A R O U N D T O W N 發光的城市 15 TIMES • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009 By Alita Rickards Contributing Reporter MUSIC New (and improved) Hair City

few days at any - Tristan Newman, from Wooley’s vocalist in the Taiwan expat scene, based music festival reveals a other band, Doublewide. This, and could hold her own anywhere. On disconcerting absence on the combined with Sanger’s coming into stage she can range from humble to Ascene. While there are plenty of male- her own as both a vocalist and a absolutely electrifying. fronted bands, both Taiwanese and performer, has amped up the band When the group performs, the expatriate, and a thriving Taiwanese from a funky fun time outfit to a audience’s reaction speaks for itself. girl band ethos, finding a foreign force to be reckoned with. The crowd dances and cheers along to band with a female lead is like “I cringe when I think of myself the music, irresistibly drawn to bust a finding a four-leaf clover — a rare performing back when we started.” move, while fans of the band sing along instance of luck. said Sanger. “I would shake until to the choruses of their favorite songs. When New Hong Kong Hair City my fingers couldn’t hit the right “My two favorite parts of playing appeared in 2006, lead vocalist and keys. I hated performing and being in NHKHC are writing new songs keyboardist Danielle Sanger’s raw the singer.” Though she credits her with the boys and jumping about on lyrics, powerful yet shaky vocals, and “professional improvement” over stage watching all the people in the female presence (hidden though it the years to the guys in the band, audience do the same,” said Sanger. was behind a curtain of flaming red she also shows a rare candor in “I feel like it is a dream to be able locks) were a welcome change from admitting that though she always to walk onto a stage and instead of the standard boys in bands fare. loved music and singing it took her dreading the possibility of failing, I Add to that the unexpected until recently to “really find my voice get to have a huge grin on my face appearance of a saxophone taking and a niche.” exchanged between myself and four the place of a lead guitar with “Practicing regularly has let me awesome musicians and performers.” Macgregor Wooley blowing out get to know my abilities and the rocking riffs and adding his own limits that they have,” she said, while lyrics and vocals, original bassist “performing lets me know whether or Performance notes: Tom McCann, and the final original not I can do it under pressure.” member, Kyle Bajcer, pounding out She has gone from a shy, What: New Hong Kong Hair City funky beats on drums, and New Hong sometimes strident singer to a When: Nov. 28 at 9:30pm Kong Hair City was born. powerful, smoky vocalist with a When McCann had to leave gritty edginess to her sound that can Where: Roxy Roots, 90 Songren Taiwan unexpectedly, the band transform into a smooth and sexy Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路90號) teamed up with talented bassist growling reminiscent of a young PJ Admission: Free Mike Tennant and added guitarist Harvey. She may be the best female

Good hair day. Photo courtesy of Tristan Valentine

EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE VINYL WORD BY Tom Leeming ■ Tickets are NT$300, available through backing group, the Bad Jokes Band singers backed by a live band every NTCH ticketing or online at www. (冷笑話樂團). night. Highlights for the week include Theater and dance artsticket.com.tw Contemporary ■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西 beloved female singer Tiger Huang 寧南路177號). Tel: (02) 2370-8805. On (黃小琥), who performs two sets every Dancer/choreographer Lin Wen-chung As part of the 14th Crown Arts Festival No shows are scheduled tonight at the the Net: www.riverside.com.tw Monday, Julia Peng (彭佳慧), a major (林文中) and his WCdance troupe bring (第14屆皇冠藝術節), The Two of Us The Wall (這牆), but tomorrow is a ■ Shows start at 8pm tonight, 8:30pm draw who appears every Tuesday, and their traveling production of Small to (我們) by Comedians Workshop II (可以 triple-header of hard-hitting rockers: tomorrow, 7:30pm on Sunday, 8:30pm male crooner Huang Chung-yuan the Wenshan Branch of the Taipei 演戲劇團) sees experienced performers metal group Assassin (刺客), Gang X on Thursday (黃中原), who performs every Friday. Cultural Center this weekend. The Huang Shi-wei (黃士偉) and Hsieh Yi- (流氓樂團), and alt-rock pioneers The ■ Entrance fee is NT$500 tonight, ■ 211, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北 former Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance ching (謝宜靜) play twins, a brother and Chairman (董事長樂團). On Sunday it’s NT$450 tomorrow, NT$250 on Sunday 市安和路二段211號). Tel: (02) 2738-3995. Company member created the piece for sister who decide to be cruelly honest Japanese group te’, a band that and NT$400 on Thursday. Tickets can On the Net: visit www.ez5.com.tw the premiere of his own company last with each other on their 40th birthday. performs rock instrumentals full of purchased online through ■ Music shows run from 9:45pm to year. Lin confines his dancers to a ■ Crown Theater (皇冠藝術中心小劇場), hardcore verve and pleasing melodies. www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse 12:30am plexiglass cube, yet creates a wide world 50, Ln 120, Dunhua N Rd, Taipei City (台 Pop singer Huang Hung-sheng (黃鴻 or tickets.books.com.tw ■ Entrance fee (includes two drinks) of possibilities within that small space. 北市敦化北路120巷50號). On the Net: 升) appears on Wednesday, and emo- ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, ■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow and www.ntat.org/14caf punks Punkhoo (胖虎) perform on Japanese punk bands Teenation, depending on the performer Sunday 22 at 2:30pm at the Children’s ■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at Thursday. V/acation and Devcornelius appear Educational Center Theater of the Taipei 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm ■ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei tonight at Underworld (地下社會). Three expat musicians team up Cultural Center, Wenshan Branch (台北 ■ Tickets are NT$450, available City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). [See Highlight below.] Tomorrow nu- tonight at Taichung’s 89k: Andy 市社教館文山分館兒童劇場), B2, 32 through NTCH ticketing or online at Tel: (02) 2930-0162. On the Net: metal band RJ45 (石頭果醬) takes the Goode of The Doolittles, Shawn Jingwen St, Taipei City (台北市景文街 www.artsticket.com.tw www.thewall.com.tw stage. Oh!Serena and Smells Good Armstrong of The Stackers and 32號B2); Dec. 4 at 7:30pm and Dec. 5 at ■ Music shows start at 8pm tomorrow, split the bill on Wednesday. Wade Davis of Point 22 (.22). The 2:30pm and 7:30 pm at the Experimental Man Gang — The Unarmed Men 7pm on Sunday, 8pm on Wednesday ■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師 venue hosts ska powerhouse Theater at No. 20 Warehouse, Taichung (男人幫—霸王卸甲) is a play by Taiwan and Thursday 大路45號B1). Tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Skaraoke tomorrow night. (台中二十號倉庫實驗劇場), 6-1, Ln 37, Drama Performance (台灣戲劇表演家) ■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tomorrow, Net: www.upsaid.com/underworld ■ 21 Daguan Rd, Nantun Dist, Taichung Fuxing Rd Sec 4, Taichung City (台中市復 that tells a story about five middle- NT$1,000 on Sunday (NT$800 in ■ Music shows run from 9:30pm to City (台中市南屯區大觀路21號) 興路四段37巷6-1號) aged men, their memories, yearnings advance), NT$300 on Wednesday and 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays and ■ Shows start at 10pm ■ Tickets are NT$500 for this weekend, and lost loves. NT$300 Thursday. Tickets can be 9pm to 11pm on Wednesdays. ■ Entrance is NT$300 NT$350 for the Taichung shows, ■ Chiayi Performing Arts Center (嘉義縣 purchased online by visiting www. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, available through www.artstickets.com. 表演藝術中心演藝廳), 265, Jianguo Rd thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw closed on Mondays. Happy hour on The Mercury (水星酒館), a new club tw or NTCH outlets Sec 2, Minhsiung Township, Chiayi Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight that opened a few months ago in County (嘉義縣民雄鄉建國路二段265號) Singer-songwriter Mayonnaise (美乃 ■ Entrance is NT$500 tonight (NT$400 Kaohsiung, features Taiwanese and The legendary I Wan Jan Puppet ■ Tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm 滋) opens tonight at Witch House (女 in advance) and NT$300 tomorrow, expat indie bands. Taking to the stage Music, it’s in their genes. Photo courtesy of Dominik Tyliszczak Theater (亦宛然掌中劇團) presents one ■ Tickets are NT$250 to NT$1,200, 巫店) for pop-rockers Soundboss (騷 which includes one drink. NT$100 on tomorrow night is Bitter, a band out to of its masterpieces, 300 Years of available through ERA ticketing or 包). Golden Melody Award-winning Wednesday resurrect the “Madchester” sound of the Ching Dynasty — Keng Yao (清宮 online at www.ticket.com.tw singer-songwriter Debbie Hsiao (蕭賀 late 1980s and early 1990s. 三百年之羹堯). Premiered in 1948 under 碩) takes the stage tomorrow with her Flaneur Daguerre, a jazz quartet that ■ 46 Liwen Rd, Zuoying Dist, udging by recent and future events, talk that Luxy is the direction of late troupe founder and backing group, the Bad Jokes Band plays everything Bach to Bjork and Kaohsiung (高雄市左營區立文路46號). experiencing some growing pains may be little more puppet master Li Tien-lu (李天祿), the (冷笑話樂團). Acoustic guitarist Su-jer Ornette Coleman to the Ramones, Tel: (07) 550-8617. On the Net: than flimflam. Last Friday, A State of Sound showed show toured across the country for the Classical music (舒吉吉) and keyboardist Anie Fann performs tonight at Sappho de Base. mercurybar.blogspot.com Jthat foreign DJ talent is absolutely top notch and that the following 13 years and has come to be perform on Thursday. Tomorrow Black Mirror takes to the ■ Shows start at 9:30pm club can throw a cracking party. known as the forerunner of Taiwan’s Mercedes-Benz Classical Music ■ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei stage. The Yohei Jazz Trio is on ■ Entrance is NT$100 As with any super club after a few years, the freshness golden light puppetry (金光戲). The Festival — Yo-Yo Ma Cello City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). Tuesday, Ash and Friends perform wears off. However, at the end of the night, it is all about puppet show is divided into two parts, Recital (世紀古典音樂年2009 — 馬友 Tel: (02) 2362-5494. On the Net: jazz on “unorthodox” instruments on Roxy Roots, a bar and restaurant the BPM and sound system. which are performed tomorrow and 友大提琴獨奏會) sees one of the world’s www.witchhouse.org Wednesday, and the Sappho Jazz dedicated to reggae and blues fans, Burn Electric, comprising Hooker on the mixing board Sunday respectively. most renowned cellists performing a ■ Performances start at 9:30pm. Band appears on Thursday. hosts high-energy rockers 88 Balaz and Stefan Kostarelis on electric guitar, took the audience ■ Central II Hall at Huashan 1914 program that includes Brahms’ Sonata Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist ■ B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei (八十八顆芭樂籽) tonight. Tomorrow it’s apart with gorgeous fat melodies and homegrown beats. Creative Park (華山1914中二館) No. 1 in E Minor and Franck’s Sonata in A bookstore and large collection of board City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1). folk rockers Wounded Night, a four- Kostarelis’ licks sit imperiously over Hooker’s carefully (formerly known as Huashan Culture Major, as well as a number of popular games open 11am to midnight Sundays Tel: (02) 2700-5411. On the Net: piece expat/Taiwanese band with managed, intelligent yet driving electronica. Having played Park, 華山文化園區), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, works such as Ennio Morricone’s theme through Wednesdays; 11am to 1am www.sappho102.biz mandolin and fiddle as the lead together many times on the Onyx stage, their presence was Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號) music from the The Mission, Gershwin’s Thursdays through Saturdays ■ Music shows begin at 10:30pm on instrumental voices. authoritative yet subtle, the usually gregarious Kostarelis ■ Tomorrow and Sunday at 7:30pm Prelude No. 2 and Piazzolla’s Soledad. Ma ■ Entrance fee for music shows is weekends, 10pm on weekdays. Sappho ■ 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松 hiding under a hoodie, while Hooker cut loose in a white ■ Tickets are NT$100 to NT$500, will be accompanied on piano by NT$300 is closed on Sundays and Mondays 仁路90號), Tel: (02) 2725-3932. On the boiler suit, displaying his craftsmanship, produced on available through NTCH ticketing or Kathryn Stott. ■ Entrance is free Net: www.roxy.com.tw Logic Studio and mixed live with Ableton. online at www.artsticket.com.tw ■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm Fusion Night performs jazz tonight at ■ Show starts at 9:30pm tomorrow After their stint, Genetically Modified Beats, made up ■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Singer- EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop ■ Entrance is free of Eben and Schism, got right in the Ableton action at the The Village (寶島一村) takes a ■ Tickets are NT$1,800 to NT$6,000, songwriter WeiBird (韋禮安) presents front of stage and threw down a little bit of a monster nostalgic look at Taiwan’s veterans’ available through ERA ticketing or soul pop material tomorrow. On set of dark and dirty electro while showcasing their own villages, or juan cun (眷村), through online at www.tickets.com.tw Sunday Yanjue (嚴爵), who plays work. Hobbyist DJs they are not. The white doctor coats the lives of three families, from 1949 to blues, funk and folk, opens for singer hIGHLIGHT and gas masks worn throughout their set were a nice the present day. Television producer A Night of Cellos — Ou-Yang Devin Wu (吳佩珊). Young Mando- touch and carried on where Burn Electric’s hoodie and Wang Wei-chung (王偉忠) teams up Ling-yi and Her Cello Orchestra pop talent A-bin (方炯鑌) takes the BY Taylor Briere boiler room-plumber feel left off. with respected director Stan Lai (賴聲川) (大提琴重奏音樂會之夜 — by 歐陽伶宜 stage on Monday. Tomorrow sees an all-Taiwanese affair at White to produce a dramatic and humorous 大提琴重奏團) presents a group of cello ■ B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Japanese bands Devcornelius (胖胖 with Winter Rave. Code, Tiger and Cougar + Point will work about the communities that did students from Soochow University (東吳 Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷 小山田) and V/acation come to Taipei be displaying their wares at this intimate venue. A very much to shape modern Taiwan. 大學) led by mentor Ou-Yang Ling-yi (歐 2號B1), next to Taipower Building (台電 for two shows this weekend, one different feel to the massive Onyx room for those who ■ National Theater, Taipei City 陽伶宜) in a program of music arranged 大樓). Tel: (02) 2368-7310. On the Net: tonight at Underworld (地下社會) would like a change of atmosphere, and get to see how the ■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, for an orchestra of cellos. The program www.riverside.com.tw and the other tomorrow night at APA local boys throw down. Sunday at 2:30pm includes Handel’s Allegro Maestoso From ■ Shows start at 9:30pm tonight, 9pm Lounge 808 (阿帕808). They will play Winter Rave is tomorrow from 10pm until 5am at ■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$3,000, Water Music, Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in tomorrow and on Sunday, 8:30pm on with Taiwanese band Teenation, China White, 2F, 97-101, Dunhua S Rd Sec 2, Taipei City available through NTCH ticketing or G Minor, Telemann’s Concerto for Cello Monday. which is the product of a collaboration (台北市敦化南路二段97-101號2樓). Admission is NT$350 with online at www.artsticket.com.tw Quartet in G Major, and Erik Satie’s ■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and between local punk rock record labels a drink. Gymnopedie No. 1. tomorrow, NT$350 on Sunday and Chngin Records and Psychoyouth Luxy is going up against China White with Taiwanese Part of the Young Stars, New Vision ■ Today at 7:30pm NT$400 on Monday Records. V/acation is billed as a next- team Tommy and MC Hotdog (熱狗) and their new album 2009 series of dance and theater ■ Forum Auditorium (十方樂集音樂劇場 generation Japanese Circle Jerks, and release party. Not exactly hip-hop as Top 40 lovers would performances initiated by the National 演奏廳), 4, Ln 187, Minzu W Rd, Taipei Tonight Riverside Live House (西 although Devcornelius lists a wide Japanese punks Devcornelius perform at know it, this music — Hotdog’s hard-edged voice over Theater and Concert Hall to showcase City (台北市民族西路187巷4號) 門紅樓展演館) hosts Issue Chen (陳 range of influences, from Motown to Underworld tonight and APA Lounge 808 gritty and bouncy turntablist beats incorporating 2-step emerging talents, Theatre II (戲劇—穿梭 ■ Tickets are NT$250, available 以岫), a singer featured on the TV bossa nova, its music is firmly and garage — is real Taiwanese. tomorrow. Photo courtesy of Chngin Records 虛與實) consists of two shows: The through NTCH ticketing or online at reality show Super Idol (超級偶像). The grounded in hardcore punk. Tommy and MC Hotdog album release party is Smell of … (鼻子記) is director Wang www.artsticket.com.tw venue hosts a different singer from Expect punk, and lots of it with Underworld (地下社會), B1, 45 Shida tomorrow from 10pm until 4:30am at Luxy, 5F, 201, Ke yao’s (王珂瑤) experiment that the program for the next four Fridays. machine gun rhythms, thrashing Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1), Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號 incorporates the sense of smell in Grass Mountain Yearly Concert Tomorrow night pop singer Shi guitars and screaming vocals. tel: (02) 2369-0103; and tomorrow at 5樓). Admission is NT$600 at the door. theater, while Encounters in Space (2009草山風雲樂會) brings together Ying-ying (史茵茵) throws a CD Tomorrow’s show at APA Lounge 8pm at APA Lounge 808 (阿帕808), 6F, If Taiwan’s music makers don’t do it for you, then (與我，相逢在宇宙盡頭) by Aimee Liu young Chinese musicians to perform a release party for her Christmas album 808 includes the relatively mellow 152, Zhonghua Rd Sec 1, Taipei City consider the alternative; the world’s number one DJ. Voted (劉岱萱) plays out as a fantasy where mix of popular folk favorites and classics Silent Night (平安夜). On Sunday rock ska and reggae sounds of Down in (台北市中華路一段152號6樓), near top dog by readers of DJ Mag three years straight, Armin high school student Harry has an from the Chinese orchestral tradition. session bassist Billy Sheehan holds Air (盪在空中) as well as indie rockers Ximen MRT Station (西門捷運站) exit van Buuren appears tonight at Luxy where he will play encounter with three other Harrys who ■ Monday at 7:30pm a master clinic sponsored by Yamaha. Touming Magazine No. 6, tel: (02) 2381-5378 cutting-edge trance. all claim to be him. ■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City On Thursday Puyuma guitarist and (透明雜誌), both local bands. Admission for each show is NT$500 Armin van Buuren at Luxy, tonight from 10pm until ■ Experimental Theater, Taipei City ■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,000, singer Hao-en (昊恩) shares the bill Devcornelius, V/acation and at the door. Tickets for the show at 5am. Door damage is NT$1,300 and includes a drink. ■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, available through NTCH ticketing or with Mando-pop singer-songwriter Teenation, tonight at 9pm at Underworld include a free drink Sunday at 2:30pm online at www.artsticket.com.tw Debbie Hsiao (蕭賀碩) and her