From PUB to Live House, the Enduring Charm of Live Performances: Blue Fantasy
Auto-TranslationIn today's era dominated by various Korean-style cafes and trendy bars, there is a group of people who continue to protect the culture of live music restaurants, Live Pubs, and the spirit of rock that have accompanied a generation. They enable people to continue enjoying live music and relive wonderful memories! Music spaces are still regarded as an integral part of urban cultural tourism. This article features an interview with Ji Hua-lin, the founder of Kaohsiung's classic Live House "Blue Fantasy," unveiling the secret of "Blue Fantasy" remaining consistent for 30 years.
City music culture has organically transformed with economic development, political changes, and social trends. Before the term "music performance space" emerged, leisure venues featuring live music passed through eras of folk music western restaurants, garden cafes, Live Pubs, and Disco Pubs. After the 1990s, bands began to attempt writing their own songs. In 1999, Freddy, the lead singer of the band Chthonic, opened "Saint Live House" in Taipei, borrowing this term, which originated from Japanese rock music and has been popular for a long time, to announce a space centered around music. Since then, the term Live House began to be widely utilized. Whether in the form of the earlier Live Pubs or the current Live Houses, these small music spaces serve as stages for emerging talents to hone their skills and gain exposure, allowing more non-mainstream and independent creative music to be heard. Well-known artists like Mayday, Wu Bai, Sodagreen, and Cheer Chen all performed in Live Pubs or Live Houses before they became famous.
As Taipei developed various types of Live Houses to cater to the appetite of music fans, how did the music culture evolve in southern Kaohsiung? As early as 1990, during an era when Taipei had few venues for band performances, jazz pianist and composer Ji Hua-lin took the initiative to open a complex space in Kaohsiung that combined live music performances, dining, and a pub, promoting the trend of Live Pubs in Kaohsiung. Inspired by "Rhapsody in Blue," he named it "Blue Fantasy" (hereafter referred to as "Blue Fantasy"), paying tribute to the innovative spirit of American composer George Gershwin. Ji Hua-lin proudly recalled, "Since Kaohsiung had no Live Pubs, we would be the first."
As Taipei developed various types of Live Houses to cater to the appetite of music fans, how did the music culture evolve in southern Kaohsiung? As early as 1990, during an era when Taipei had few venues for band performances, jazz pianist and composer Ji Hua-lin took the initiative to open a complex space in Kaohsiung that combined live music performances, dining, and a pub, promoting the trend of Live Pubs in Kaohsiung. Inspired by "Rhapsody in Blue," he named it "Blue Fantasy" (hereafter referred to as "Blue Fantasy"), paying tribute to the innovative spirit of American composer George Gershwin. Ji Hua-lin proudly recalled, "Since Kaohsiung had no Live Pubs, we would be the first."
Discover Taiwan's Hidden GemsUncover Taiwan's coziest cafés, must-try local dishes, or secret spots — journé will take you to the stories behind the streets, guided by locals and shop owners.
Read on map to find the best spots nearby!Explore highlights from 50+ top travel magazines, anytime, anywhere
Read on map to find the best spots nearby!Explore highlights from 50+ top travel magazines, anytime, anywhereScan on your phone to open this article
Discover Taiwan's Hidden GemsUncover Taiwan's coziest cafés, must-try local dishes, or secret spots — journé will take you to the stories behind the streets, guided by locals and shop owners.Read on map to find the best spots nearby!Explore highlights from 50+ top travel magazines, anytime, anywhere
Read on map to find the best spots nearby!Explore highlights from 50+ top travel magazines, anytime, anywhereScan on your phone to open this article
