TAITUNG, Taiwan — The coastal city of Taitung was transformed into a massive, open-air sing-along stage this weekend as Take Me East! (東！帶我走), a free two-day music festival headlined by Mandopop queen A-Mei, drew tens of thousands of fans. Held September 12–13 along the scenic shoreline, the event—this year themed “Set Off, Sing in Taitung”—featureed elaborate water-spray effects that turned the beach into what organizers touted as Taiwan’s largest high-energy outdoor KTV booth.
The festival’s highlight on Friday night was Hong Kong pop veteran Alex To, the sole Hong Kong artist invited to perform. Sharing the bill were Taiwanese stars Shin, Dai Ai-ling, Yellow Huang, 9m88, the sister duo A-Mei-Mei, Leehom Wang’s former labelmate Leehom? No— Li Jiu-zhe, and Valen Hsu.
For To, the trip marked his first-ever performance in Taitung—a journey that tested his stamina as much as his showmanship. After flying into Kaohsiung the night before, he endured a three-hour drive to reach the venue and dove straight into rehearsals early Friday. Battling the brutal outdoor heat, the singer described the experience in three words: “Sleep-deprived, unfed, and 40 degrees Celsius.” Drenched in sweat after practice, he joked, “I genuinely felt a bit of heatstroke. My clothes were soaked—I didn’t even want to touch myself.”
But fatigue vanished once he hit the stage. To opened his set with Spoil You, then paused to note he’d checked the local train schedule. “The last train has already left,” he told the crowd, “yet so many of you are still here!” The realization visibly moved him. He then launched into a string of hits, including Innocent, Heartless Hurt, Love for a Lifetime, Lover, and Take It Off.
When the opening chords of Love for a Lifetime (1991) rang out, the venue erupted into what felt like a 70,000-person karaoke bar. To turned nostalgic, recalling his early days as a rookie in Taiwan’s music scene. “Back then, during summer promotions, my one and only outfit would go from dry to wet and back again,” he laughed, prompting fans to yell in unison: “Take it off! Take it off!”
The night’s peak came with Take It Off. To morphed into a dance instructor, coaching the massive audience through signature moves. In a theatrical moment, he and his backup dancers suddenly dropped flat onto the stage, then sprang up with a collective roar—igniting the crowd. As the beat intensified, he stripped off his blazer to reveal a T-shirt, then grabbed a giant water cannon to blast the audience, leaving himself drenched too.
After the show, To celebrated with his crew over hotpot. Reflecting on the night, he pointed to the water-spray dance segment as his favorite. “Everyone on stage and off was soaked—I was wet from head to toe, even my underwear and socks,” he said with a grin. “The outfit I wore was brand new and silk, so it got completely deformed. But hey, the audience definitely got their money’s worth—even though it was free.”
Broader impact: The festival underscores Taitung’s growing appeal as a live-music destination, blending natural scenery with large-scale cultural events. With A-Mei’s star power and a roster mixing veterans and rising acts, the event not only boosts local tourism but also reinforces Taiwan’s reputation for high-energy, community-driven concerts. Organizers have hinted at an even bigger lineup for next year.
