14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2009 • TIMES

ho is rigging the music W charts and mocking those who play fair and square? The story so far: Shiny Shoes Children’s Theater rings in the New Year with its Pop idol Alan Luo (羅 entertaining take on a Chinese legend. 志祥 ), also known as Photo courtesy of Shiny Shoes Children’s Theater Little Pig (小豬), beats ABT heartthrob Wang Lee-hom (王力 宏) and secures the top spot in G-music’s Beware the Year Monster sales charts. Wang’s An ancient Chinese legend holds that a human- label, Sony BMG, eating beast called the Year Monster (年獸) strikes back and emerges from the sea to wreak havoc on villages accuses Luo’s label, every Lunar New Year’s Eve. Deathly afraid of Gold Typhoon (金牌 the beast — which in the popular imagination 大風), of cheating on the sales appears with a long head topped with a figures. To maximize the news ferocious-looking horn — villagers would flee value of its barb, Sony held a their homes to the safety of the mountains. press conference calling for Shiny Shoes Children’s Theater (鞋子兒童實驗劇 an “honesty movement” to 團) revives the Chinese tale with its version The eradicate corrupt practices Year Monster Has Arrived (年獸來了). The family from the music chart industry. performance begins tomorrow at Taipei Cultural What intrigues gossip Center’s Wenshan Branch. journos more, however, is As the tale goes, one year an old man appears Sons of Homer lead vocalist Brandon Thompson, whose band plays two shows this weekend in Taipei. Photo: Alita Rickards Wang’s conspicuous absence in a village requesting shelter for the night. He from the event that was held claims to possess powers that can scare the under his name. According to frightening beast away. dirt dug up by Next magazine, But no one believes him and the villagers Sony is far from the innocent continue their yearly custom of fleeing to the bystander it claims to be. Sons of who? mountains. The man, however, stays behind and Facing the prospect of losing hangs lanterns and red banners throughout the Wang’s contract should his rreverent, tongue-in-cheek lyrics can be so distracting village. When the beast arrives, it is met with album not triumph, the label’s and amusing that the actual talent of a band is PERFORMANCE notes: firecrackers that the old man sets off. alleged attempt at buying off I dismissed. With more exposure to the music, The lanterns’ bright lights and the loud banging record retailers failed, and the however, some bands stand out and stick in your mind. noises scare the Year Monster and cause it to flee. sore loser put on a show of You realize that the irreverence can be, in itself, a talent, What: Sons of Homer with Stokey Pokey (tonight) and The When the townsfolk return the following day, bravado in a desperate move. a skill, and often a path to honesty. Originals (tomorrow) they find their village intact and their livestock Wang’s no-show at the press Wang Lee-hom, top, and Alan Luo’s When I first heard Sons of Homer, I assumed that still alive. conference was interpreted as record labels are duking it out for their name was a reference to Homer Simpson, or even Where and when: 10pm tonight at Bliss, 148, Xinyi Rd From then on, every Lunar New Year’s Eve, a refusal to get involved in the Mando-pop chart supremacy. a joking aside to Homer the Greek poet. In fact the Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段148號); 10pm tomorrow at villagers hang red banners, set off firecrackers and “war of words.” Photos: Taipei times name is an homage to their friend Homer Pastore. “He Underworld (地下社會), B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師 light lamps the whole night through, thus ensuring Those who did attend was a Filipino worker here. We were in a Taiwanese 大路45號B1) that the Year Monster stays away. couldn’t be blamed if they felt Niu is said to have had his cover band with him,” said vocalist Brandon Thompson. Shiny Shoes Children’s Theater has gained 周 eyes on Chang for a long time, used, especially ( “Man he’s an amazing guitar player, guy is like a juke Tickets: NT$200 admission for Bliss; NT$300 for admission a following among parents and children by 杰倫 and decided to make his move ). The Mando-pop king box, could play anything, and if he didn’t know it you and one drink at Underworld incorporating contemporary acting techniques was the center of the attention when the void left by A-Ben could give him the MP3 and he’d go home and learn and music into age-old tales. opened up. at the confab. A couple of it. His contract ran out and he had to go back to the On the Net: www.myspace.com/sonsofhomer The Year Monster Has Arrived will be years ago he implied that Another celebrity who has Philippines. Me, Andrew, and Stew were all in the performed tomorrow at 7:30pm and on Sunday 孫 Chen Tse-shan (陳澤杉), the a void to fill is Jack Sun ( cover band with him, and after he left his son died, and at 2:30pm at Taipei Cultural Center, Wenshan 道存), the former chairman celebrated music impresario, he never came back [to ]. We decided to call — we’ll play anything to make people happy.” Branch (社教館文山分館), B2, 32 Jingwen St, Taipei of Pacific Electric Wire had knowingly manipulated ourselves Sons of Homer, and then we went there [to the “New songs we’re going to debut, a song called City (台北市景文街32號B2). NT$200 tickets are the charts for his clients who and Cable. The practiced Philippines] to visit him and we brought him the CD, as Outside — reggae with a bit of ska, been listening to a lot available through NTCH ticketing or online at include (蔡依林). Casanova got beaten at his a memorial to his son.” of Alton Ellis who died last October and Prince Buster www.artsticket.com.tw. Sunday’s performance is In other star-studded news, own game by Chiu I-lin (邱羿 Guitarist Andrew Davis, bass player Stew Coonce and who has good dirty songs …” said Thompson. “My beef already sold out. — Noah Buchan actress Jessie Chang (張本 霖). Previously a young model Thompson have been together since 2007. “You lose a lot with reggae is that they’re always talking about making 渝) is proving to be highly of little import, Chiu rose to of momentum because you have the vagabond musicians, love but never say what they truly want, but Prince sought-after in the singles the dizzy heights of the tabloid people always going home,” said Thompson. Now the Buster does it, talks about having sex openly, market following her split front pages after she was band includes a second guitarist, Jesse Helton, and overtly, and this was in the ’60s!” with B-list star Ben Pai (白吉 romantically linked with the drummer Greg Russell. Now focusing more on originals, there are “at 勝), also known as A-Ben (阿 gray-haired tycoon who is old “It’s good that we are all friends because it gives about 16 completed original songs and another Top Five Ben). Having recovered from enough to be her father. us the carte blanche to say whatever we want. We can 20 that aren’t ready yet,” Thompson said. an aliment that last month As fame and job offers say, ‘I don’t like this, let’s change this,’ without hurt The Sons of Homer repertoire ranges from Mandarin AlbumS prompted two concerned males came her way, the fair maiden feelings, no walls up, can take the piss — the greatest 1970s cock rock and surf punk in songs like to offer their TLC services, the wasted no time in ditching her part is we’ll all get behind whatever someone brings Missile to beat-poetry songs that tell a story like Jan. 2 to Jan. 8 belle was spotted having lunch sugar daddy, saying she has in,” said Thompson. “The two guitarists, Jesse and Peyote Coyote, which is about a man lost in the with top-drawer bachelor Niu no feelings for Sun. Andrew, they wrote a song about making love to my desert who sucks a cactus in desperation. Then Fahrenheit (飛輪海) and Love You More and More (越來越愛) Chien-chiao (牛建喬). Will she return the mother that my brother hates. It’s possible they wrote there are their ballads, blues and pop tunes, and 1 with 28 percent of sales Born to an affluent family NT$200,000 Cartier watch it as a compliment to me.” to top it off the multilingual Night Market Blues Sun gave her as a gift? “I that made its fortune in the The band is scattered across the country, with in English, Mandarin and Taiwanese. Alan Luo (羅志祥) and Trendy Man (潮男正傳) with 14.87% textile industry, the 46- wanted to, but was afraid that members in Tainan, Ilan and Taipei. “Andrew starts They were one of the best expat bands of 2 he might feel hurt if I did,” year-old businessman and recording down south, sends an MP3 and Stew will add last year. “We’ve been really impressed with Mayday (五月天) and Poetry of the Day After (後青春期的詩) Chiu was quoted as saying designer is, apparently, a big bass, we send the music back and forth and add to it, the crowds,” said Thompson. “We had a show 3 with 13.11% player in the dating game. He in the Apple Daily. Pop Stop then get together and play it [live] and give feedback.” at APA [in Ximending (西門町)] and so many reportedly had a short affair thinks that sounds about as They are hitting Taipei this weekend, playing at Bliss people had heard us on MySpace or YouTube Wang Lee-hom (王力宏) and Heart Beat (心．跳) with 6.23% with former Mando-pop queen genuine as a NT$3,000 “Rolex” tonight and at Underworld tomorrow night. that I didn’t even have to sing, I could hold the 4 Coco Lee (李玟) and was one of procured in the back alley of a “I love to interact with the audience,” said Thompson. mic out and the audience knew all the words. I Khalil Fang (方大同) with Orange Moon (橙月) with 0.7% local sweetheart Patty Hou’s night market. “The crowd seems to be very receptive to what we bring. felt like a real rock star.” 5 (侯佩岑) rumored boyfriends. — Compiled by Ho Yi Our songs are catchy, maybe sometimes too poppy — Alita Rickards Album chart compiled from G-Music (www.g-music.com.tw), based on retail sales

[ EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT ]

Times for a review of the production.] THC, along with DJs Saucey, Ting, 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25, Katzu and Taili. [See Vinyl Word on City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). For Theater Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德 Page 15.] more information, call (02) 2362-5494 Tony-award winning musical Smokey 路三段25號) Highlight B1, 77, Wuchang St Sec 2, Taipei City or visit www.witchhouse.org Joe’s Cafe makes its Taipei debut Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and The Nanwan Sisters (南王姐妹花), (台北市武昌街二段77號B1). Tel: (02) Performances start at 9:30pm. tonight. Director Brook Hall has changed tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm a trio of Puyuma singers from Taitung, 2314-1868 Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist the work slightly to suit local tastes and Tickets are NT$1,000 to NT$4,000, appear tonight at 8pm at Eslite Show starts at 11pm tonight bookstore and large collection of the show’s 13 multi-talented actors all available through NTCH ticketing Bookstore on Xinyi Road (誠品信義 NT$350 admission includes one drink board games open 11am to midnight hail from Taiwan. Performances are in 店) for a free performance to promote Sundays through Wednesdays; 11am English with Chinese subtitles. Human Condition (人間條件) by their debut album, Nanwan Sisters, Tonight The Wall (這牆) hosts to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays National Taiwan Arts Education Green Ray Theater (綠光劇團) centers Honey Voices (南王姐妹花 中古美少女 Scottish post-rock legends Mogwai, Entrance for music shows is NT$300 Center (國立台灣藝術教育館本部及演藝 on the life of a 17-year-old girl who 篇). [See Page 14 of the Jan. 14, 2009, who christened the venue when it and includes one drink 廳), 47 Nanhai Rd, Taipei City (台北市南 rebels against her dysfunctional edition of the Taipei Times for a review opened in 2003. [See story on Page 海路47號) family’s listless existence. One day, of the CD.] 15.] Tomorrow’s show organized Session guitarist Mike McLaughlin Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and the grandmother’s spirit returns and The album, a mix of contemporary by Back���������� 2 the F�uture���������� (B2TF�,� 回到未 and bassist Brian Chiu (邱培榮) tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm possesses her teenage granddaughter. and traditional Puyuma songs, was 來) and featuring Melt Banana, an perform original blues, jazz and funk Tickets are NT$500 to NT$900, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念 conceived and produced by Golden experimental Japanese noise-rock compositions with a drummer and available through NTCH ticketing 館), 505, Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台 Melody Award recipient Pau-dull The Nanwan Sisters, a trio of Puyuma vocalists from Taitung, perform in a band with a large following in the US keyboard player tonight at Riverside 北市仁愛路四段505號) (陳建年), who is a childhood friend free show with singer-songwriter Pau-dull tonight at Eslite Bookstore’s flagship and Europe, has been canceled due to Cafe (河岸留言). Mando-pop singer 寶島一村 申東靖 The Village ( ) takes a Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm of the group’s members. Pau-dull branch on Xinyi Road. Photo Courtesy of Taiwan Colors Music a bandmember’s illness. Melt Banana Shen Tung-ching ( ) makes his nostalgic look at Taiwan’s veteran Tickets are NT$500 to NT$3,000, played a variety of instruments for plans to perform in Taipei later this debut tomorrow night. villages through the lives of three available through ERA ticketing the album ranging from the double year. Sunday’s show, which features B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, families, from 1949 to the present day. bass to accordion and wrote half of the album’s songs The Nanwan Sisters with Pau-dull, 8pm tonight at Eslite indie-rock groups 1976, Tizzy Bac, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷 Television producer Wang Wei-chung in their native Puyuma language. Other selections Xinyi Music Store (信義誠品音樂館), 4F, Eslite Xinyi Store (誠 929 and Orangegrass 2號B1), next to Taipower Building (台 (王偉忠) teams up with respected Classical music include traditional wedding and party songs. Pau-dull, 品信義店), 11 Songgao Rd, Taipei City (台北市松高路11號) (橙草), is already sold out. 電大樓). Call (02) 2368-7310 or visit director Stan Lai (賴聲川) to produce Ariel Sung 2009 Concert (宋文 who works as a police officer on Lanyu (蘭嶼), is also Entrance is free B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei www.riverside.com.tw for more a dramatic and humorous work about 2009台灣演唱會) features Canada- scheduled to appear at the show. On the Net: www.tcmusic.com.tw/cd/045/Default.htm City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Call information the communities that did much to based soprano Ariel Sung (宋文) in (02) 2930-0162 or visit www.thewall. Shows start at 9pm shape modern Taiwan. concert with the Evergreen Philhar- com.tw for more information Entrance is NT$400 tonight and Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中市中 monic Orchestra (長榮交響樂團) under 離 — 王思雅朱塞佩卡塔多vs 樂興 online at www.artsticket.com.tw Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei Shows starts at 8pm tonight and NT$500 tomorrow, includes one drink 山堂), 98 Hsuehshi Rd, Taichung City Gernot Schmalfuss. She will perform 之時) will showcase This Time, That City (台北市松壽路3-1號) 8pm Sunday (台中市學士路98號) arias by Offenbach, Puccini, Massenet Time (此時彼時) by composer Wang 35th Yamaha Junior Original Tickets for tomorrow are NT$150. The Entrance is NT$2,800 tonight and Tonight at Riverside Live House Tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Mascagni. Si-ya (王思雅), a work for multimedia Concert (第35屆山葉兒童創作曲發表 concert on Sunday is sold out NT$400 on Sunday (sold out) (西門紅樓展演館) in Ximending’s Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,800, Tomorrow at 7:30pm and small orchestra. The rest of the 會) is a concert for child composers historic Red House Theater (西門紅樓), available through NTCH ticketing Hsinchu Municipal Performance Hall program includes Mozart’s Eine and performers. Performances will Tonight at Witch House, (女巫店) it’s Mando-pop singers Lan You-shi (新竹市立演藝廳), 17, Tungta Rd Sec 2, Kleine Nachtmusik and Beethoven’s be on piano or Electone, as solo Contemporary indie rockers Peppermint (薄荷葉) (藍又時) and A-pay (阿霈). Pop singer Tickets for Godot Theater Company’s Hsinchu City (新竹市東大路二段17號) Symphony No. 7 in A Major Op. pieces or with orchestral or choral Tomorrow night at VU Live House take to the stage, while tomorrow it’s Victor Wong (品冠) performs a “New (果陀劇場) much-anticipated Chinese- Tickets are NT$300 to NT$2,000, 92. Music will be performed by accompaniment. More information the Dub Supervisors, a group of Ricepublic (愛吃飯創作合作社), an Year’s concert” tomorrow night. language production of Shakespeare’s available through ERA ticketing or Philharmonia Moment Musical (樂興之 about this international event for reggae bands and MCs, take over acoustic group that combines guitar 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西 Othello (針鋒對決) are running online at www.ticket.com.tw 時) conducted by Giuseppe Cataldo. children can be found at the house, with live music from and bass with video presentations 寧南路177號). Call (02) 2370-8805 or out fast. The production features Today at 7:30pm www.yamahakhs.com. High Tide and The Originals. Also based on the theme of organic rice visit www.riverside.com.tw for more accomplished Taiwanese stage actors Serenade, Dance, Intoxication Novel Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Tomorrow at Chunghsing Concert appearing will be trip-hop musician farming. On Thursday Yujun (榆鈞) will information Lee Li-chun (李立群) and Chih Shih- — Philharmonia Moment Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號) Hall, Taichung (台中中興堂), 291-3 Ritchie Partridge, formerly of read poetry to the music of Japanese Shows starts at 8:30pm chieh (金士傑). [See Page 14 of the Musical with Wang Si-ya and Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200, Chingwu Rd, Taichung City (台中市精 Massive Attack, MCs Rankin Kim sitar player Yo, followed by indie-folk Entrance NT$450 tonight and Sept. 19, 2008, edition of the Taipei Giuseppe Cataldo (舞．夜．迷 available through NTCH ticketing or 武路291之3號), and Sunday at Novel of Pan Africana and Shaman of duo U.TA (屋塔樂團). NT$500 tomorrow, includes one drink