Taipei Psychedelic Rock Fest Vol. 2 (Dec 2 and 3, 2023)

special on-location report by: R Ibanez

The second annual Taipei Psychedelic Rock Festival last December 2 happened at one of the most killer venues, The Wall Live House. It showcased Taiwan’s world-class psyche, experimental, and acid rock bands, headlined by the almighty Mainliner from Japan, and other cutting-edge electronic and experimental artists.

This fest is a great introduction to Taiwan’s live underground rock and experimental music scenes. Both collaborate and crossover a lot at local shows and events, and on many national and international recordings.

Day 1: The Wall

On the way to the show, we (Jared Xu and Ches Jaw Surgery) passed by Senko Issha, one of the best record stores in Taiwan. It specializes in the best and most obscure jazz and classical vinyl, plus all the leading experimental, avant-garde, electronic, and ambient rarities you can find.

There was a ton of vinyl plus rare tapes and CDs everywhere. I spotted a bunch of 4AD records (Wolfgang Press and Belly), many great classics and obscure titles, plus an East Europe obscure 80s heavy metal record but I forgot to bring enough cash; I did buy a superlimited Jailbird Y EP and a Kazumoto Endo/P*nis Geyser split records so haha. I will be back to buy all other records and more after I hack “President” Marcos’ bank account.

The Wall was packed with a big crowd. The lineup had a good flow and provided showgoers with a continuous stream of music. It was a perfect balance of these two music scenes of Taipei. The bands onstage rocked out followed by sets from electronic and experimental artists who played in the merch halls, bar area, and lounge areas.

onstage:

落差草原 WWWW / Prairie WWWW
Mong Tong
破地獄 Scattered Purgatory
Mainliner (Japan)

experimental sets in between the bands, and afterparty DJ sets from:

・jondu
・Sonia Calico
・dINO
・Sun Jenga

The show was smooth as each band got a 10-minute preparation check and a 10-minute transition post-set. It was your cue to go to the bar, smoking area, or restroom. The minute you exit the concert hall room, you can catch the in-between experimental sets by other musicians and DJs in the adjacent areas of the bar, band merch tables, and lounge areas.

Acid jam experimentalists 落差草原 WWWW / Prairie WWWW initiated the festivities. They were already onto their last 2 songs by the time we entered The Wall, followed by heavy clapping and cheers from the energized crowd.

Sun Jenga then proceeded to trip out the crowd with ambient electronic soundscapes in the merch table hall and lounge area. Many of the crowd who came out of the concert room hung out during Sun Jenga’s set, absorbing the hypnotic washes of sound. Check out his label, 我心已死 World Synth Records for more jams.

Sun Jenga was the perfect interlude that set things up for the next band, Taiwan’s masters of heavy psyche rock ‘n roll, Dope Purple.

Dope Purple blazed through a killer set of heavy psyche rock that was also heavy on the lysergic leads, synth psyche outs, and free jazz saxophone solos. My first introduction to this band was this live set that sent me direct on a heady, heavy trip to outer cosmic regions. From slow-burn heavy jams to intense lead solo tradeoffs, they rocked The Wall. That’s how you start off a show. 

If you don’t have their 2LP reissue of “Psychedelic Scum Freaks” and their latest one, “Grateful End”, get them now. But also, leave some kush behind for toking on the new album in the works this 2024.

After a short break, it was time for Mong Tong to warp your brains. Hot on the heels of their latest record from GuruGuru Brain, Tao Fire, Mong Tong kept the psychedelia wave going. By means of cinematic psyche-prog soundtracks for kvlt Asian 70’s head trip films from beyond, MT alters your brain wave frequencies to bring you to their astral temple.

They’ve just released a new single, Angping Pop, and a new LP in Dragon Green color (sold out!) is out this Feb 1. They’ve also got a US tour coming in March so don’t miss that.

Scattered Purgatory‘s instrumental drone/doom/dark ambient enveloped The Wall with heavy drone experimentalism. In contrast to Mong Tong’s upbeat proggy psyche dose, SP is deep space exploration through outer space doom and dark ambient for long-distance tripping, while standing with feet firmly planted on the floor of The Wall. There are also influences of krautrock and industrial, but filtered through dark ambient and drones.

It’s HIGHly recommended you check out their most recent vinyl releases, 稗​海​遺​考 / Lost Ethnography of the Miscanthus Ocean, and 山​險​峻​/​Sua​-​Hiam​-​Zun, for a deep dive into more sinister dark psychedelia drone doom soundtracks.

Headliners Mainliner from Japan played an intense set that combined their heavy riffs, psychedelic freakouts, and tripped-out lead solos. This is my second time seeing Makoto shred again, but in a heavy power trio that rocks out with Taigen’s soaring vocals, heavy washes of fuzz and acid, and 志村浩二 on heavy drum and bass grooves. This is Japanese psyche/space rock at its finest and most potent.

If Acid Mothers Temple is more varied, Mainliner is the heavier, riff-centric other universe of Makoto and the gang, as they dropped riff after riff and launched psychedelic lead solos stretching from Earth to the other end of the galaxy. The crowd rocked out and went crazy for Mainliner’s first Taiwan tour.

Taipei Psychedelic Rock Festival Part 2 Day 1 is in the books. Not only was the show well-organized, but the venue, sound engineering, and the crowd were also killer. For those who are looking for better Asian music festivals with quality music and killer locations, book your schedules for next year and get some good tunes blasted in your head.

Everyone in Dope Purple and their production company returned to Senko Issha to hang out and party with Mainliner and all the other band members and friends. This is where I got to sample some shots of the strong mythical “58%” they were talking about so everything was hazy at this point.

Day 2: Continue Music Studio (Jam and Experimental Night)

Day 2 of this cool music fest is at one of the coolest music and jam spaces in Taipei, Continue Music Studio. The whole basement is half jam room spaces and half a music venue. Many kids hang out here to jam with their bands and catch some cool underground shows.

The lineup for Day 2 consists of killer local stoner, acid rock, and psychedelic power electronics bands, 石青羅林 Shikin Rollin, Bremen Entertainment Inc. 布萊梅, Acid Brain, and Aetheric Wound.

A cool bonus of this show is the special set each from the dudes of Mainliner, Taigen Kawabe (also in Bo Ningen), and Makoto Kawabata, playing electronic psychedelia beats and mind-expanding guitar noise and cosmic soundscapes, respectively. Then Mainliner takes the stage for a full proper improv space rock set.

The stage is smaller and more intimate, perfect for a mid-sized club space crowd with more in-your-face sound blasts for a loud and mighty good time.

We caught Bremen Entertainment Inc. 布萊梅 with some cool heavy Taiwanese hard rock. These kids have some killer chops and the frontman showed some tasty lead solos as they jarred the crowd.

They were followed by Acid Brain, another killer local band, playing HEAVY stoner rock / doom with some introspective psyche rock and gazey dynamics. They’ve just released their 6-song EP in late 2023 and is a great time for toking. Acid Brain owned everyone that night with some THC-heavy killer tunes. Watch out for their full-length sometime soon.

A cool observation to note at Taiwan shows and concerts: Most of the crowd waits in between bands and sits in front of the stage while the band soundchecks and gets ready. When the band plays, everyone stands, stays, and listens to the end, absorbing all the sound frequencies.

Taigen Kawabe played an eclectic solo set of psychedelic electronic beats and FX and very cool vocal experiments. Makoto followed next and took the stage to play some out-there psyche-guitar noise ambiance that filled all major frequencies in everyone’s heads.

Then, Mainliner again took the stage to play an even more experimental psychedelic rock set. 志村浩二, former AMT drummer alumni, propelled the jams deep into hyperspace and acid fuzz territories.

Mainliner broke some physics rules that night and maybe tore some of the fabric of reality to glimpse into other dimensions. They ruled hard and finished the fest on a HIGH note.

It got more difficult to keep track of all the things happening because we were also drinking at the show. The 2nd-night afterparty was classic, and everyone hung out with Mainliner, Dope Purple, Scattered Purgatory, and everyone at the show at the bar next to Continue Studio. It got hazier and more psychedelic and fun as the night progressed.

With special thanks to Chester/Jaw Surgery, Frank Huang, Jared Xu, Masafumi Bad Moon Rising Record Label, Liu and Dope Purple, Li Yang and Scattered Purgatory, Mong Tong, Senko Issha Record Store, Rogan, Jessica, Vedachiu, Hanya, Alica, Ali, The Wall, Continue Music Studio, Basement Bar, Family Mart Zhicheng Road, and all the Taiwan crew. Sorry to anyone I forgot, thanks to fest organizer Liu of Dope Purple for the invite!