Kezailiao –A hidden gem of rock music in the guise of a fishing town／蚵仔寮 現代漁村桃花源
Kezailiao –
A hidden gem of rock music in the guise of a fishing town
◎English translation: Peng Hsin-yi
◎Photos by Lin Yu-hung
Kezailiao in Ziguan District is a little town by the sea where generations have made their living by fishing. It is a simple place with a simple life style, but for visitors it holds a certain charm.
Most of Kezailiao's fishing boats and bamboo rafts make their ways back to the port around noon, and that is when this tranquil town comes to life. Fishermen have to act fast in order to unload the catch and send it to the nearby Kezailiao Seafood Auction. This is the biggest auction site for inshore fisheries in Taiwan; regularly frequented by restaurateurs, it also supplies seafood to retail stores and evening produce markets in Kaohsiung. It is not an exaggeration to say that Kezailiao can take considerable credit for enriching Kaohsiung's dinner tables.
On holidays, Kezailiao's fish market is a tourist hot spot. The narrow aisles inside the market are lined by over 100 seafood shops, and the market is usually packed with visitors. There is incredible variety, and almost everyone who comes here makes a purchase, taking home the freshest seasonal tastes.
Locals in Kezailiao want outsiders to truly know the place. And they have succeeded in this, if quite by accident. In 2012, the Parent-Teacher Association of Keliao Junior High School planned a beach party featuring beer, barbeque and a live band. The guest list was a modest 500 people, just friends and family. But this modest event, despite its meager budget, somehow mobilized the entire town. They hired an indie band and called the event "Fishing Town Mini Rock Festival at Kezailiao." Through Facebook connections and word of mouth, the concert attracted more than 4,000 people, becoming a huge hit!
Ms. Kang Yici, one of those working at the event, recalled that the indie bands they booked had large fan bases, and as they followed the bands to Kezailiao, they connected with local people, conversations ensued, and the rest is history.
Thanks to the concert, the locals became more confident about their way of life. Because of the Mini Rock Festival, many people in the music industry became friends with Kezailiao locals, including singer-songwriter Sie Mingyou. Mr. Sie listened to the story of local resident Mr. Cai Dengcai, who was born and raised in Kezailiao, fell in love, got married and raised children of his own. Afterward, he made a pilgrimage to all the spots Mr. Cai had mentioned, and wrote a song with Taiwanese lyrics called "My Home, My Love" for Mr. Cai to sing. This song was made into an EP and released in 2014 to coincide with the second "Fishing Town Mini Rock Festival at Kezailiao.
The second festival earned the support of many well-known indie bands because of its unique setup and the fact it was created entirely by locals. They came to perform even though the organizers were only able to offer a symbolic payment to cover their transportation costs. But the festival has gained depth and character. Mr. Cai says he was never exposed to indie music at all until the first festival, during which the singers were given time to talk to the audience about the stories behind their songs.
Mr. Cai says it was then he realized that when he used to listen to music, he was only listening to the surface of a song. Now, he has finally learned to listen to the soul of each song, and conjure the images the artist is trying to convey. The songs have become more endearing because of that. Taking us to the small cove where he used to meet his love, he sang us "My Home, My Love." His singing, backed by spectacular ocean views, rings the wonder of Kezailiao.
Kezailiao host the third "Fishing Town Mini Rock Festival" in February 2015. This time, the festival invited 19 bands to perform, and the festival included the premiere of the documentary, which recorded the town's recent transformation.
Check out Kezailiao when you have time; you will not be disappointed. This is a place that caters to people of different tastes, whether you wanted to experience the charm of a fishing town, taste the freshest seafood, or enjoy killer views of waves hitting the shore. But what is most likely to make you come back is the natural warmth of the local people. Everyone is made to feel welcome!
蚵仔寮 現代漁村桃花源
◎文／侯雅婷
◎攝影／林裕鈜
梓官區蚵仔寮漁港居民世代靠海吃海，純樸且自成一格的漁村氛圍，有如桃花源一般動人。
隨著一艘艘返抵蚵仔寮漁港的漁船和竹筏，蚵仔寮的漁村風情頓時鮮明了起來！漁民趕在中午卸下當日滿載的現撈漁獲，送往距離漁港幾步之遙的蚵仔寮漁市拍賣場，這是全台規模最大的近海現撈漁獲拍賣場，許多餐廳業者固定前來採買，蚵仔寮漁獲也供應高雄賣場與黃昏市場，也成為家戶餐桌上澎湃的海味料理，蚵仔寮觀光漁市是當地最人氣的觀光景點，每逢假日人潮如織。
想讓外界更認識蚵仔寮，2012年，蚵寮國中家長會原本只想邀集500位親友在沙灘上聽演唱會、喝啤酒和吃烤肉，然而捉襟見肘的預算反倒讓蚵仔寮居民全都動了起來，請來獨立樂團演出，僅靠著臉書和口耳相傳，這場由民間自辦的「蚵寮漁村小搖滾」演唱會竟吸引四千人參與，蚵仔寮一炮而紅！
演唱會工作人員康憶慈指出，獨立樂團擁有廣大的忠實粉絲，隨著表演造訪蚵仔寮，也拜演唱會所賜，蚵仔寮居民對生長的這片土地更有信心。許多音樂人因小搖滾與當地居民結為好友，其中，創作歌手謝銘祐聽了蚵仔寮居民蔡登財在這裡出生、長大、戀愛、結婚和生子的故事，在他走過蔡登財談起過的許多地方，心有所感地譜寫了台語歌「故鄉是我的愛人」，由蔡登財演唱並收錄在2014年第二屆「蚵寮漁村小搖滾」發行的EP。
第二屆「蚵寮漁村
小搖滾」以其在地性和獨特性獲得更多知名獨立樂團認同，表演團體只領取車馬費，演唱會越來越精彩。蔡登財說，他是從「蚵寮漁村小搖滾」才開始接觸獨立樂團，從前聽歌，只聽到歌曲的皮毛，現在則聽進歌曲的靈魂，腦子有了畫面，歌曲格外動聽。採訪時，蔡登財在平日開會的秘密基地「海灣」清唱「故鄉是我的愛人」，歌聲搭配後方海景，蚵仔寮的美好引起共鳴。
在樂迷引頸企盼下，2015年2月舉辦第三屆「蚵寮漁村小搖滾」邀請19組表演團體之外，還播放「蚵寮漁村紀事」記錄片，用影像記錄蚵仔寮的成長。
找個時間造訪蚵仔寮，豐富精彩的漁村風光從生猛的觀光漁市、泊靠漁港的漁船、南沙灘捲捲浪花到港口海天一色的景致，在眼前鋪展開來，而海口人的人情味最讓人津津樂道！