Fuji Rock Artists Sound out Taiwan
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A R O U N D T O W N 發光的城市 15 TAIPEI TIMES • FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010 BY DAVid FraZier MUSIC PERFORMANCE noTES Fuji Rock artists sound out Taiwan WHAT: Fuji Rock Festival WHERE: Naeba, Japan long with baking heat, air-conditioner and pop will sweep through East Asia, and reggae band, Matzka, will play the Jisan Valley “the live performance is king.” WHEN: July 30 to Aug. 1 drip and typhoon alerts, late though we will get to see many of them in Taipei Rockfestival, also in South Korea. “I personally go to other festivals, like SXSW, ADMISSION: Three-day passes are 9,800 July signals the coming of — Massive Attack, Broken Social Scene, Atari Fuji Rock, in its 14th year and located in a ski the Great Escape and ADA to check for new yen (NT$14,800) Athe summer music festival Teenage Riot and Steve Aoki to name a few resort 150km north of Tokyo, however, ranks artists. We’re always looking. A good record ON THE NET: www.smash-uk.com/frf10 season. In the next few — the epicenter of this annual rock ’n’ roll as the senior Asian rock fest. The headliners it creates interest, but if the artist’s show is no weeks, several of the earthquake continues to be in Japan. announces as early as February each year now good. Then we have to pass,” he says. WHAT: Summer Sonic, with Stevie world’s biggest Both the Fuji Rock Festival, from July 30 to regularly add dates at other concerts in Taiwan But as a camping festival where many of the Wonder, Jay Z, Smashing Pumpkins and names in Aug. 1 in Naeba, Japan, and Summer Sonic, in and South Korea, such as the upcoming TWinkle 40,000 attendees at Fuji Rock each day have Taylor Swift rock Tokyo and Osaka on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8, boast Festival at the Taipei World Trade Center been coming for several years, the event has WHERE: Chiba Marine Stadium (near monster lineups that are feeding the region. Nangang Exhibition Hall (台北世界貿易中心南港展覽 become about more than just music. Tokyo) and Miashima (near Osaka) Taiwanese bands will play a small part in 館), which has managed to recruit Massive Attack, “As time goes on, the festival has developed WHEN: Aug. 7 to Aug. 8 from 11am in the action. Go Chic, a Taipei foursome mixing Kula Shaker and Ian Brown from Fuji Rock’s into not being just about rock performances,” both cities (the lineups switch cities from dance rock with riot grrrl energy, will become lineup. [See Highlight below.] says Fingers. “Fuji Rock is a social and lifestyle day one to day two) the third Taiwanese band to play Fuji Rock Other headliners at this year’s Fuji Rock event, a weekend away from the Monday-to- ADMISSION: Two-day passes are 29,000 when it performs there next Saturday night. At include the Brit band Muse as well as one of the Friday grind in a beautiful setting. The audience yen (NT$10,700) for�������������������� Tokyo ����������and 26,500 the same time, they will also become the first first concerts in 20 years by new wave pioneers has grown to think of it as their festival, and we non-Japanese band to play the Rookie-a-Go-Go Roxy Music. They are joined at the top of the have that in mind all the time.” (NT$9,800) yen for Osaka stage there, a free stage outside the festival bill by John Fogerty, who played Woodstock Summer Sonic, Japan’s urban summer rock ON THE NET: www.summersonic.com gates where bands compete for a proper berth with Creedence Clearwater Revival over 40 festival, poses a sharp contrast. Held just one in the next year’s festival. years ago, and a new band called Crooked week after Fuji Rock in a baseball stadium Taiwan’s senior rocker Wu Bai Vultures that includes Nirvana drummer Dave and convention center on the fringes of metro For Taiwan’s music fans, the magnetic (伍佰) is also traveling to South Grohl and Led Zepplin bass player John Paul Tokyo, its lineup plays out like the wet dream of draw of such big names and mega-festivals is Korea’s Pentaport Festival, Jones. And that’s just the festival’s main stage. some music company executive. increasingly enough to overcome the steep where he performs On Fuji Rock’s 14 other stages, leading indies Taylor Swift and Jay-Z will fill the niche for ticket prices. (Festival passes alone can cost today, and next like electro-pop duo Air and dance rockers MGMT current Top-40 talent, while an all-star lineup of NT$10,000 to NT$15,000). weekend will cap an utterly eclectic offering of more than 90s alternative and hip-hop acts will be filled out A Facebook group called “I Want to Go to Fuji Taiwan’s 250 acts that spans from big-band mambo groups, by the Smashing Pumpkins, the Pixies, Pavement Rock” (我要去 Fuji Rock) has so far garnered more best hula dancers and all varieties of rock to all-night and A Tribe Called Quest. But the top festival than 350 fans, of whom around 30 will make the raves and even circus sideshow acts. slot goes to none other than the 60-year-old R pilgrimage to Fuji Rock this year. In the festival When it comes to choosing artists, says ’n’ B legend Stevie Wonder, who’s already been campground, they plan to fly a flag with the Johnnie Fingers, one of Fuji Rock’s promoters, generating headlines for performances at major Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s “Taiwan” logo and the Jay-Z, left, the Pixies and Stevie Wonder are among the acts scheduled for next month’s European festivals in the early part of the summer. words “I am Taiwanese” (哇系台灣郎). Summer Sonic Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL D. ZARAZUA EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE VINYL WORD BY QueeN Bee Night Club.” On Sunday Canadian indie- renowned metal musicians Michael tonight at Sappho de Base, the late- Theater Classical music rock collective Broken Social Scene Angelo and Neil Zaza perform in a night lounge bar and hangout for takes the stage [see article on Page 13]. tribute to the late Ronnie James Dio. musicians from Taipei’s jazz and blues Xinbei City International Arts As part of the International Chopin On Tuesday, the TWinkle Rock Festival Also appearing is local hard-rock guitar scene. Tomorrow the venue hosts Jo Jo Festival (2010新北市藝術節) is an Festival 2010 (20X10蕭邦CHOPIN國際 kicks off with UK psychedelic Brit-pop hero Marty Young (楊沛霖). Ma Quintet, a group led by international art carnival that began 音樂節), pianist Gwhyenth Chen (陳毓襄), band Kula Shaker. ■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西 saxophonist Joseph Marchione. The early this month and runs through Oct. who first performed with the Los Angeles ■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park 寧南路177號). Tel: (02) 2370-8805. On the Emo Jazz Trio appears on Tuesday, 24. Forty-three groups from six Philharmonic Orchestra when she was (華山1914), Center Five Hall (中五館), 1, Net: www.riverside.com.tw saxophonist Klaus Bru’s plays on countries including Malaysia, Australia, just 13, will perform a program of Chopin Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路 ■ Shows start at 8:30pm tonight and Wednesday, and TNT Jazz hosts an Italy and the US are scheduled to bring nocturnes and ballads in two concerts 一段1號) tomorrow and 7pm on Sunday open jam on Thursday. a myriad of theatrical, music, acrobatic over the weekend. ■ Shows start at 8pm tonight and ■ Admission is NT$400 tonight and ■ B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei and multimedia shows to more than ■ Today at 7:30pm (Taipei) and tomorrow, Sunday at 7:30pm and tomorrow and NT$600 or NT$900 on City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1). 20 towns and villages in Taipei County. tomorrow at 7:30pm (Taichung) Tuesday at 8:30pm Sunday afternoon. Tickets can purchased Tel: (02) 2700-5411. On the Net: Performing groups slated for this week ■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City, and ■ Admission is NT$1,400, NT$1,600 or online through www.riverside.com.tw/ www.sappho102.biz include Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Chunghsing Concert Hall, Taichung (台中 NT$2,000 tonight and tomorrow, livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw ■ Music shows begin at 10pm Cultural Group (明華園戲劇總團) and If 中興堂), 291-3 Cingwu Rd, Taichung City NT$2,200 on Sunday (NT$1,800 in ■ Entrance is NT$100 tonight and Kids Theater Company (如果兒童劇團). (台中市精武路291之3號) advance) and NT$1,800 on Tuesday Tonight Underworld (地下社會) hosts Wednesday and NT$150 tomorrow, free For more information, go to ■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,800 (NT$1,650 in advance). Tickets can be expat rockers Half Mile Radius and Mr on other nights www.xinbei-arts.com. (Taipei) and NT$350 to NT$1,000 purchased at ERA ticketing outlets, online Dirty. Electro-rock band Sunset ■ Major venues include Taipei County (Taipei), available through ERA ticketing through www.ticket.com.tw or www. Rollercoaster and Nintendo The Wall (這牆) programs regular live Arts Center (台北縣藝文中心演藝廳), 62 or online at www ticket.com.tw. Also legacy.com.tw or at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks Generation Blues (任天堂世代憂鬱) rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Jhuangjing Rd, Banciao City, Taipei available before the day of the take the stage tomorrow. Roxymoron Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). County (台北縣板橋市莊敬路62號) and performance through 7-Eleven ibon, Indie rockers Touming Magazine (透 appears on Wednesday. Tonight features punk group Autumn the East Plaza (東岸廣場) in Bitan (碧潭) Family Mart (全家) FamiPort and Hi-Life 明雜誌), electro-rock band Sunset ■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師 Tiger, The Last Chance and Drum ■ Admission to most shows is free.