Melodies of the Heart: The 'Hsu Tzu-chiang is Innocent' Benefit Concert

Dear friends,
Ahead of the ruling on Wednesday, September 1, Hsu Tzu-chiang is experiencing tense and complex emotions. A group of musicians wish to accompany him in awaiting justice through strings and song. The concert will be held this Sunday, August 30, from 16:00 to 18:30 at Chinan Church. You are cordially invited to attend, praying for justice to arrive and affirming Hsu Tzu-chiang's innocence.

• Time: Sunday, August 30, 16:00–18:30
• Location: Chinan Church Plaza (No. 3, Zhongshan S. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City)

Time	Performer	Performance Details
16:00-16:20	Erotic Gatekeeper	A Heartless and Unjust Society (Lyrics & Music: Erotic Gatekeeper) When You Want to Do Something, the Whole World Will Come to Help You (Lyrics & Music: Erotic Gatekeeper)
16:20-16:40	Hsia-sheng A-liang	Come What May, It's Just One Cut (Lyrics & Music: A-liang) Returning Home (Music / Original Lyrics: Huang Hsiu-ching)
16:40-17:00	Wu Yi-cheng	Bring Him Home (From the Musical Les Misérables) Radiant Soul (Lyrics: Lu Han-hsiu, Music: Chan Hung-ta)
17:00-17:20	Wuling Choir	Under the Flowering Tree (Lyrics: Ku Hsiu-ju, Music: Hsieh Yu-wei, Arrangement: Tsai Yu-shan) The Sky Will Always Brighten (Lyrics & Music: Cheng Chih-jen, Arrangement: Tsai Yu-shan)
17:20-17:40	Chen Hsin-yi	Sorry and Thank You So Much (Lyrics & Music: Suzuka, Arrangement: Tsai Ping-heng)
17:40-18:00	Chen Po-wei & Micc	Happiness (Lyrics: Association for Promotion of Rights of Working Women and Slum Residents, Black Hand Nakasi; Music: Chen Po-wei) Battle Hymn of the Laborer (Lyrics: Ke Cheng-lung of Taoyuan Airline Services Corporation Union, adapted by Chiang Chin-tai; Original Tune: South Korean labor movement song 'March for the Beloved')
18:00-18:20	Maffine	Don't (Lyrics & Music: Maffine) One Thousand Words (Lyrics & Music: Maffine)

Performer Profiles

※ Special thanks to every performer for their pro bono performance, and to Thomas, Tsai Mary, and Yi-ting for their assistance with coordination.

Erotic Gatekeeper

An aloof-style trio punk band originating from Pingtung City, Taiwan, established in the summer of 2012. Driven by sheer passion, they charge forward with a punk attitude in every performance to express deep inner feelings. Their concise and powerful lyrics are paired with relentless, sharp guitar lines, dynamic rhythmic structures, and wild three-finger bass picking. Seeing the call for concert performers for the Hsu Tzu-chiang 20th Anniversary Exhibition, and coincidentally heading north to participate in the ParkPark Festival, they adjusted their schedule and happily came to show their support for Hsu Tzu-chiang.

Hsia-Sheng A-Liang

Given name Li Hung-chih, formerly the leader of the Hsia-sheng Duet and a member of the Nonuk wandering singing troupe.

He has long cared for social welfare and participated in movement protests. Upon learning that Hsu Tzu-chiang's retrial (the ninth remand) was approaching its ruling, he readily agreed to come and cheer him on.

Wu Yi-Cheng

Psychiatrist and executive committee member of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR). Formerly an editor for the South Taiwan E-newsletter, he edited poetry selections including Ameba Poetry Journal Autumn/Winter 2000 and Ameba's Metamorphic Diary, participated in editing Scorched Earth Spring—2004 Memorandum, and produced the Lai Ho Literature and Music Album The River by the Tuan-Nao-Jef Wandering Singing Troupe. He served as president of the Kaohsiung Medical University Ameba Poetry Club and Youth Society. In 2013, he re-wrote the Taiwanese lyrics for the song "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Misérables as "Do You Hear Our Song?", which became a classic anthem sung at social movement events.

He shared in a Facebook post that someone asked him why he cares about Hsu Tzu-chiang, who seemingly has no relation to him. After giving it some thought, he said: "Because we are all human beings." For this performance, he selected the song "Bring Him Home" from Les Misérables to give voice to Hsu Tzu-chiang's fundamental human rights.

Wuling Choir

The Wuling Choir is composed of alumni from the Wuling Senior High School Choir. Even after graduation, they continue to hold deep affection for the choir, driven not only by a love for singing but also by memories and emotional ties to choral music. After much effort, it was officially registered on August 31, 2011, as a choral performing arts group, with fellow Wuling alumnus Lin Wei-hsin serving as instructor, conductor, and head. The Wuling Choir features a diverse repertoire, including sacred music, Chinese and English songs, and pop songs arranged by members. This concert marks the Wuling Choir's first pro bono performance for a social movement, hoping to soothe wounded and unsettled souls with their warm vocals.

Chen Hsin-Yi

A junior in the Department of Law at Providence University, she enjoys playing the guitar and singing for others. She is an amateur lyricist and composer who publishes works under the Japanese name Suzuka. Interning at the Judicial Reform Foundation this summer, she came to know Hsu Tzu-chiang. The creative inspiration for this song came from reading the last will and testament Hsu Tzu-chiang wrote to his family while in prison. She dedicates this song to Hsu Tzu-chiang, praying for the early exoneration of his wrongful conviction.

Chen Po-Wei & Chang Di-Hao

Chen Po-wei is the founder of Black Hand Nakasi. He has been writing social movement songs since participating in movements during his university years, and is currently a cultural worker.

Chang Di-hao is a member of Black Hand Nakasi who usually engages in grassroots labor organizing, using his body and music to support social movements.

Established in 1996, Black Hand Nakasi is a workers' band founded by workers and labor union organizers, though it has not performed publicly for quite some time. For Hsu Tzu-chiang's ninth-remand ruling, Chen Po-wei and Chang Di-hao are taking the stage once again to voice the heartfelt sentiments of the disadvantaged for Hsu Tzu-chiang.

Maffine

Maffine was established in the summer of 2011. Following some member changes, the lineup was finalized in the summer of 2012 and remains unchanged to this day, with most members being students. Lyrics and music are primarily created by lead vocalist Niu Niu and guitarist A-Leng, with arrangements developed through joint brainstorming among all members. The content mostly oscillates between social and self-awareness, attempting to capture oneself submerged in this city. The songs alternate between shouts, trying to speak to the world with the utmost strength, and swaying rhythms, perhaps seeking a sliver of survival in everyday life. Regardless, the underlying aspiration is to attempt to document and find oneself within this complex world. Maffine was the fastest performing group to respond to the concert invitation, and their concern and passion for the Hsu Tzu-chiang case are truly touching.

Hsu Tzu-Chiang Case 20th Anniversary Photography Exhibition

Photography / Hubert Kilian

Following the implementation of the Criminal Speedy Trial Act in 2012, Hsu Tzu-chiang was finally able to walk out of the prison's high walls. The world outside the walls began to bring color to Hsu Tzu-chiang's life, yet a giant shadow loomed relentlessly behind him, impossible to shake off. Hsu Tzu-chiang left prison bearing the status of a defendant charged with a serious crime—a status that was not rightfully his, but was forcibly imposed upon him by the judiciary. Thus, wherever he went, the heavy high wall behind him followed closely.

French photographer Hubert Kilian captured a series of works titled "The Wall" for Hsu Tzu-chiang, vividly capturing his inner emotions. "The Wall" series will be exhibited on Saturday, August 29, from 10:00 to 17:00, and Sunday, August 30, from 13:00 to 18:30 at the plaza in front of Chinan Church.

The opening event of the photography exhibition will take place at 10:00 this Saturday, featuring violinist Liu Yu-hsin performing the piece "Father's Kites." You are warmly invited to attend.