2013 Ocean Music Festival Kicks Off — Tamsui Preliminary Round Draws Huge Crowd

Tourism Center / Taipei Report

Summer has arrived, and so has rock season. The 2013 Gongliao International Ocean Music Festival will run from July 10 to 14, with the much-watched "Ocean Indie Music Awards" having announced its list of 30 shortlisted bands. Three preliminary rounds will narrow it down to the top 10 acts who will take the main festival stage. The first preliminary round took place yesterday (2nd) at 4 PM in Tamsui. Even with the temperature hitting 35°C, the area in front of the stage was jam-packed with excited fans, drawn in by the vibrant music of the competing bands and swept away by the charm of Taiwan’s original sounds.


▲ Opening performance by io band. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

This year’s "Ocean Indie Music Awards" saw fierce competition, with 234 groups signing up — a new record in the number of participants. The 30 shortlisted bands feature a diverse range of musical styles, including some returning from last year’s competition and even artists nominated for this year’s Golden Melody Awards. The first preliminary round started at 4 PM at the Tamsui MRT Plaza, with io band — nominated for Best Band at this year’s Golden Melody Awards — opening the show with three original songs.

Unlike previous years where only competing bands performed, this is the first time the ocean festival’s preliminary round opened with a band performance. io band, representing Taiwan’s homegrown rock scene, shared that since returning to Taiwan in 2008, they’ve taken part in numerous competitions, enduring the tough journey many indie bands go through. As io band played, the audience swayed to the music, with many enthusiastic fans screaming and waving non-stop.


▲ Deerhorn Band. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

The first preliminary round featured a lineup of talented acts including Aurora Borealis Band, Hsu Shu-Hao, Deerhorn Band, Chen Guan-Quan, Honey Girls, Piggy Bank, ZhongTONE, Dark & White Collar Class, and Renaissance Band. Each group gave their all to showcase their creative energy and stage presence, making this year’s preliminary rounds exciting from the start and putting the judges’ expertise to the test.

Among the first-round performers, “Honey Girls,” who have made the 30-strong shortlist again this year, brought valuable experience from last year’s competition and proved they are a force to be reckoned with. Member AK stated that regardless of the outcome, they’ll stay grounded and give it their all. “Deerhorn Band,” hailing from the Nanao Luojiao Tribe in Taitung, is composed of five passionate Amis youths. Their cheerful personalities and powerful vocals captivated the crowd, who eagerly took photos and videos, danced to the music, and treated the performance like a personal mini-concert.


▲ Honey Girls. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

The organizer, New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau, has added an extra incentive: the winning band of this year’s "Ocean Indie Music Awards" will get the chance to perform at a Live House (music venue). The second and third preliminary rounds will be held next Sunday (6/9) at Ren’ai Park in Yonghe District, New Taipei City, and the following Sunday (6/16) at Xiangdi Boulevard Plaza in Xinyi District, Taipei City (in front of A11 Building of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi), respectively. Rock and original music fans are encouraged to come cheer for the bands and enjoy their unique sounds.

The 2013 New Taipei City Gongliao International Ocean Music Festival will be held from July 10 to 14 at Fulong Beach in Gongliao District, New Taipei City. The five-day event will feature themes including: Rock Earth Village, Taiwan Homegrown Rock, Asian Women Power 2.0, Ocean Indie Music Awards, and Go For It, My Ocean Festival.