One Louder
'One Louder' graces The Living Room

8, NanJing E. Rd, Sec. 5, 3F
Tel: (02) 8787-4154
Hours: 6:30 pm-1 am;
Fri & Sat 6:30 pm-2 am,
(closed Sundays) www.livingroomtaipei.com

By Cat Thomas /Translated by Liu Fang Ru

The Living Room is one of those places where you can go along without a clue what is happening that night and be pretty damn sure of being well entertained. They host a variety of events, ranging from live bands to jamming sessions, from the spoken word to cabaret and even the occasional play.

This month, however, there is one night that shouldn't be missed. The 'One Louder' label has been given to what promises to be a fantastic night on Friday, May 13. Headlining are 'The Clippers', the legendary underground Taiwanese band that specialises in social commentary with a humourous slant, accompanied by their laptops. Having been together since 1995, the band puts together a lively show which is both clever and, for those of us who might struggle to grasp the finer points in Taiwanese, visually very entertaining. Supporting is the new-on-the-scene band, 'The Message', originally scheduled to play their inaugural gig at this year's Spring Scream (called off due to high winds causing the stage to collapse). Spring Scream's loss becomes The Living Room's gain as the five-piece band debuts in this conducive venue. It's hard to know what to expect from a group which describes itself as 'experimental art post-rock that you can move to' but their demo is promising and their singer has an excellent voice.

The beauty of The Living Room is that it manages to live up to its name. Despite its capacity of around 200 people, it always feels intimate even when it's busy, partly due to the well thought out layout. The venue is split into two rooms, one containing the bar and comfy seating in the form of sofas and the other, which is used for the live entertainment, featuring seating which varies depending on the demands of each evening. It is often to laid out in a cabaret style, frequently with a small area left clear for those who feel inspired to hop up and have a quick dance. You always feel that everyone around you is having fun.

The bar mixes a pretty good Tequila Special (a surprisingly great tasting Tequila Yoghurt drink for NT$200), and bottled beers are reasonably priced at around NT$150. The staff is always friendly and the owner (renowned saxophonist Corbett Wall) is often around helping out. Corbett's appreciation of creativity leads to some pretty unusual nights, such as Tarot Card readings and 'The Workshop' (a chance for artists of all descriptions to show their work-in-progress be it art films, performances or readings). The Living Room is at the forefront of Taipei's creative scene. Check it out.