on TAIPEI Kil'n time in Taipei - Community Services Center
on TAIPEI Kil'n time in Taipei - Community Services Center
on TAIPEI Kil'n time in Taipei - Community Services Center
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enterta<strong>in</strong>ment<br />
adoga:<br />
Rock<strong>in</strong>g Taiwan - Bil<strong>in</strong>gually<br />
TExT: PHILLIP CHARLIER FOR THE WILD EAST<br />
IMAGES: ADOGA<br />
‘Adoga’ may be a mysterious word to people<br />
resid<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the West. Google the word and the current<br />
number-<strong>on</strong>e result is the ‘American Dehydrated Oni<strong>on</strong><br />
and Garlic Associati<strong>on</strong>’. In Taiwan, it has a very<br />
different mean<strong>in</strong>g. It is the Hoklo Taiwanese word for a<br />
certa<strong>in</strong> k<strong>in</strong>d of foreigner and it refers specifically to the<br />
nose-structure of Caucasians.<br />
While c<strong>on</strong>troversy has raged about the use of this term<br />
<strong>in</strong> both the Ch<strong>in</strong>ese and English language press, <strong>on</strong>e<br />
group of professi<strong>on</strong>al musicians has taken the word and<br />
made it their own. ADOGA, the band, has racked up<br />
some serious success <strong>in</strong> the fields of corporate and public<br />
enterta<strong>in</strong>ment.<br />
HigH eneRgy HiTs<br />
music <strong>in</strong> styles rang<strong>in</strong>g from classic rock to R&B to<br />
funk and blues. ADOGA also features hit s<strong>on</strong>gs from<br />
c<strong>on</strong>temporary artists such as Maro<strong>on</strong> 5, B<strong>on</strong> Jovi and<br />
more. But what makes ADOGA excepti<strong>on</strong>al is that they<br />
can perform <strong>in</strong> English, Ch<strong>in</strong>ese, and even Taiwanese. So<br />
while many people <strong>in</strong> Taiwan refer to them as a ‘foreign’<br />
band, they are really a local band made up of foreign<br />
performers. As Taiwanese bass player Maxx Ta says:<br />
“As so<strong>on</strong> as I met ADOGA, I realized right away, that<br />
even though they are foreigners they have a love for<br />
Taiwan that you can hear every <strong>time</strong> we play <strong>in</strong> fr<strong>on</strong>t of<br />
an audience.” His favorite s<strong>on</strong>g is WuBai’s hit “Flower”,<br />
where his pulsat<strong>in</strong>g bass gets people danc<strong>in</strong>g right away.<br />
Rock<strong>in</strong>g THe island<br />
ADOGA specializes <strong>in</strong> cover<strong>in</strong>g classic hits that span<br />
almost a half century of rock and pop music, and their<br />
playlist is also packed with the latest hits you can hear <strong>on</strong><br />
any popular, c<strong>on</strong>temporary music radio stati<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> Taiwan<br />
or the West.<br />
ADOGA audiences love danc<strong>in</strong>g to the<br />
high energy hits from Western bands<br />
(such as the Roll<strong>in</strong>g St<strong>on</strong>es, The<br />
Beatles and Guns’n’Roses) as<br />
well as Ch<strong>in</strong>ese (WuBai,<br />
a n d t h e C a p e N o . 7<br />
m o v i e s o u n d t r a c k).<br />
This versatile act plays<br />
Lead vocalist, Brand<strong>on</strong> Thomps<strong>on</strong>, a native of Tor<strong>on</strong>to,<br />
Canada, is an accomplished performer with over twelve<br />
years of experience host<strong>in</strong>g many different types of live<br />
enterta<strong>in</strong>ment shows. He has performed at festivals<br />
across the island such as Spr<strong>in</strong>g Scream,<br />
PeaceFest and Blues Fest. His<br />
e n e r g e t i c p e r s o n a l i t y<br />
and ability to <strong>in</strong>volve<br />
the audience <strong>in</strong><br />
performances are<br />
excepti<strong>on</strong>al and his<br />
Taiwanese versi<strong>on</strong><br />
of “Danc<strong>in</strong>g Girl” is<br />
“When you come to an<br />
ADOGA gig, you can’t help but<br />
clap and s<strong>in</strong>g with them.”<br />
16 june 2010