Forgive Forget
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AROUND TOWN FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010 PHOTOS COURTESY OF WHITE WABBIT RECORDS roken Social Scene performs at share this mash-up with you.” around,” said Peroff, noting that a change its constantly changing personnel, Peroff Legacy Taipei on Sunday, and it’s The video, a dizzying collage of images in scenery helped. For the first time, says that since its self-titled album of B a safe bet that indie-rock fans will and footage that centers on confrontations the band recorded outside of Toronto, 2005, the band has settled on a core group be out in full force to see one of the most between G20 protestors and police, was relieving its members of the distractions of seven members that includes himself, beloved groups of the past decade. a weary commentary on society and pop of their hometown and families. They founders Kevin Drew and Brendan Forgive The Canadian band, often referred to culture. Riot scenes in Toronto were went to Chicago to work with one of their Canning, Andrew Whiteman, Charles as a musical “collective” because of its mixed with fleeting images of war zones, musical heroes, musician and producer Spearin, Sam Goldberg and singer Lisa rotating cast over the years of between a prominent politicians, Justin Bieber and the John McEntire, best known as a member Lobsinger. For Sunday’s concert, they but don’t half-dozen to 19 members, arrives in Taipei BP oil spill. of the post-rock groups Tortoise and The will be joined by several other musicians, this weekend fresh from a European tour So does Broken Social Scene see its Sea and Cake. including a brass horn section. and a headlining spot at the Pitchfork music — restlessly eclectic in sound Peroff says the change in sound is On this second visit to Taipei, Broken Music Festival in Chicago. and sometimes lyrically obtuse — as a also attributable to McEntire, who gave Social Scene will be playing a bigger Forgiveness Rock Record, the band’s statement on current events? the production a “cleaner” feel. But even venue. Ticket sales for Sunday’s show at first recording in five years, was released “A lot of people in the band have a though the band went into the studio Legacy Taipei are expected to be almost a few months ago and has enjoyed a warm lot to say about what’s going on in the with pre-planned songs, they did return to double the group’s last show at The Wall forget reception in both the indie and mainstream world,” said Justin Peroff, Broken Social some old habits in the process: “In classic (這牆) in 2008, which saw 500 people music press. Scene’s drummer and a member since the Broken Social Scene form, we couldn’t attending, according to Sky Tai (戴杏芳), For some, the album’s title and early days of the band, on the phone from help but write a whole bunch of songs in a musician and store manager at White Beloved Canadian subject matter have proven to be timely Toronto earlier this week. the moment and in the studio, which is Wabbit Records (小白兔唱片), which is in light of the violent protests at last “I’ve shared some really interesting maybe because our attention span is pretty promoting the concert. indie-rock collective Broken month’s G20 summit in Toronto, Broken conversations with my bandmates over the small. In doing so, we ended up writing 45 Tai says Broken Social Scene’s following Social Scene returns to Social Scene’s hometown. years [about] topics that we’re concerned songs or so.” in Taiwan started off slow but is beginning The band reacted to the events about,” said the 32-year-old, who considers The band managed to whittle to pick up. The band’s last concert in Taipei Taipei for a concert this Sunday by posting a music video made by an the events in Toronto to be a “shock.” Forgiveness down to 14 tracks. As for the might have sealed its appeal. anonymous fan for its instrumental song Another topic of concern for the band album title, Peroff says each bandmember “They have this feeling of brotherhood BY DAVid CHEN AND MAHSA AlimardaNI Meet Me in the Basement (www.youtube. might be found in the new song Texico has his or her own explanation. His take: [live on stage],” she said. “Everyone likes STAFF REPORTER AND CONTRIBUTING REPORTER com/watch?v=NiRjwpCrCMc) on its official Bitches, a deceptively carefree-sounding “As far as the word forgiveness goes, any that.” YouTube page, writing, “We are proud to pop tune with lyrics that easily read as record that any band or musician makes, a condemnation of big oil companies. certainly Broken Social Scene, is a bit of a PERFORMANCE NOTES It also displays the band’s knack for love letter ... and in any love letter one of sugarcoating a dark sentiment with a the emotions expressed is forgiveness.” WHAT: Broken Social Scene catchy hook. Does he need to be forgiven? And Peroff says the song makes him think for what? WHEN: Sunday at 7:30pm. Doors open at of The Smiths. “They wrote really sweet “I’m not asking for forgiveness and 6:30pm pop songs, but at the end of the day the not necessarily delivering forgiveness juxtaposition was that these sweet pop either, but maybe as a collective we are. WHERE: Legacy Taipei, located at Huashan songs had a lot of sadness and tragedy That seems a bit cryptic, but part of the 1914 Creative Park (華山1914) 1, Bade Rd intertwined and disguised within a pop adventure of music is to interpret it, so Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號) song,” he said. I don’t want to give away any endings “I don’t think [Texico Bitches] was too quickly.” intended to be that way, but it’s one of Here’s one ending that can be given ADMISSION: NT$2,200 at the door, those tunes that has that contrast of pop away for Sunday’s concert. Die-hard fans NT$1,800 in advance, available through song with an ultimately sad lyrical context won’t be seeing Broken Social Scene’s tickets.books.com.tw, or at White Wabbit — not in the same way as a Smiths song, past star female vocalists, each of whom Records’ (小白兔唱片行) Shida store, 1-1, but politically, for sure.” appears on the new album: Leslie Feist, Ln 21, Pucheng St, Taipei City (台北市浦城 Forgiveness Rock Record is perhaps the who now enjoys a successful solo career; 街21巷1-1號), tel: (02) 2369-7915, and at band’s most accessible recording to date. Emily Haines of new wave band Metric; White Wabbit’s store at The Wall, B1, 200, The experimental noise backdrops are still and Amy Millan, who happens to have an Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯 there, but there are fewer wandering jams, intensely loyal following in Taiwan with 福路四段200號B1), tel: (02) 8935-1454 and the songs are tighter. her band Stars. “We were really focused this time And despite the band’s reputation for ON THE NET: www.brokensocialscene.ca [ DANCE ] Poetry in motion Legend Lin Dance Theatre is heading south for two performances of ‘Song of Pensive Beholding’ BY DiaNE BAKER be performing in Taiwan, but who are united in protecting worth the trip to Kaohsiung. PERFORMANCE NOTES STAFF REPORTER outside Taipei. their land and their people. When There were murmurings The National Theater Concert December’s premiere of one of the brothers falls for the in December that Lin was WHAT: Legend Lin Dance Hall is moving outside its Song sold out. It was the mysterious White Bird, however, beginning to think of retirement. Theatre, Song of Pensive safety zone this weekend by for stunning conclusion to a trilogy their union triggers a sibling Even if she continues, it takes Beholding the first time restaging one of that Legend Lin founder and clash that spells the end of the years for her and her technical its “flagship” productions at a artistic director Lin Li-chen (林 brothers’ world as they know it. team — lighting designer WHEN: Tonight and tomorrow different venue. 麗珍) began 15 years ago. Lin’s choreography is not Cheng Fu-chang (鄭富長), stage at 7:30pm The Legend Lin Dance As she did with 1995’s about leaps and bounds. It is designer Chang Wang (張忘) PHOTO COURTESY OF Theatre (無垢舞蹈劇場) will Mirrors of Life (Miroirs de deeply rooted in the earth, in and Oscar-winning costume WHERE: Kaohsiung Cultural perform Song of Pensive Vie, 醮) and 2000’s Anthem to ancient rituals. Her movements designer Tim Yip (葉錦添) — to Center’s Chih-teh Hall (高雄市文 Beholding (Chants de la the Fading Flowers (Hymne are often excruciatingly slow, create a new work. All the more 化中心至德堂), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Destinee, 觀) at Kaohsiung aux Fleurs Qui Passent, 花神祭 though never monotonous, and reason to see the company now. Kaohsiung City (高雄市苓雅區五 春芽 福一路 號 THE Cultural Center’s Chih-teh Hall ), Lin created a beautiful, the sudden outbursts of action The alternative? You could 67 ) NATIO tonight and tomorrow. The mystical, primitive, meditation- are all the more startling for their wait until next year, when the N shows are the first time the filled world in Song that both rarity. Time, in Lin’s productions, company has been invited to ADMISSION: NT$300 to AL C K company — which engenders celebrates the sacred and is both at the center of the action perform Song at festivals in NT$1,500 (NT$1,200 and S C a cult-like following among its embraces the profane.