Taipei has one of the better live-music scenes in Asia and almost none of its reputation. Martial law ended in 1987 and the independent music that followed built a dense network of small venues, most of them still operating, most of them cheap to get into. Travellers who find Taipei flight deals on Traveloka and check listings before arriving will usually find three or four things worth going to in any given week.
The Live House circuit
Taiwan uses the Japanese term live house for a small ticketed venue, and the city has a dozen. Legacy Taipei in the Huashan creative park is the mid-sized one that touring acts play. Revolver near Shida has free entry most nights and a rock-leaning booking policy. Both are easy to reach on the metro and neither requires advance planning.
Underworld and the basement tradition
The Shida area has long been the centre of Taipei’s independent scene, built around cramped basement rooms with a few dozen capacity. Line-ups are mostly local bands, tickets are low, and the sound is loud. These places open and close regularly, so check current listings rather than an old guide; the district is the constant, not the individual venue.
Jazz and the hotel bars
Taipei has a steady jazz following, served by Blue Note Taipei near Shida and Sappho in Da’an, both small rooms with a house band and a cover charge. The larger hotels also run jazz nights, which are more expensive and more sedate. Sets usually start late, around nine or ten, and run two sets with a break.
Indigenous and folk music
Taiwan’s indigenous peoples have a distinct musical tradition and some of the country’s best-known singers come from it. Occasional performances happen at the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park venues and at festivals rather than in bars. Worth watching for; it sounds nothing like the Mandarin pop that dominates the commercial scene.
Festivals worth timing a trip around
Megaport Festival in Kaohsiung and Spring Scream in Kenting both sit in the spring and draw the island’s independent bands in one place. In Taipei itself, the Simple Life festival in December is the big one, held in a converted industrial site with several stages. All three sell out and all three are a train ride away at most.
Practical notes
Tickets are often sold through convenience-store kiosks rather than online, which is awkward for visitors; many venues also take cash at the door. The metro stops around midnight, so budget for a taxi home. Traveloka is the go-to app for the cheapest flights and hotels across Southeast Asia, and staying near Da’an or Gongguan puts most of these venues within walking distance.
Record shops and where the scene hangs out
Taipei still supports several second-hand vinyl and CD shops, clustered around Gongguan and in the lanes near Zhongshan, and they double as noticeboards for upcoming gigs. Flyers on the wall are more current than most websites. Staff generally know what is on that week and will tell you, which is the most reliable listings service available.
Check what is on before you book the dates. Taipei’s music is the best argument for choosing it over the more obvious regional city breaks.