ( 號 with the new cover reflecting a door policy such as Blur’s Girls & Boys. the more than 10,000 Roxy says it has on 177 B1) that employs more honey than vinegar: “It’s still early in the game,” said Roxy offer and have the DJ play your own tunes. Telephone: (02) 2351-8177 NT$300 for women all the time, and no promoter Alyson Schill, “and opinions An evening spent perusing the new Open: 9pm to 4am more than NT$500 for men. about this club will be changing, I’m very editions of music magazines on offer Admission: Free The opening of The Other Side on July confident about this.” (Revolver, Rolling Stone, Spin, Uncut, 31 was the final in a series of three club Schill says The Other Side will no NME, Mojo) is a relaxing way to unwind, What: Roxy Roots openings in just over a month following longer play Vibe music. Weekends will pint in hand. This is the bar dearest to Address: 90 Songren Rd, Taipei the closure of Vibe on June 20. Roxy be a mixture of rock, , punk, owner Ling Wei’s (凌威) heart, he says, and City (台北市松仁路90號) Rocker debuted on June 19 and Roxy alternative and indie, with theme nights the one his group is most counting on to Telephone: (02) 2725-3932 Roots followed on July 8. throughout the week: Indie Wednesdays, have staying power. Open: 24 hours a day It was a throw-down good time, although Metal Thursdays and Punk Sundays. Ling’s other ventures, Roxy Jr and Roxy Admission: Free to echo a sentiment heard during the Roxy Roots, which opened as a reggae 99 — which plays mainstream hip-hop and Details: 24-hour Western menu. opening night and after: If the club owner bar, now plays blues and occasionally is often so packed that young clubbers Chinese menu available from 11am didn’t want to associate the place with Vibe, Latin beats as well. Also in the trendy Xinyi spill out onto the street — are as popular to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm why does it play the same music? District (信義), it recently hosted blues band as ever. But other Ling-run venues, such as “On first look, The Other Side had BoPoMoFo. Hopes for the Chinese and Roxy Wave, have come and gone. On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw Middle right: ��������������������������Marika McTague goes cuckoo �f������or clu�b��s. Photo: Alita Rickards some of the same characteristics of Western menu to gain a following have yet So, will the three new ones work? Only Other photos: Scenes from Roxy’s new dance club, The Other Side. Photos Courtesy of Alyson Schill the old place,” said Marika McTague, a to come to fruition. Located next door to time will tell.

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE VINYL WORD  BY Tom Leeming online at www.artsticket.com.tw TSO and Per Poc (偶！羅密歐—北市 交VS. Per Poc偶戲團) brings together Theater Billed as a return to the golden age of the Taipei Symphony Orchestra (臺北市 Upcoming 立交響樂團 theater-based glove puppet ) with the Per Poc puppet BY Diane Baker K. Lear by International Visual performances, Wu Zhou Yuan Glove company to present Prokofiev’sRomeo Theatre from France combines sign Puppet Theater Troupe’s (五洲園掌中劇 and Juliet. The production will also feature Ballet dancer turned teacher Tzer-shing language, glances, gestures and 團) Conquering All Under actress Lang Tsu-yun (郎祖筠) narrating (王澤馨) has put together a terrific spoken dialogue for its adaptation of Heaven (爭霸天下系列布袋戲) is a the story, and the orchestra will perform lineup of 14 established stars and Shakespeare’s King Lear. The show is series of 10 performances drawn from under the baton of guest conductor newcomers from world-renowned part of the Taipei Arts Festival. the troupe’s traditional repertoire that Domonkos Heja. The program will also companies for the 2009 Interna- ■ Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25, have been revised to cater to include a performance of Leonard tional Ballet Star Gala at the Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德 contemporary audiences. Bernstein’s West Side Story Suite. National Theater. The dancers will be 路三段25號) ■ Red House Theater (紅樓劇場), 10 ■ Today at 7:30pm performing a mix of classical and ■ Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm and Chengdu Rd, Taipei City (台北市成都路 ■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City modern ballet solos and duets by old Don’t try this at home. Sunday at 2:30pm 10號) ■ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$1,000, favorites — George Balanchine, Marius Photo: Eduardo Patino, courtesy of IBSG Group ■ Tickets are NT$450 to NT$1,500, ■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm available through NTCH ticketing or Petipa, Kenneth MacMillan and John available through NTCH ticketing or and Sunday at 2:30pm online at www.artsticket.com.tw Neumeier — as well as some who National Theater, Taipei City The Supermilkmen cometh again. Photo Courtesy of Diccon Mayfield. online at www.artsticket.com.tw ■ Tickets are NT$200 and NT$300, have been described as the “hottest Aug. 22 at 7pm available through NTCH ticketing or Hu Nai-yuan and the National young ballet choreographers” around, Tickets are NT$1,200 to NT$6,000, Part of the Taipei Arts Festival, online at www.artsticket.com.tw Taipei Symphony Orchestra (胡乃 including David Dawson, Christopher available through NTCH ticketing or ince we have been back from our last Taiwan tour,” Macbeth — Who Is That Bloodied 元與國臺交) features Taiwan’s veteran Wheeldon and Christian Spuck. online at www.artsticket.com.tw said Diccon Mayfield of the Supermilkmen, which Man?, by Poland’s Teatr Biuro Podrozy, violin soloist Hu Nai-yuan (胡乃元) play tomorrow at the Four Points by Sheraton creates a nightmarish world using fire, performing with the National Taipei “SHotel, in Jhonghe City, Taipei County, “we have played stilts and motorbikes in its adaptation of Classical music Symphony Orchestra and conductor opens up for indie-pop band Nylas. On ■ Entrance fee is NT$300 tonight and with the likes of Calvin Harris, Rusko, Crystal Fighters, Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Hubert Soudant. The program includes Sunday the venue hosts Golden Melody tomorrow and includes one drink, and SubFocus, DJ Yoda and also played at Mixmag’s summer ■ No. 5, Beiping East Road Outdoor Chicago Saxophone Quartet (芝 Mozart’s Overture From “The Magic Flute”, Award-winners The Nanwan Sisters (南 NT$100 on Wednesday jam at the legendary Egg Club.” Not bad for a DJ duo who Theater (北平東路5號戶外劇場), 5 加哥薩克斯風四重奏), established in Beethoven’s Concerto for Violin in D, Op. 王姐妹花), a trio of Puyuma (卑南) singers had barely played together live before landing on these Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東 1968, begins a tour of the country 61 and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 in G from Taitung. Monday is open jam night. Your Mind performs tonight at shores in March. 路5號) tomorrow. The group, which has Major, Op. 8. ■ B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Sappho de Base. Tomorrow night it’s Since playing at Bliss and the now defunct Rise at ■ Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm performed with the Chicago ■ Today at 7:30pm Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷 blues, and surf rock with Blues DV8, Mayfield and Joseph Shells’ stars have been in the ■ Tickets are NT$800, available Symphony Orchestra and toured ■ Chunghsing Concert Hall, Taichung 2號B1), next to Taipower Building (台電 Vibrations, on Tuesday it’s Emo Jazz ascendancy. “We have been geeking out in the studio through NTCH ticketing or online at around the world, will perform a (台中中興堂), 291-3 Cingwu Rd, 大樓). Tel: (02) 2368-7310. On the Net: Trio and on Wednesday it’s modern jazz producing for Killa Kela, who is one of the world’s top www.artsticket.com.tw program that includes Italian Concerto, Taichung City (台中市精武路291之3號) www.riverside.com.tw outfitThe Chris Stiles Trio, who beatboxers and huge right now, as well as Bashy, who is BWV 971, (Allegro) by Johann Sebastian ■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200, ■ Shows start at 9:30pm tonight and include a few rearranged Mando-pop up there with Dizzee Rascal in Europe at the moment,” My Dear Next Door (隔壁親家), a Bach (arr. Katsuki Tochio), Quartet for available through NTCH ticketing or 9pm tomorrow and on Sunday. Open tunes in their set. On Thursday the venue said Mayfield. “One of the most exciting things for us was Taiwanese musical and comedy, tells Saxophones by Russell Howland, online at www.artsticket.com.tw jam starts at 9pm. For a list of standard presents The Jason Hayashi Jazz Trio. getting to number one twice on Hype Machine’s hot play the story of two farming families Quartet for Saxophones by Pierre Max songs and ground rules, visit the ■ B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei list above people like Chemical Brothers and Jay Z.” embroiled in a long-running feud. Dubois, Cafe 1930 From “Story of the venue’s Web site City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1). They arrived here yesterday on the first leg of a nine- Taiwan’s favorite comedians, Peng Chia- Tango” by Astor Piazzolla (arr. Claude ■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight, Tel: (02) 2700-5411. On the Net: www. day tour of Asia. chia (澎恰恰) and Hsu Hsiao-shun (許效 Voirpy) and other works. Contemporary tomorrow and on Sunday and NT$150 sappho102.biz Supermilkmen’s first major EP, entitled Dancefloor 舜), play the family patriarchs. ■ Tomorrow (Jhongli), Sunday (Taipei), on Monday ■ Shows start at 10:30pm on weekends Liquor, comes out in October and features Bashy, said ■ National Theater, Taipei City Monday (Taichung), Tuesday (Kaohsiung) Roxy Roots, a newly opened bar and and 10pm on weekdays. Sappho is Mayfield. ■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow and and Wednesday (Chiayi) at 7:30pm restaurant for reggae and blues fans, Iconic Hoklo folk singer Chen Ming- closed on Sundays and Mondays One of many parties tomorrow up north, the Four Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm ■ Jhongli Arts Center (中壢藝術館), 16 hosts the Kenyatta Quartet chang (陳明章) and his Dan Sui Tour ■ No entrance fee Points’ lineup includes Marcus Aurelius, vDub and Mr ■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$3,000, Jhongmei Rd, Jhongli City (中壢市中美 tomorrow night (See Highlight). Band (陳明章與淡水走唱團) make an Blends on the ones and twos, plus Babble-on and Shaman available through NTCH ticketing or 路16號); National Concert Hall, Taipei ■ 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松 appearance tonight at Riverside Live Every Wednesday night at the from THC (Taipei Hip-hop Crew, H中P在台北) on the mic. online at www.artsticket.com.tw City; Chunghsing Concert Hall, 仁路90號). Tel: (02) 2725-3932. On the House (西門紅樓展演館). Tomorrow it’s Cosmopolitan Grill there’s an open Supermilkmen vs the Fantastic Four, tomorrow at Four Taichung (台中中興堂), 291-3 Cingwu Net: www.roxy.com.tw Sista Jumper, a dance party held by Lez’s mic hosted by keyboardist Andrew Points by Sheraton Hotel (福朋喜來登飯店), 631, Jhongjheng One of Ping Fong Acting Troupe’s (屏風 Rd, Taichung City (台中市精武路291之 ■ Show starts at 11pm tomorrow Meeting (for more information, visit Page, with the music mainly covering Rd, Jhonghe City, Taipei County (台北縣中和市中正路631號). 表演班) popular touring productions, 3號); Kaohsiung’s Chih-Teh Hall (高雄市 ■ Entrance is free www.wretch.cc/blog/Lezsmeeting). On blues and jazz. All are welcome to Admission is NT$700 before 11pm and NT$800 after, Can Three Make It Part I (三人行不 文化中心至德堂), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Sunday American jazz saxophonist Jeff participate, and participants receive 20 includes a drink. There is a shuttle bus from Jingan MRT 行I) is a comedy that tackles the Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號); Metal-core/emo band 831 (八三夭) Chang (張哲嘉) holds a release party for percent off drinks. Station (景安捷運站) between 9pm and 11pm. Visit www. absurdity and chaos of urban life with Chiayi Municipal Cultural Center (嘉義市 appears tonight at The Wall (這牆). his album It’s Not What You Think. ■ 1F, 218 Changchun Rd, Taipei City (台 supermilkmen.com for other gigs in Taiwan. 18 characters played by three actors. 文化中心音樂廳), 275 Jhongsiao Rd, Tomorrow it’s a “double CD release party” Sharing the stage on Thursday are two 北市長春路218號1樓). Tel: (02) 2508- Perhaps the edgiest named of nights to hit Taipei, Hard ■ Novel Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Chiayi City (嘉義市忠孝路275號) with two metal bands, Revilement and winners from this year’s battle of the 0304. On the Net: www.cosmo.com.tw as Fuck at China White is hosted by Bobby Bonestorm, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號) ■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500 for EFTC. Also on the bill tomorrow evening bands contest at the Ho-Hai-Yan Rock ■ 8:30pm to 11pm every Wednesday Edify and Anti-Hero, playing a mixture of Baltimore club ■ Tonight at 7:30pm and 10:30pm, Jhongli and Chiayi, NT$400 to NT$1,600 are Demise and Desecration. On Festival: Matzka and De Hot, a young ■ No entrance fee and electro, plus the genre of the moment, dubstep, whose tomorrow at 2:30pm, 7:30pm and for Taichung and Kaohsiung and Sunday Pitiful Monster opens up for Paiwan rock and reggae group that took two-step heavy bass line has been blowing up the airwaves. 10:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm and NT$400 to NT$2,000 for Taipei, available all-girl rock electro band Go Chic. On first place, and second-place bandNeon . EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop “A common refrain I heard in the earlier days of dubstep 7:30pm through ERA ticketing outlets or online Wednesday the venue hosts post-rock ■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市 singers backed by a live band every night. [often from my own lips],” says Bonestorm, “was ‘I have ■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$800, at www.ticket.com.tw band Donhail (擋哈鵝), noise band 西寧南路177號). Tel: (02) 2370-8805. Highlights this week include pub legend been waiting for this sound for a long time.’” available through NTCH ticketing or Sunset Rollercoaster and Brit-pop and On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw and songstress Tiger Huang (黃小琥), “Dubstep has deep roots and can be traced back to grunge group The Capelin (柳葉魚). ■ Shows start at 8:30pm who performs every Monday. Julia and the mobile sound system,” says Bonestorm. The Fever Cats, Engine No. 9 (九號引 ■ Entrance fee is NT$450 tonight and on Peng (彭佳慧), another major draw, “It was the communal convergence around amplified bass 擎) and New Yorker (紐約客) split the Sunday. Tomorrow’s dance party is appears every Tuesday. Male crooner Liu where music was driven beyond a solely aural experience hIGHLIGHT bill on Thursday. NT$700 in advance or NT$1,000 at the Wei-zen (劉偉仁) is featured on Tuesday and became [a] physical force.” BY David Chen ■ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei door. Tickets for the dance party can and Wednesday this week. From there it evolved from the of the 1970s City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Tel: purchased online through www.riverside. ■ Shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am with Lee “Scratch” Perry and then became part of the Drummer Nbugu Kenyatta and his (02) 2930-0162. On the Net: com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com. ■ Entrance fee (includes two drinks) 1980s post-punk bands such as and The Police. newly expanded band, the Kenyatta www.thewall.com.tw tw. Thursday’s show is NT$400 ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, “The mid 1990s are where I start to see the coils of Quartet, appear at Roxy Roots ■ Shows starts at 8pm tonight, 7:30pm depending on the performer modern dubstep start to writhe and unwind,” continues tomorrow night to play their party- tomorrow and 8pm on Sunday, Tonight Underworld(地下社會) hosts Bonestorm. “This awakening can be witnessed in the early time mix of reggae, blues, funk and Wednesday and Thursday a band called Seafood, which shares Franz and Friends (城市舞台藝文沙 industrial dub fusions of Mark Stewart, Sound classic rock. ■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight, the bill with Brain Roller, which plays 龍), an upscale restaurant and System, Techno Animal [aka J.K. Flesh and The Bug], and The New Orleans native’s latest band NT$400 tomorrow at the door or moody, Radiohead-inspired indie rock. performance space in Taipei’s East Scorn, a true pioneer.” features guitar virtuoso Ray Anthony, NT$350 in advance, and NT$300 on Metal punk band Total Disruption District, hosts music shows every night. As with many a style, “it has evolved ... moving in who does a spot-on impersonation Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday. and Hong Kong band Climax (高潮樂 Weekly highlights include Denise innumerable different trajectories such as techno bass, of Jimi Hendrix playing guitar with Advance tickets can be purchased 隊) take to the stage tomorrow. Drum Juan (阮丹青), a former pop singer wonky, funky, aquacrunk, West Coast style and bangers,” his teeth, local bassist Sannio and a The Kenyatta Quartet plays tomorrow online by visiting www.thewall.com.tw ’n’ Keyboard (鼓打鍵盤) and Happy turned piano teacher and television says Bonestorm. new member, rhythm guitarist Hugo night at Roxy Roots. Photo courtesy of Roxy Roots or at White Wabbit Records inside The Rocker play on Wednesday. presenter, and her band Sunshine To sample Bonestorm’s wares, a mix is available for Bandi of Los Angeles. Wall’s shopping complex ■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師 Costa. They play tonight. Tomorrow it’s download from www.waakao.com/en/music/djs/193-bobby- Roxy Roots, which opened last Live blues, rock and reggae music 大路45號B1). Tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Buona Sera, a group featuring bonestorm-busted-dome-mixtape-dubstep. month and is Taipei’s first club with the Kenyatta Quartet at Performing tonight at Riverside Cafe Net: www.upsaid.com/underworld soprano Chang Hsiao-ni (張曉倪). For hard, heavy and extremely current tracks, China devoted to reggae and blues, is one Roxy Roots, 90 Songren Rd, Taipei (河岸留言) are jazz keyboardist Lu ■ Shows run from 9:30pm to 11:30pm ■ 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八 White will be big and bassy tomorrow. of the latest ventures of Ling Wei City (台北市松仁路90號), Call (02) Sheng-fei (呂聖斐) and Timeless on Fridays and Saturdays and 9pm to 德路三段25號B1). Tel: (02) 2579-0558. On Hard as Fuck at China White, 2F, 97-101, Dunhua S Rd (凌威), the owner of the Taipei’s 2725-3932 or visit www.roxy.com.tw Fusion Project, which counts locally 11pm on Wednesdays. Underworld is the Net: www.franzandfriends.com.tw Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路二段97-101號2樓) tomorrow long-standing chain of Roxy venues. Tomorrow at 10pm renowned saxophonist Dong Shun- open daily from 9pm, closed on ■ NT$300 minimum charge on Fridays from 11pm until 5am. Admission is NT$300 on the door [See story above.] Entrance is free wen (董舜文) among its members. Mondays. Happy Hour on Tuesdays and and Saturdays. On other nights there’s a and includes a drink. Tomorrow folk band Smoke Ring (煙圈) Thursdays before midnight one-drink minimum