Kaohsiung Hard Court Music Festival: Free Yacht Rides to Watch Band Performances at Sea

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

Catch the tail end of summer vacation!“The UBU Hard Court Music Exhibition” is making its first-ever move to Kaohsiung this year, extending the concert experience out to sea by creating a floating stage on a yacht. This event offers a double dose of rock music both on land and at sea, and even provides the public with free yacht rides to enjoy the performances. The lineup is stellar, featuring national treasure-level musical master Wen Xia alongside top Taiwanese indie bands such as Chairman, Kopoochin, and Fire EX., aiming to let attendees feel the unique charm of being their own “hard court.”

▲National treasure-level musical creator Wen Xia with members of various bands. (Photo / Provided by Kaohsiung City Government)

Different from the previous two editions held in Taipei, this year’s Hard Court Music Exhibition kicks off on August 31st at Kaohsiung’s Glory Pier. The Kaohsiung City Government stated that the music exhibition is free to enter, with performances running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. To present a unique take on indie music, the event is breaking new ground with a yacht-based floating stage that closely connects the originality of indie bands with Kaohsiung’s local maritime culture. Public buses and the MRT will also increase service frequency to make it more convenient for fans to attend.

Musical master Wen Xia expressed excitement about performing alongside young indie bands. On the 31st, he will give his best performance on stage. Newly crowned Golden Melody Award Taiwanese female singer Li Ya Sha will also make an appearance. Performing bands also include TRASH, 88balaz, and Haikē. The music exhibition has also planned a “Fishbone Band History Exhibition” to help the public learn about the development of indie music.

The National Culture and Arts Foundation stated that UBU stands for “You Be Yourself,” or being yourself. The spirit of “hard court” (Indies) represents originality, creativity, and a connection to local culture. The Hard Court Music Exhibition kicks off the second half of Kaohsiung’s event calendar, followed by the highly anticipated Yellow Duck Show in mid-September.