Top 30 Finalists Announced for Ocean Music Festival; Pre-Competition Kicks Off in Tamsui This Sunday

Tourism Center / Taipei Report

The annual music extravaganza "2013 New Taipei City Gongliao International Ocean Music Festival" will take place from July 10 to 14. This year’s "Ocean Independent Music Awards" attracted 234 acts from various backgrounds to compete, and the list of 30 finalists was unveiled today (May 28). The first pre-competition event will be held this Sunday (June 2) in Tamsui. Organizers are calling on all music lovers to come together and cheer for music, creativity, and dreams.


▲ The grand stage at the 2012 Ocean Music Festival. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

The New Taipei City Government Tourism and Travel Bureau stated that this year’s pre-competition events will be held on June 2 at the Tamsui MRT Station Plaza, June 9 at Yonghe Ren’ai Park, and June 16 (Sunday) at Xiangdi Boulevard Plaza (in front of A11 Hall of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Store). The 30 finalist bands that have qualified for the semi-finals will compete in the pre-competitions for 10 spots on the main stage of the Ocean Music Festival, earning the chance to perform in front of tens of thousands of fans and vie for the honors of "Ocean Independent Music Awards," "Jury Grand Prize," and "Ocean Star."

The 30 finalists announced today include: 36-Turn Kick, P!SCO, Rosy Rose Red, Trash, TuT, Secondhand Smoke, Three-Legged Cat, Piggy Bank, ZhongTONE Band, Zhongli Dog, Wang Shun, Renaissance Band, Tree of Life, Aurora Band, Four Pens Band, Hill and Joy Band, Ackerman Band, Ming Band, Lin Shaowei & Bad Boy Band, Lin Yubei & Luke Band, Yizheng Yijing, Chen Guanquan, Deer Antler Band, Hsu Shuhao, Dark & White Working Class, Fule, Light Diary, Tight Pants, Honey Girls, and Sauce String.


▲ %Ji012 Ocean Independent Music Awards winner Casual Band. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)


This year saw a record number of band entries, with fierce competition starting from the preliminary round. Wu Menghui, a preliminary judge and also the Best Album Producer at the Golden Melody Awards, said that this year’s contestants showcased a wide range of musical styles, with at least half of them being quite impressive—comparable in skill and uniqueness to well-known underground bands. Facing the pressure of competition, judges also shared some tips. Preliminary judge Lin Zheguang reminded participants that live performances are not like studio recordings where you can endlessly edit, so it's more important to deliver a stable, relaxed, and complete show with a calm mindset. Preliminary judge You Jiayong also suggested that performance style and visuals should be thoughtfully designed but not overly eccentric. In addition, mastering the limited time through multiple rehearsals beforehand is key, and once on stage, performers should simply enjoy the moment—naturally radiating charm.

The Ocean Music Festival, which attracts numerous bands and fans every year for exchange, not only features amazing performances by creative bands and singers from around the world, but also serves as a platform for discovering new talent. Many well-known artists and bands began their rise to fame here. This year’s New Taipei City Gongliao International Ocean Music Festival combines the theme of the sea’s "starfish" with "Rock On" to showcase the vitality and bold spirit of rock music. Every band that loves rock and stays true to originality has the chance to become the brightest star on the main stage.