Must-see entertainment in 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…

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

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

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…

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

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

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

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…

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

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…

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…

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

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…

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

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

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 …

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

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…

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…