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www.taiwanho.com: Canadian group brings music, 'poutine' to Taiwan By Jason Pan Taiwan News, Contributing Writer 2004-05-30  Canadians in Taiwan had plenty of reasons to brandish their Maple Leaf pride this past week. United by their patriotic fervor for their national game, Canadian expatriates are collectively supporting the Calgary Flames this year. The Flames had made it into the NHL championship finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, thus becoming the first team from Canada in 10 years to clinch the opportunity of winning the Stanley Cup and bring it back to the Great White North. Bilateral links between Taiwan and Canada were also re-affirmed with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on a series of education and learning collaborations. The MOU included the recruitment and training of Canadian graduates to Taiwan this summer to work as English-language teachers, along with cooperative study and research programs between their universities and academic institutions. Moreover, Taipei was introduced to Offsides, a four-member hip-hop band from Montreal, Canada. The group, which was the top attraction at the 15th anniversary of Club TU last week, also had the worldwide launch of their debut CD in Taiwan. The Canadian rap group received favorable reviews from the local press and the partying crowd for their unique brand of music - vocal house sounds that come complete with free-styling rap and scratch-record DJ actions. The four members of Offsides - D.R. One, Lokey, Bailey, and Malicious - are tightly-knit partners when the music starts pumping. From what we have seen, they really know how to work the crowd to a frenzy. Organized by OdoubleF Records company, Offsides' week-long tour is focused on promoting CD "Foul Language" and their latest projects, "2DEF" and "Turn it Up." The group also had a few gigs at Brown Sugar and other clubs in town. Jonathan Wakrat, director of Taiwan operations for OdoubleF Records, told us, "Offsides are the best rappers in Canada and the most highly regarded debut rap act in North America. Their singles have consistently topped the charts." "We are here because Taiwan is the center of the Chinese rap scene, and since TU is the oldest underground Hip Hop club in Taiwan, it is a great place to launch their new video and the latest music material," he continued. Offsides also took the time to introduce poutine (pronounced poo-teen), a specialty snack from Quebec, to their Taiwanese friends. Poutine is potato fries topped with rich gravy, cheese curds, and melted cheese. Rooted in the rural French-Canadian culture of Quebec, poutine is identified with "La Belle Province." Wakarat, a Canadian who now resides in Taiwan, said he found two restaurants that serve excellent Quebecois-style poutine: Citizen Cain on Dong Fong Road and Blast Burger on Jing Ping Road in Yungho, Taipei County. Last week, Offsides even joined a poutine-eating contest at Citizen Cain. Wakarat and his business partner Joni Leimala from Finland are also working on Offsides' Taiwan music video. The group's Taiwan tour will be aired in North America, he said  | ||||||
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