Massive Attack @ TaipeiMassive Attack @ Taipei

Un d’aquests dies tot caminat per Taipei vam veure una promoció del TWinkle Rock Festival

Massive Attack estaven anunciats i Massive Attack ens agrada :). La realitat és que Taiwan no pot aconseguir aquesta mena de grans grups fàcilment (Pet Shop Boys tocaven l’endemà) però s’aprofiten dels grans festival al Japó  (sobretot el Fuji Rock i el  Summer Sonic) per convencer als grups de fer una paradeta a Taiwan per tocar. Aquest  article (.pdf) ho explica una mica millor.

A última hora, com sempre, vam decidir anar-hi i calia comprar els tickets. A Internet vam veure que  Islandjam Tickets venien tickets amb descompte però també vam veure que ja no en tenien, massa tard. En el nostre cas vam comprar tickets a preu normal al  FamilyMart (és una cadena de «convenience stores» a Taiwan i altres països d’Àsia, originalment són del Japó). Tenen una mena de quiosk tipu «ServiCaixa» que rep el nom de «FamiPort» . Molt convenient i fàcil tot plegat.

Amb l’ajuda d’un àmic que pot llegir xinès vam comprar els tickets més barats (allunyats de l’escenari). Costaven uns 2000TWD ~ 47€ cada un… això és MOLT car per ser Taiwan!

El concert era al TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall, que està al final de les lines blava i marrón del MRT a Taipei.

Martina Topley Bird, va fer un primer concert d’uns 40 minuts tota sola. Després d’una breu pausa Massive Attack va començar el concert tot combinant antics èxits (va ser com tornar a la universitat) i temes del nou àlbum Heligoland. La part visual (llums i pantalles) és molt important als concerts de Massive Attack. En aquest cas hi havia una mena de pantalla basada en llum LED que feien servir per projectar videos i tickers de texte exposant els temes que preocupen a Massive Attack (la llibertat, la pena de mort, les grans corporacions, etc. ). Van tenir el detall de tenir-ho tot en anglès i xinès.

Va ser un bon concert que va durar un parell d’hores.

Quatre detalls curiosos per a guiris com nosaltres:

• Hi havia gent de l’organització amunt i avall intentant impedir que la gent fes fotos o vídeos del concert. Era una feina inútil tal i com demostren els vídeos al final del post :)
• Crec que estava prohibit fumar ja que no vam veure a quasi ningú amb un cigarret a la mà. El concert era a una mena d’hangar gegant.
• No hi havia una «barra» on anar a comprar begudes. Les podies portar de fora amb l’única condició d’entrar-les obertes (es quedaven el tap de les ampolles o t’obligaven a obrir la llauna).
• En qualsevol cas molt poca gent bebia i el terra al final del concert estava molt i molt net  (mireu la foto aquí sota)

Si us interesa, alguns videos que he trobat al YouTube:

One of these days while walking on the street we saw the promotion of a rock festival in Taipei, the TWinkle Rock Festival

Massive Attack was on the line up and we like Massive Attack :). The fact is that Taiwan is only able to get this kind of groups (Pet Shop Boys were playing the day after) because the group are attending big festivals (mostly Fuji Rock and Summer Sonic in Japan) and they agree to play in Taiwan on the way in or out from Japan. This short article (.pdf) explains about it in detail.

At the very last minute, as usual, we decided to buy the tickets. After browsing around we could find Islandjam Tickets selling discounted tickets but we were too late. In Taiwan it is a lot cheaper if you buy things in advance or you buy a pack of things. In our case we had to buy normal price tickets at a FamilyMart (this is a chain of convenience stores in Taiwan, originally from Japan).  They have a type of kiosk called «FamiPort» where you can buy a lot of things. Really convenient I must say :)

With the help of a friend who can read Chinese characters we managed to buy the cheapest tickets, for the most far away area from the scenario. Around 2000TWD ~ 47€ each, so really expensive!

The concert was taking place at the TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall, that is at the end of the blue and brow lines of the MRT at Taipei, very easy to reach.

Martina Topley Bird, opened the show with a solo set for 40 minutes or so. After a short break the concert of Massive Attack started with a combination of old classic songs (it was kind of flashback to my days at university) and songs from their latest album Heligoland. Visual elements are a big part of Massive Attack’s concert, which include a light show and LED signboards that broadcast the band’s political concerns in a format similar to a cable TV news ticker. They paid attention to the details and had all messages both in English and Chinese.

It was a good concert that lasted around two hours.

Few «funny» details for foreigners like us:

• People from the organization were patrolling around to avoid people from the public taking pictures or videos from the concert. They tried their best but it was a kind of useless job. See video at the end of the post :)
• I think it was smoke free concert or something… we just saw very few people smoking cigarettes.
• There was no place (inside the concert) to buy drinks. You had to go outside to a nearby convenience store and bring it to the concert.
• The floor was really really clean at the end of the concert :) (see below)

And if you are interested, few videos: