Taiwan Beats Showcase Astounds at SXSW Online 2022
Taiwan Beats Showcase Astounds at SXSW Online 2022
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Visually captivating and aurally stimulating is the characterization that best describes the Taiwan Beats Showcase featured at this year’s SXSW Online, the internationally renowned event that attracts some of the most avant-garde, progressive music talents across the globe.
The Taiwan Beats Showcase is a breathtaking display of the diverse array of recording artists flourishing in Taiwan as they incorporate elements of the vast expanse of Taiwanese history, art, culture, and its iconic landmarks, plus scenic landscape.
The Taiwan Beats Showcase made a tremendous splash last year at 2021’s SXSW Online and was expanded to six artist performances at six historical and cultural venues in Taiwan for the 2022 rendition of the showcase. It’s absolutely stupefying as you take in the eclectic amalgamation of music styles that the six acts collectively bring, as well as get a sense of the historical value of the respective locations they’re performing in. Each act performed two songs, each in the almost hour-long showcase.
The showcase commences with the alternative, indie rock sound of Sorry Youth, a 3-member band that drives hard as they perform their singles “Pilgrimage” and “Love Our Difference” at the 150 yrs old Wufeng Lin Family Mansion and Garden. Sorry Youth’s edgy rock stylings have an industrial type feel and present a compelling visual contrast as they grace the stage of the Grand Flower Hall in the mansion, the spot where the Wufeng Lin Family once staged traditional opera during public banquets.
Taking a full 180-degree shift to another world, DJ QuestionMark enters the showcase with an electrifying performance aboard an Electric Flower Car, an integral symbol of Taiwan’s folklore and culture. Electric flower cars are often seen in religious, festive, or even funeral marches in Taiwan. DJ QuestionMark delivers a vivacious set where he displays his one-of-a-kind versatility. The set is a scratch symposium as he boasts lightning speed handwork on the digital turntables and crossfader, cueing up samples, all while infusing live instrumentation playing the flute and keyboard.
Our journey through the showcase is then taken to the legendary Chuan Mei Theater, which is one of the oldest movie theaters in Taiwan. The venue still utilizes hand-drawn posters to advertise its events! In any case, singer-songwriter Olivia Tsao delivers a magnificent performance at the vaunted venue as she brings her signature contemporary pop, jazz vocal stylings to the arena backed by a marvelous band. Olivia’s gentle, engaging voice envelops you, and the connection between her and the band comes off wonderfully as you watch.
Once again, the showcase diverges sonically as we are greeted by the psychedelic electro duo Mong Tong composed of brothers Hom Yu and Jiun Chi. They perform their tracks “A Nambra” and “Minyo Pop” at a legendary underground spot called Pawnshop, a techno electro venue in Taiwan that has an air of mystery to it as it is mostly known by word of mouth. It’s fitting Mong Tong would choose this venue as they don their trademark blindfolds to perform their synth-laden and grooving bassline tracks.
We then move to the city center of Taipei, the capital city, where electronic rock band Sleeping Brain performs an enthralling set from their latest album, Dystopia, at the Venue, a multi-function industrial-style venue surrounded by Japanese izakaya. Sleeping Brain, together with VJ Ludol777, brings a modern element of pop with a dream pop type sound replete with ethereal vocals and atmospheric instrumentation while injecting a tad of nostalgia from the 80s. Sleeping Brain’s music provides an intriguing mix of live instrumentation, synthesizers, and programming machines. New meets Old!
The Taiwan Beats Showcase is then capped off in grand fashion at the scenic Kaohsiung Harbor by Elephant Gym, a band whose compositions marvel. They perform their set of instrumental magic at the site where Megaport, one of Taiwan’s largest music festivals, has been held for decades. Elephant Gym channels a compelling musicality that infuses jazz, classical music, and pop. The unison of the grand piano and bass work wonders as they dive into their songs “Go Through the Night” and “D”
You can watch the complete Taiwan Beats Showcase via the YouTube link below or indulge in all the songs which shaped the incredible soundtrack of the event on the SoundCloud link provided. You can also learn more about the showcase, its history, and its performers at http://taiwanbeatsshowcase.com/. It’s an unforgettable listening experience, and if you’re not already familiar with any of these six acts, I’m sure one, if not all of them, will find their way into your personal playlists. Enjoy!
Watch the Full-Length Taiwan Beats Showcase on YouTube
Taiwan Beats Showcase at SXSW Online 2022
At SXSW 2022, the Taiwan Beats Showcase explored Taiwan’s diverse cultural scene in six artist performances at six cultural venues. The showcase starts with …
Listen to the Songs of the Taiwan Beats Showcase on Soundcloud
Taiwan Beats Showcase
2022 SXSW Taiwan Beats showcase, features six artists – math rock band Elephant Gym, power trio Sorry Youth, psychedelic experimental duo Mong Tong, Taiwanese singer-songwriter Olivia Tsao, electronic band Sleeping Brain, and multi-faceted music producer DJ QuestionMark, explore the past and future of Taiwan’s music scene by spotlighting each artist’s personality in six cultural venues.
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