Must-see entertainment in Taipei

  • Blue Note

    Taipei

    Taipei's longest-running jazz club, Blue Note has been around since 1974. It's a moody little purple cavern with a fairy-lit ceiling. Very local and…

  • 500px Photo ID: 72306539 - National Concert Hall Taipei By Night

    National Theater & Concert Hall

    Taipei

    Located inside Liberty Sq, the National Theater & Concert Hall hosts large-scale concerts and cultural events including dances, musicals, Chinese and…

  • Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center

    Shilin

    This spanking-new theatre complex plays host to traditional operas and music but looks entirely futuristic – three grey polygonal buildings with coloured…

  • i-Ride Taipei

    Xinyi

    Swoop through the clouds above Taiwan's peaks, float over tea plantations and take a plunge with a turtle: i-Ride Taipei is a 5D cinema where a…

  • Cloud Gate Theater

    Taipei

    An experimental contemporary dance group; the theatre also hosts international acts.

  • Broadway Cinema

    Taipei

    The best cinema in Taipei. Shows mainstream and independent movies, and has decent popcorn, pretty cheap tickets (NT$270), small screening rooms with…

  • Red Room

    Taipei

    Live music, theatre, poetry readings, dance, lectures, workshops, anything goes in this beautiful space inside Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab – first…

  • SPOT – Taipei Film House

    Taipei

    This excellent art-house cinema is housed in a beautiful white colonial building that was once home to the US ambassador, and which dates back to 1925…

  • Bobwundaye

    Taipei

    This laid-back neighbourhood bar (the name means 'no problem' in Taiwanese), painted in warm Mediterranean oranges and reds, features regular live music…

  • Super 346 Livehouse

    Taipei

    The creepy night-time walk from Bade Rd through the old brewery to get to Super 346 Livehouse is what makes this place worth a trip. Built in 1919 as…

  • DaDaoCheng Theater

    Taipei

    Above Yongle Market, this theatre regularly holds performances of Taiwanese opera. In May and June it hosts free shows in the outside square. On the 8th…

  • Revolver

    Taipei

    One of Taipei's liveliest spots for drinking and catching live music (usually indie or rock). Very popular with expats, foreign students and backpackers,…

  • Taipei Eye

    Taipei

    Taipei Eye showcases Chinese opera together with other rotating performances, including puppet theatre and indigenous dance. This is a tourist show, but…

  • Pipe Live Music

    Taipei

    A grungy industrial-style club next to the river. Hosts an eclectic range of local and international DJs and bands, playing everything from house and…

  • Sappho Live

    Taipei

    This live jazz club is a cosy, purplish underground space with soft lighting. Music extends to blues, reggae and Latin-inspired beats. Their well…

  • Wall Music

    Taipei

    The cavernous Wall is Taipei's premier venue for independent music, both local and international. Expect rock, indie, jazz, soul, and pop. Descend the…

  • Riverside Live House

    Ximending & Wanhua

    One of Taipei's best live-music venues, the 800-seat Riverside sits at the back of the historic Red House in Ximending. Acts range from local Mandopop …

  • Taipei Arena

    Songshan

    Vast, cavernous and shaped like a flying saucer, the Taipei Arena hosts concerts and sporting events. Some top international names have performed here –…

  • PartyWorld

    Ximending & Wanhua

    PartyWorld is Taiwan's best-known karaoke chain. It's not the cheapest, but it is the biggest. This branch opposite the Ximending area looks like a hotel…

  • Ambassador Theatre

    Songshan

    This long-standing favourite is less busy than some, and offers a good mix of mainstream and alternative movies. Box office is on the seventh floor of the…

  • Vieshow Cinemas

    Xinyi

    This giant multiplex is always packed. Ticket prices are a little higher than usual, but with more than a dozen screens there should be something worth…

  • Ambassador Theatres @ Spring Centre

    Taipei

    This huge cinema with subterranean screens often shows independent movies (including documentaries) as well as the usual mainstream fare.

  • Taiyuan Asian Puppet Theatre Museum

    Taipei

    With more than 10,000 Asian puppets in this marvellous private museum, this is a must-visit. Sadly, the museum will close in July 2019 for approximately…

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