In the News

Taiwan indie bands get set for Europe tour

Taiwan indie musicians are getting set to sparkle at upcoming festivals in Liverpool and Cologne. (Courtesy of Riverside Live House)

• Publication Date：05/10/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today
• By  Kwangyin Liu

Six groups of rising musicians from Taiwan are tuning up for major music festivals in the U.K. and Germany, according to the ROC Government Information Office May 9.

The fifth Liverpool Sound City Music Festival, running May 17 to 19, features singer-songwriters Peggy Hsu and Waa Wei, along with pop-rock band Monkey Pilot. They will appear at a Taiwan showcase night May 17 and play 30-minute gigs at separate venues two days later.

From June 20-24, alternative rock bands Go Chic, The Girl and the Robots, and The White Eyes will bring their punk and electronic tunes to the c/o pop International Music Festival in Cologne.

At both events, music critics from Taiwan will join with local music industry professionals to discuss the latest trends in Mandarin pop and European music markets, the GIO said.

“Taiwan has long been the prime market for Mandopop and a cradle for successful singers from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore,” said music commentator Ma Shih-fang, who is co-hosting the Liverpool forum.

“Over the past decade, Taiwan has seen more young talent than ever before trying out diverse music genres such as reggae, punk, post-rock and electronica,” said Chang Tieh-chih, a music and political critic who will co-present a forum in Cologne. “The local music scene has never been so vibrant.”

On the sidelines of the concerts in Germany, the Taiwan delegation will attend a Creativity and Business Convention where it is expected to meet with representatives from 25 international music festivals and explore partnership possibilities, sources said.

The Liverpool festival lineup boasts close to 400 bands from around the world in 30 venues, as well as speakers from 23 countries. Established in 2008, the annual event also celebrates independent music with a series of activities involving film, fashion and photography.

The ninth edition of the Cologne festival, showcasing more than 50 shows by performers from 15 countries, will be held at 20 venues across the city, organizers said. (THN)

Write to Kwangyin Liu at kwangyin.liu@mail.gio.gov.tw