Monsters of Rock, Coming Through
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14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2009 • TAIPEI TIMES BY DAVid CHEN MUSIC STOP Monsters of rock, coming through inkin Park. Those two words alone are probably enough to attract COMPILED BY NOAH BucHAN swarms of young, mosh-hungry rock SUMMIT NOTES: Lfans to Banciao Stadium (台北縣立板橋體育 none other than Yang Chung-hsien 館) in Taipei County on Thursday, when WHAT: 2009 Summer Rock (楊宗憲), Yang Tang-kuei’s son, as the group makes its second appearance Summit (夏日搖滾高峰會) featuring the pair were rumored to be an in Taiwan. Japanese group Vamps, Linkin Park, item at the time. The elder Yang The chart-topping American nu-metal Hoobastank and All American Rejects reportedly objected to the band headlines next week’s Summer Rock 夏日搖滾高峰會 relationship because Chu Ko Summit ( ), a set of concerts WHEN AND WHERE: Liang owed him so much money. that also features Vamps of Japan, and When asked why she kept her Hoobastank and The All-American Rejects VAMPS: 8pm, Tuesday and son out of the public gaze, Hsieh of the US. ► said that any news about her On its first visit to Taiwan in 2007, Wednesday at Huashan Culture 華山化園區 family would invariably mention Linkin Park played a sold-out show for Park ( ), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, debt and gangsters. 40,000 people at Taipei’s Zhongshan Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號); Chu Ko Liang, meanwhile, said Football Stadium (中山足球場), which closest MRT station is Zhongxiao he couldn’t be happier that he is organizers say was Taiwan’s highest- Xinsheng, Exit 1 (忠孝新生捷運站1號 a grandfather and wants to meet selling concert since Michael Jackson. 出口) the child, and Hsieh, as soon as This time the group is joined by two LINKIN PARK, HOOBASTANK Rachel Fu and Charles Chen aren’t so possible. He also said he hopes that opening bands that are enjoying modest ► the father is Yang Chung-hsien. mainstream chart success in the US: The AND THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS: lovey-dovey any more. PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES A public reunion is planned. All-American Rejects have an emo-pop 6pm, Thursday, at Banciao Stadium angsters, gambling, a What does it all mean? sound; Hoobastank plays grungy but Vamps, a J-rock glam metal band, appears at the Summer Rock Summit at Huashan Culture Park on Tuesday (台北縣立板橋體育館) in Taipei County; decade on the lam, a career Increased TV ratings, for one. polished hard rock and is best known and Wednesday nights. PHOTO COURTESY OF SUPER TELEVISION closest MRT station is Banciao Station, comeback and now a mystery The added attention was matched for its hit ballad, The Reason. Both Exit 2 (板橋捷運站2號出口) Gchild: Chu Ko Liang’s (豬哥亮) life by a jump in viewers for Chu Ko bands match the whiny, angst-ridden Taiwan has seen a relatively large at Nangang 101 (南港101) on Wednesday. is the stuff of soap opera. Liang’s show. temperament of Linkin Park’s music, which number of big-name rock acts this Linkin Park, Hoobastank and All TICKETS: Tickets for Vamps concerts For those who have hibernating, In more mundane news, the melds together heavy metal and hip-hop. summer, thanks in part to Summer Sonic, American Rejects are no exception, and are NT$1,200, NT$2,400 and NT$3,600; Chu Ko Liang rose to stardom and public marital problems between Vamps, who appear on Tuesday and which alongside Fuji Rock is one of will arrive in Taipei fresh from their own tickets for Linkin Park concert are wealth in the 1980s as a stand-up singer Rachel Fu (傅天穎) and Wednesday at Huashan Culture Park (華 Japan’s major summer festivals. sets at Summer Sonic. NT$1,600 to NT$4,500. Tickets are 陳子強 comedian. Off stage, however, Charles Chen ( ) reached 山化園區), play a high-energy mix of epic Local promoters have been taking Organizers say Linkin Park does not available through ERA ticketing he racked up gambling debts to a crescendo over the weekend advantage of the festival’s timing and plan to cut its show short even though hard rock, glam metal and pop, with outlets, online at www.ticket.com.tw, underworld figures and is said to when Fu was admitted to hospital songs written from the point of view proximity. With the exception of Vamps, other bands are sharing the bill, so or at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks have owed his boss, Yang Tang- after allegedly slashing her wrist. of vampires. The band was founded all of the major acts that have appeared audience members can expect a show kuei (楊登魁), NT$120 million. According to United Daily by Hyde, the charismatic singer and in Taiwan this summer are also appearing lasting nearly four hours. So Chu Ko Liang did what News, she showed up at the guitarist for the popular Japanese rock at Summer Sonic in Osaka and Tokyo this For more on Linkin Park, see any debtor might do and went hospital with a 3cm-long wound band L’Arc~en~Ciel. He and guitarist and weekend: UK alt-rock band Placebo, trip- our interview with lead singer into hiding, breaking his contract on her wrist and smelling of co-founder K.A.Z. cite King Crimson and hop artist Tricky, post-rock band Mew and Chester Bennington in the July 8, with Yang. alcohol. Cue innuendo that she Motley Crue as influences. Nine Inch Nails, which performs in Taipei 2009, edition of the Taipei Times. Fast forward to February of tried to take her own life because this year, when intrepid Apple Chen is rumored to have played Daily photographers caught up away from home. BY D A V id C H E N with Chu Ko Liang in southern Fu later denied reports that MUSIC Taiwan, where he was reportedly she had tried to commit suicide, working at a temple. Fellow and said she had fallen down and entertainers Yu Tien (余天) and cut herself on broken glass. Kao Ling-feng (高凌風) called for When contacted by reporters Real Taiwan his return to television so that for comment, Chen said, “She Chu Ko Liang could wipe the has to be responsible for her or beach getaways, Taitung scene; Stoned Rockerz, which Red-I Matka and De Hot, which won slate clean. own actions,” a response that, can’t be beat, says reggae describes as one of Japan’s top the battle of the bands at this Yu brokered a meeting needless to say, didn’t endear him musician Red-I. “You’d think backing reggae bands; Filipina singer year’s Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival, between Yang and Chu, and to observers. Fyou were in Tahiti, ya know?” Phatty Maria, who was the 2008 performs a blend of reggae, rock according to the China Times, Perhaps Chen should have Red-I, aka Patrick Chen, Japan Dancehall Queen Champion; and Paiwan music tomorrow night. the former knocked 80 percent shown the kind of remorse that is among a handful of artists and Papa U-gee, another veteran Red-I’s previous group, the off the total owed, leaving the Chu Ko Liang specializes in and performing at the Taitung Music singer in the Japanese scene. Riddim Outlawz, disbanded, funnyman with NT$24 million to blubbered in front of the camera Festival (東海岸音樂季), which starts The lineup of international and he now spends much of his pay back. for forgiveness. tonight and features live reggae, performers was organized by Red-I, time touring the reggae circuit in The deal stipulated that Chu Aboriginal and jazz music at a scenic who grew up in Canada and honed Japan and the Philippines. But FESTIVAL NOTES: Ko Liang, whose disloyalty seems Chu Ko Liang ain’t too proud to beg. beachside area in Taitung County. his musical skills as a young adult he promises a spirited show on to have been forgotten, has to give PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES The festival, now in its in Belize and Mexico. Sunday. “I got a lot of tricks to pop WHAT: Taitung Music Festival (東海岸音樂季) Yang 20 percent of his earnings third year, presents some of He says the event is a rare out the hat, man,” he said. WHERE: Jialulan Recreation Area (伽路蘭遊憩區), located until he clears the lot. He now Taiwan’s most prominent chance to catch some top-notch Last year the festival attracted off Highway 11 (台11線公路), south of Dulan (都蘭), Taitung receives NT$300,000 per show for Aboriginal musicians along with bands from the Pan-Asian reggae 25,000 visitors over nine days, County and north of Taitung City, near the 157.5km marker his new program, Chu Ko Hui accomplished music groups from scene. “I don’t care where you go in according to the Taitung County WHEN: Tonight, tomorrow and Sunday from 4pm to 10pm She (豬哥會社). Japan and the Philippines. Taiwan, but you’re not [normally] Government, which sponsors the GETTING THERE: Scooter and bikes can be rented across the It remains unclear how Chu Ko Performers include Japanese going to get to see half of these event. Red-I estimated that the street from Taitung Train Station. By scooter it’s only a few Liang will repay his other debts. musician Oki, who plays the bands for free.” crowd on Saturday night last year minutes away, and on a bicycle it’s about a 30-minute ride. This past week, the Liberty tonkori, a traditional stringed Even though Caribbean sounds was 5,000-strong. Take Highway 11 heading north to Jialulan. The festival site is Times (the Taipei Times’ sister instrument of the Ainu, an dominate the evening program, He says the event’s location is just after Fugang Harbor (富岡港).