By Emi Higashiyama Translated by Iva Huang

      For those who enjoy live music, Kaohsiung is the place to be this June. Live entertainment in the form of 1970s progressive rock music is something of a rarity in Taiwan, but this summer sees "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway"--an intriguing production that will debut in the south, and later be performed in Taichung and Taipei.

Artist and Genre

      Individuals who grew up listening to 1970s tunes are sure to be familiar with the British band Genesis. Before the Phil Collins era, Genesis produced some of music history's most recognizable progressive rock, including a landmark piece released in 1974 called "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway."

      That album raised the bar for what is known as rock opera--a genre that was launched by The Pretty Things' "S.F. Sorrow" (1968), and which prominently features The Who's "Tommy" (1969).

Synopsis

      A symbolic tale incorporating many aspects of numerology, Kabalism, Buddhism, and Judeo-Christian concepts, "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" is an epic tale of a young man's discovery of the meaning of life. The protagonist is a half-Puerto Rican teenager named Rael, who lives on the streets of New York City.

      Trying to make a name for himself, he becomes a graffiti artist. Early one morning, after a night spent autographing a subway wall, Rael, dodging the authorities, notices two very curious objects: a lamb lying down on Broadway Street, and a colossal, black, solidified cloud which devours everything in its path. Even stranger is the oblivious reaction shown by the people on the streets.

      As Rael flees, his initially successful escape becomes dishearteningly futile. A harsh wind attacks him, slowing him down until the wall catches up to him. Once consumed, he enters a dream-like state in which his past and present experiences are revisited in fragmented episodes. Throughout these "memories," Rael's brother, John, appears. John, it seems, has either been consumed by the "wall of death," or is perpetually just one step ahead of Rael.

      Having no option but to navigate his own course, Rael encounters a factory of lifeless bodies being prepared for "packaging," a mazelike chamber of 32 doors (in which he is appealed to and tricked by a devious woman), a pool of virtue-sucking snake-women, a congregation of jaded men, and a suspiciously malevolent doctor.

      Throughout all these scenarios, Rael finds himself in a quandary after quandary. If he hasn't died already (which is one of the common interpretations of the role of the black wall), his life is threatened by inescapable and painful death on several occasions. As his brother John slips in and out of the picture, Rael consistently pleads for help--and John consistently turns away. As the story reaches its pivotal point, Rael finds himself having to choose between a portal which beckons him to return to his previous life of normalcy and following the distressed calls of his drowning brother, who rejected him on every previous incident.

Presentation

      All 24 songs on the original Genesis album will be performed live. Lead vocalist/guitarist Terrance Engel, keyboards player Dave Wilke, and percussionist/bassist Shaw Cunningham will sing and play as the story unfolds in a video and slide presentation. The trio has researched and rehearsed the album for over a year. The production has been organized by Brad Loghrin, of Kaohsiung's Riveting Theater. The show is expected to last 90 to 120 minutes.

Dates and Venues

      All Kaohsiung performances of "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" will be held at ATT Music Pub (within walking distance of the railway station, at B1, 83, JianGuo 3rd Road). For details, call (07) 286-1570 or (07) 285-9645.

      Performance dates are as follows: June 19 (Sat) 10 pm; June 20 (Sun) 4 pm; June 25 (Fri) 10 pm; June 26 (Sat) 10 pm; June 27 (Sun) 4 pm. Shows are also planned for July 2-4. Tickets are NT$200 each.