TAINAN TO KAOHSIUNG!

This is the second installment regarding our Asian Tour.  If you haven't read our first blog, then scroll down to "It's Great to be Back!" and read that one first.

After playing to a great crowd at the Tin Pan we rushed off to our accommodation after midnight.  The reason I am mentioning this, is because unlike the Hotels we are use to in Australia, the reception for this Hotel was on the 7th floor!  Which meant, that we stood around in an entrance way like dorks, where a security guard was sleeping on a stretcher and managed to yell over his shoulder in Mandarin.  Fortunately, our knight in shining armour was the ever talented Joyce Bolland who knew exactly where to go... (phew!).  The Asia Emperor Hotel is located east of Tainan city, it takes about 5 minutes from the train station and freeway exit. The rooms were modest, yet clean and tidy and a hot breakfast is provided.  After nearly 30 hrs with little or no sleep we crashed for the night.  As with most Hotel accommodation, the rooms were a little more pricey for Taiwan and equated to around $30 - $60 AUD per room per night.

We checked out mid-morning Saturday 31st March and headed to the train station to make our way back to Kaohsiung.   We arrived without much fuss  at the main station just in time to hear... what sounded like a hugely heavy, metal band playing on a makeshift stage outside the station.  REAL being the metal head he will always be... bolted to see who was playing.  Imagine his surprise when he realised, that huge sound was coming from a tiny  15 yr old Taiwanese girl shredding a guitar like Michael Angelo Batio... Gobsmacked!!

REAL and I made our way to the Walking Story Hostel located on Liuhe Road about 100m from the famous Liuhe Night Markets.  The Hostel was central to where we would be playing for the next three nights.  It is a 10 minute walk to the subway and the friendly staff are more than willing to help with taxi's and tourist enquiries.  The rooms are clean, tidy and reasonably priced, ($15 - 23 AUD per room per night) with AC, free wireless and an elevator (carting band gear up and down stairs just plain sux).
 

One thing I really enjoyed about staying at this Hostel, was that as soon as we would get back from a gig, the markets would be open and we could go get some dinner before heading back for a well deserved rest.

Downstairs from where we were staying we found a rather interesting little shop, that we had to comment on.  The windows were often covered and it took a while for us to realise what kind of shop it was, but none of us were game enough to enter the premises.  I don't think the owner was too interested in us hanging around the front of his shop either.  We probably did look a little dodgy.  Check some of the footage we managed to capture...

Well it made us laugh!     Moving right along...

Our first gig in Kaohsiung was at the Brickyard Beer Garden Spring Festival, which was smack bang in the middle of Kaohsiung Central Park (well maybe a little left of centre).  This was our first little festival in Taiwan and we had no idea what to expect, so we went along for a sound check in the late afternoon.

 

Along with The Bollands, DSR, Goober Gun and DJ Spinkid we had a great night, gained fans, became fans, sold merch and made lots of new friends.  The crowd was super supportive and we had our first encounter with dancing girls between bands.  A real eye opener.. for some more than others.

Our second gig in Kaohsiung was at a cool little venue called The Rocks where we got another opportunity to play alongside the Bollands and DSR.  REAL managed to jump on the cans and help out the Bollands, not that they needed it and we managed to get some lovely footage from Trevor Joines of one of our classics.  We also wanted to thank the guy's from the Brickyard... Ryan and Graham for not only coming along and supporting us, but also tracking down REAL's gooseneck,  you guy's Rock!  REAL by this time was feeling the effects of late nights, lack of sleep and smog... hence his new ninja styles.

The third and last gig we had in Kaohsiung was at a little whisky bar called Mountain Station which was just around the corner from our Hostel (bonus!).  We had Brent, Ponw and Greg a.k.a Canada (sometimes Tim) from DSR rock up and cheer us on.  Thanks to Hack who managed to get us a kit and the regular's who gave us a warm round of applause.

We then proceeded to a roof top party with a guy we affectionately call 'Rooftop Rob', carrying all our gear from the gig,we decided since we had it... we should play!  So on top of Rob's roof (hence the name) and in the dark, we sang our little hearts out with the help of the Bollands, RT Rob, Canada, a set of bongo's, a melodica and two guitars.  A few ales along, the Cranberries, GNR and 3 Non blondes later we were kindly removed by security due to noise complaints!  Well you can't win them all! We had a blast either way and a lot of laughs, cheers guy's!

There ends another fun filled day in Taiwan.
To be continued very soon....    Peace out!  AnaMac


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