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FEATURES -
FEATURES
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 |
AsiaViews, Edition: 34/VII/November2010
Category: ARTS
 Next weekend the Urban Simple Life Festival offers fans of Mando-pop and indie music a chance to enjoy the rare congregation of many of Mandarin music?s most popular and influential acts.
The biennial festival, which marches into its third edition this year at Huashan 1914 Creative Park on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, includes a book fair, a T-shirt market and a lectures series, but is most acclaimed for its music. The weekend boasts a to-die-for roster of more than 60 acts, with heavyweight names such as Chang Hui-mei (better known as A-mei), Cheer Chen, Tanya Chua, Sammi Cheng, Lisa Ono and Soul Asylum.
The performances will take place on five stages throughout Huashan. Established artists will headline at the Sky Stage and Breeze Stage. Emerging singers and indie bands will take the stage at the Green House Live. Ten emerging indie bands from Taiwan will be showcased at Street Voice, while 14 of Hong Kong?s representative bands will play at Hong Kong Little Simple.
Founded by Mando-pop songwriter/producer Jonathan Lee, Urban Simple Life aims to highlight Taiwan?s best creative work in music, design and publishing.
Rufus Chen, the event?s executive supervisor, told the Taipei Times earlier this week that organizers were broadening the festival?s parameters to accommodate unplugged performances by superstars such as Taiwanese pop diva A-mei and Hong Kong superstar Sammi Cheng.
In the past, the music festival section has focused on songwriters or bands who pen their own songs.
?We want to create more cross-genre performances,? Rufus Chen said. ?There should be no border between pop singers and songwriters if their music?s attitude sounds right.?
After a banner year as her rock alter ego A-mit, A-mei will get back to the basics with an unplugged performance on the evening of Dec. 5. ?I?ve been noisy for so long as A-mit, so I want to sing quietly for a change,? she said in a press release.
Cheng, long acclaimed for her hip-wagging electronica anthems and lovelorn ballads, will present unplugged versions of her hits with Hong Kong band AT17.
Three distinguished international acts will make appearances this year. Lisa Ono, Japan?s reigning queen of bossa nova and chansons, will perform with a solo acoustic guitar. Soul Asylum, the American alternative folk-rock group best known for the Grammy-winning single Runaway Train, will also perform unplugged. John Cale, a founding member of the American experimental rock band The Velvet Underground, will perform Saturday evening.
The lineup
Dec. 4
Sky Stage
Soul Asylum (US) at 3:50pm
Crowd Lu at 5:20pm
John Cale (UK) at 7pm
Cheer Chen at 8:50pm
Breeze Stage
1976 + Ze Hwang at 1:40pm
Joanna Wang at 6:20pm
Tanya Chua at 8pm
Green House Live
Olivia Ong at 2:50pm
Yoga Lin at 5:50pm
Echo at 6:40pm
Kay Huang and guest Tarcy Su at 8pm
Chang Chen-yue at 9:10pm
Dec. 5
Sky Stage
AT17 and guest Sammi Cheng at 3:50pm
Lisa Ono (Japan) at 5:20pm
Sodagreen at 7pm
Chang Hui-mei (aka A-mei) at 8:50pm
Breeze Stage
Tizzy Bac at 1:40pm
Hebe Tien at 6:20pm
Deserts Chang at 8pm
Green House Live
Hsu Chia-ying at 5:50pm
Luantan Ascent at 6:40pm
Sandee Chan at 9:10pm
FESTIVAL NOTES:
WHAT: 2010 Urban Simple Life festival
WHEN: Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, 11am to 10pm
WHERE: Huashan 1914 Creative Park, 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City
ADMISSION: NT$1,200 for a single-day pass at the door (NT$900 for single-day pass or NT$1,600 for two-day pass when purchased in advance). Tickets available through 7-Eleven ibon kiosks, at Books ticketing outlets or online at www.tickets.books.com.tw
For a complete program schedule, visit simplelife.streetvoice.com/festival/show/show.html
By: Andrew C.C. Huang
Taipei Times 26 November 2010 photo: Sandee Chan takes to the Green House Live stage at the Urban Simple Life Festival on Dec. 5.
Photo Courtesty of Urban Simple Life Festival
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 21 December 2010 06:12 )
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