Come On, Feel the Noise

Home , Comedy rock, Gillian Chung, Jeneration, Jolin Tsai

14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009 • TAIPEI TIMES Come on, feel the noise

hen it is windy, I can hear the sound of interview with the Taipei Times. when we play in Europe and [the] USA. It does not [a] train far away from my window. It is “Then my relatives [will] stop asking me when I happen in Japan.” “W nice,” said singer Yasuko “Yako” Onuki, will be on TV,” she said. The band’s show tonight, which was organized 回 dison Chen (陳冠希) Gillian Chung’s hangin’ tough. describing one of her favorite non-musical sounds. She also noted that the band sees less diversity by Taipei party crew Back 2 the Future (B2TF, But Yako’s band, Melt-Banana, sounds more like in ages at shows at home. “We sometimes see 到未來), marks its first time in Taiwan, and Yako is has been threatened Photo: Taipei times with a letter containing trains colliding at full speed — and that’s putting children like 6 or 7 years old and also expecting a lively crowd. E it mildly. people like 70 or 80 years old Yako said she met Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite at a bullet, a Hong Kong television at a press conference to promote a The Japanese four-piece, which the band’s Tokyo gig, who told her that Taiwanese station reported yesterday. jeans brand, her first endorsement performs at The Wall (這牆) in Taipei audiences are more energetic than those in Japan. For anyone who has been deal since Chen’s privates became tonight, is often described as a “noise “Japanese audience[s] are basically quiet unless it hiding under a rock or living in a public. The Canto-pop star wore rock” band. Their music has bits of is punk or metal show,” she wrote. cave for the past year, the Edison a purple T-shirt that said “tough” hardcore, thrash metal and punk Yako, who says she would like to visit Jiufen Chen photo scandal broke in and unveiled a billboard ad rock, but played at even faster and (九份) as its scenery inspired scenes in Hayao January 2008 when nude snapshots that showed her with a serious more furious speeds. Miyazaki’s film Spirited Away, said the band’s set of the Chinese-Canadian actor in expression, surrounded by models For many fans and patient listeners, noise tonight will mostly draw from their latest albums flagrante delicto with eight female wearing monster masks. is just part of Melt-Banana’s music. What Cell-Scape (2004) and Bambi’s Dilemma (2007). starlets — including Gillian Chung “This was a very long year. It sets the group apart is how it wields chaos: These albums are considered Melt-Banana’s (鍾欣桐), Cecilia Cheung (張柏芝) was very hard to get through. I Yako’s vocals range from manic, rhythmic most accessible works. Songs like Chainshot to and Bobo Chen (陳文媛) — were was lucky to have many people barks to melodic chirps. Guitarist Ichirou Have Some Fun from Cell-Scape run at the band’s stolen off of his laptop and subse- who supported me,” she said. Agata, who wears a surgical mask on typical breakneck pace, but their chord changes and quently plastered all over gossip Also bemoaning the loss of his stage, looks like a mad scientist as he catchy refrains have a near-pop feel. rags and entertainment blogs. dignity this week was Taiwanese twists the knobs on a dizzying array But die-hard fans need not worry. Yako said the Hong Kong’s Cable TV said actor Jonathan Chen (陳俊生), of effects pedals, drawing out endless band will also play a few gems from its early days, an anonymous English-language who was photographed fighting variations of howls and screeches including some that run under 20 seconds. letter warned Chen not to appear with his 19-year-old girlfriend in from his instrument. While the band dabbled in improvisation on at any promotional events and Taipei. Highlights included Chen This penchant for sonic albums like 1994’s Cactuses Come in Flocks, threatened him with harm if he screaming, “That is not a real experimentation is not just some they prefer “designed structure” in their music. “I did. The station said it received apology! I’m not going to accept passing phase. Melt-Banana has been sometimes enjoy improvising, but I think I enjoy the letter on Wednesday. that! I want a real apology!” and his at it since 1992, and over the years has the process of building the structure of the song,” Hong Kong’s entertainment girlfriend accidentally smacking become associated with some high-profile said Yako. industry has long been tainted by him in the nose when she indie-music figures. For now, most of Melt-Banana’s fans in Japan are its connections with organized reached out to placate him before The late British DJ John Peel was a fan likely to remain at the college age, but Yako has a crime, and last year gangsters were collapsing to the ground in tears. and hosted the band on his BBC radio few keen listeners from a different generation. allegedly offering HK$500,000 for Reports of the brouhaha program; Jim O’Rourke (producer and “Yes, my parents have listened to my records. one of Chen’s hands. also delighted in reminding the musician of Sonic Youth and Wilco fame) They say it is getting better,” she said. The TV report yesterday did public that seven years ago Chen and recording engineer Steve Albini not say if the letter, which was was caught at the Core Pacific — David Chen have helped produce past Melt-Banana mailed with a gold-colored bullet, City Mall (京華城) dressed as a albums; the band has toured with explicitly linked the threat with “big-boobed hottie.” At the time, proto-grunge group The Melvins and the sex photo scandal, and did Chen said his gender-bending Performance notes: Grammy-winning metal band Tool. not specify the type of harm Chen get-up was a publicity stunt for But despite having cultivated a could suffer if he ignored it. a film, but the incident led to loyal fanbase through repeated The envelope that carried the ceaseless speculation about his and extensive tours of the US What: Melt-Banana of Japan; also appearing are metal band letter had US postage stamps stuck sexual orientation. In the last and Europe, Melt-Banana has Ashen and DJ Two and a Half onto it and the return address was few years, Chen has reinvented a less obvious following in in Pennsylvania, Cable TV said. himself as a businessman after Japan. Do they lament the When: Tonight at 9pm Chen and the women featured developing a digital learning relative lack of enthusiasm in his homemade porno stash have system that is supposed to improve for experimental and noise Where: The Wall (這牆), B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei only recently started to resurface. users’ memories. His screaming rock at home? City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Tel: (02) 2930-0162 The 28-year-old testified two weeks match with his teenage lover, “It does not bother us, Big pretty much everywhere ago against a computer technician however, is one more incident he but it would be nice if more else except Japan. Tickets: NT$800 accused of stealing the photos probably wants the entire world people know that there are many musicians who Photo courtesy of Melt-Banana from his laptop, and he attended a to forget. When a reporter from play many kinds of music in the world [outside On the Net: www.myspace.com/azap; promotional event at a Singapore the Liberty Times (自由時報) of] musicians on TV,” wrote Yako in an e-mail www1.parkcity.ne.jp/mltbanan; www.thewall.com.tw�� hamburger restaurant later that called for comment, Chen said in week. Gillian Chung and Cecilia exasperation, “Let’s stop talking Cheung, who are also 28, have about this, okay?” discussed the scandal in television Fellow Taiwanese actor interviews in recent weeks. Jamie Weng (翁家明) also had an Ball New troupe Rock In Hose Burlesque will make its musical performance, your body’s in there ... we’ve In a tearful interview with unforgettable but regrettable week debut this weekend at the circus. been together for five years and it’s not about ‘can I iCable earlier this month, Cheung after news broke that he’d been continued from p13 Lustsluts Burlesque, the Hualien-based troupe that play the drums or can he play guitar’ anymore. It’s raged at Chen for not personally caught diddling a flight attendant, Usually twins JT and JD Long have their mother help performed last year, has disbanded, but it was a huge about getting up there — we write songs together, apologizing to her after the photos which threw his marriage with out with producing their band T-shirts, but this year inspiration to the formation of this new, Taipei-based and it’s a feeling when we get on stage where you were leaked, even as he made a actress Grace Yu (俞小凡) into a the design is too risque — a sexy retro girl posing group (I know because I’m a member). completely get into the show.” somber public mea culpa to his crisis. The matter wasn’t helped — so they did it on their own. What is the obsession Copps said this year they worked on getting bands They want to do something different, said fans. Chen stated last month in a when reports surfaced that with the pulp fiction pinup girls that features with energetic showmanship. JT Long said when they Copps: “it’s a chance for people who are shy court hearing in Vancouver that Weng had also been spotted prominently on their fliers, CDs and T-shirts? see a band, they know if it’s “circus material.” to have fun and do some stupid stuff … to get he had been determined to protect escorting their daughter’s married “They’re hot!” said Copps. The Vibes met The Drexel while on tour and involved.” JT Long remembers when Copps first the women’s privacy, but Cheung kindergarten teacher to a hotel for “We’re a little bit retro,” said JT Long. “It’s convinced them to come to Taiwan for the shows. said he wanted to “do a show with all this going on, said he hadn’t even bothered some alleged hanky-panky. classy, like when rock and roll first started, when Their sound is “clean rockabilly like when Elvis first not just rock and roll” and “get people that don’t to call her manager back at the The actor issued a statement girls first started modeling their sexy lingerie.” Last started,” said Copps. normally go out” to do so. “The circus thing attracts height of the scandal. saying that he’d flown to Shanghai, year some people “didn’t really get it, didn’t know Metal band Chrome Relic performs both covers all kinds of people,” he said, and is “definitely Not to be outdone, Chung also where Yu is shooting a movie, to what burlesque was,” he said. “Some guy in Tainan and original tunes, and dress up “like ’��80s�� rockers getting a name.” gave a tearful interview, which beg his wife for her forgiveness. was like, ‘Hey I heard there were going to be some with Twisted Sister wigs and cut-off jean shorts,” “It’s like Halloween but in the middle of March,” was aired shortly after Cheung’s. In an interview afterwards, Yu strippers,’ and I had to tell him, no, it’s a real show, said JT Long. said Copps. The blubbering Chung said she said she had faith in her husband’s it’s not strippers.” He elaborated on the concept: “It’s not just a blamed herself for her “stupidity” sincerity, but hadn’t forgiven him and lamented the very public loss yet and planned to separate from of her dignity. Chung also revealed Weng for the time being. This Feb. 27 to March 5 that she had contemplated suicide was apparently news to her Top Five Mandarin Albums Fish Leong (梁靜茹) and Fall in Love & Songs — Don’t Cry for after the photos were leaked. The husband, who the Liberty Times 3 Him Anymore (靜茹&情歌 — 別再為他流淚) with 8.23% scandal blew apart the starlet’s said heard about Yu’s decision squeaky-clean image as one-half of from reporters. 1 Wang Lee-hom (王力宏) and Heart Beat (心．跳) with 23.74 percent 4 Khalil Fang (方大同) and Orange Moon (橙月) with 4.32% the Cantopop duo Twins. — Complied by Catherine Shu 1 of sales On Tuesday, Chung appeared with AP, Hong Kong Cheer Chen (陳綺貞) and Immortal (太陽) with 4.29% Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) with Jeneration (J世紀) with 9.52% 5 2 Album chart compiled from G-Music (www.g-music.com.tw), based on retail sales

[ EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT ]

dance, Vipashyana. [See story on 29 with free outdoor performances at punk group Beright. On Sunday it’s Page 15.] the Bitan (碧潭) riverside area outside electronica and rock groups Yoga Theater Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou S Classical of Xindian MRT Station. Tomorrow’s Soul, Green!Eyes (綠色眼睛) and Canadian theater company Lemieux. Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號) program features Vietnamese singer Telephone Booth (電話亭). On Pilon 4D Art uses innovative virtual Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm In Zheng Recital Over the Stars and guitarist Toan Nguyen (全阮). On Wednesday, the venue hosts French technology in Norman, a multimedia Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,000, (眼神與星空的對話), zheng specialists Sunday it’s Blue Sky (藍天樂團), a rock singers Coralie Clement and Berry in production that combines elements of available through NTCH ticketing or Fan Wei-tzu (樊慰慈) and Huang Wen- group formed by Thai migrant workers a show sponsored by the French theater, dance, cinema and music to online at www.artsticket.com.tw ling (黃文玲) share the stage with that plays regularly in Taipei County. Institute in Taipei. examine the life of award-winning Little Giant Chinese Chamber The festival takes place at the Bitan B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei animator and filmmaker Norman Stand-up comedy meets the musical Orchestra (小巨人絲竹樂團) to present riverside area, just outside of Xindian City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Call McLaren. Directed by Michel Lemieux in My Goodness!!??, a lighthearted arrangements of traditional works and MRT Station (新店捷運站). For more (02) 2930-0162 or visit www.thewall. and Victor Pilon, the work combines and humorous examination of the world premiere of Fan’s Spirit of information and full schedule, visit com.tw for more information film and animation in a solo piece Taiwan’s consumption of American the Eyes (眼神). www.2009bmf.com.tw Starts at 9pm tonight, 9:30pm where dancer and choreographer culture staged by Yumiko’s Warehouse National Recital Hall, Taipei City Shows go from 3pm to 5pm, tomorrow, 8pm on Sunday and 7pm Peter Trosztmer interacts with Theater (裕美子的倉庫劇團). Tomorrow at 7:30pm Saturdays and Sundays until March 29 on Wednesday projected images. Crown Art Center Theater (皇冠小劇 Tickets are NT$300 to NT$700, No admission fee Entrance fee is NT$800 tonight, National Theater, Taipei City 場), B1, 50, Ln 120, Dunhua N Rd, Taipei available through NTCH ticketing or NT$400 tomorrow and NT$300 on Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm, City (台北市敦化北路120巷50號B1) online at www.artsticket.com.tw Tomorrow VU Live House hosts The Sunday. Wednesday’s show is NT$880 Sunday at 2:30pm Today at 7:30pm, tomorrow at Bossa nova singer Lisa Ono returns to Rock ’��n’�� Roll Circus, a night of rockabilly, for advance tickets (contact the venue Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500, 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at Sounds From Pampas (彭巴斯草原 Highlight Taiwan for a concert tomorrow night punk and indie rock with The Deadly for details) or NT$1,000 at the door available through available through 2:30pm 之音) presents harpist Giselle Boeters, Japanese bossa nova singer Lisa at Taipei’s Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Vibes, Tainan rockabilly group NTCH ticketing or online at www. Tickets are NT$350, available who will perform with the Taipei Ono’s Asian tour brings her to Photo courtesy of Yu Kuang Music Fullhouse, expat comedy-rock band Acoustic act Lao Die (老爹) performs artsticket.com.tw through NTCH ticketing or online at Symphony Orchestra (臺北市立交響樂 Taipei’s Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall Chrome Relic, indie-rock favorites 88 tonight at Witch House (女巫店), www.artsticket.com.tw 團) under guest conductor Georg (國父紀念館) tomorrow night. for her regional tours. While Balaz (八十八顆芭樂籽) and Japanese along with folk rock group Windmill Italian theater company Compagnia T. Fritzsch. The program will include The 46-year-old singer and guitarist concert promoter Yukuang Music rockabilly and swing band The Drexel. (風籟坊). Tomorrow it’s indie-rockers P.O. fuses dance, visual art, mechanical Based on British playwright Timber- Kagel’s Variations Without Fugue, has released more than 20 albums to (余光音樂) declined to say what [See story on Page 13.] Neon, led by charismatic singer/ installation and lighting effects in The lake Wertenbaker’s play of the same Ginastera’s Harp Concerto, Op. 25 and date, and her latest project is a pair material Ono would be playing, B1, 77, Wuchang St Sec 2, Taipei City songwriter Jun Lee (李昀熹). Grunge Japanese Garden, an interactive title, After Darwin by MOVE Theatre Debussy’s Images Pour Orchestre. of albums of jazz standards: Cheek to audiences tomorrow should (台北市武昌街二段77號B1). Tel: (02) rockers The Capelin (柳葉魚) and solo children’s theatrical play. Group (動見体劇團) dramatizes Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Cheek — Jazz Standards From Rio expect more of the same — a top- 2314-1868 acoustic artist Gelresai (陳世川) National Experimental Theater, Taipei Charles Darwin’s idea of survival of Yenping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南 and Look to the Rainbow — Jazz notch band backing Ono’s Show begins at 9pm appear on Thursday. City the fittest in this play-within-a-play 路98號) Standards From LA. Ono, who was intimate, smooth voice. For more Entrance fee is NT$350, includes 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei Today at 5pm and 8pm, tomorrow at centered around conflicts between Tomorrow at 7:30pm born in Sao Paulo, started playing at on Lisa Ono, visit her Web site at one drink City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). For 10:30am, 2:30pm and 8pm, Sunday at Darwin and Robert FitzRoy, the Bible- Tickets are NT$200 to NT$800, the age of 15 and helped popularize www.onolisa.com. more information, call (02) 2362-5494 10:30am and 2:30pm toting captain of the HMS Beagle, and available through NTCH ticketing or bossa nova in Japan. She has Lisa Ono at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Tonight at The Wall (這牆) it’s Melt or visit www.witchhouse.org Tickets are NT$600, available through the two actors who play the online at www.artsticket.com.tw recorded with legends such as Hall (國父紀念館), 2F, 505, Renai Rd Banana, an experimental Japanese Performances start at 9:30pm. available through NTCH ticketing or respective characters. Antonio Carlos Jobim and jazz Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段 noise-rock band with a large following Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist online at www.artsticket.com.tw National Taiwan University Theater samba musician Joao Donato. 505號2樓) in the US and Europe [see story above]. bookstore and large collection of (台大劇場), 1, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei Ono enjoys a strong following in Tomorrow at 7:30pm Metal band Ashen and DJ Two and board games open 11am to midnight Choreographer Jade Hua (華碧玉) City (台北市羅斯福路段四段1號) Contemporary Taiwan. Her album, Jambalaya — Tickets are NT$600 to NT$3,600, Half Stars (兩星半) open the show. Sundays through Wednesdays; 11am combines a classical approach with Today at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm The Taipei County Government’s Bossa Americana, went platinum in available through ERA ticketing or Taking to the stage tomorrow is pop to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays modern techniques in Jade & Artists and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm Bitan Music Festival (碧潭音樂節) 2007, and Taipei is a regular stop online at www.ticket.com.tw rock band Lumei (露魅), hip-hop Entrance fee for music shows is Dance Troupe’s (肢體音符舞團) latest Admission is free continues every weekend until March rockers Living Force (存活勢力) and NT$300, includes one drink