Ten years in, Taiwanese Waves is the one night a year Central Park sounds like Taipei, and this anniversary edition stacks six acts who barely share a genre. 9m88 sings jazz-inflected neo-soul, ØZI folds American rap production into Mandopop, and brothers Mong Tong channel Southeast Asian mythology through 1970s psychedelia. If you catch one free Central Park show this summer, make it the one where ØZI and 9m88 do 'Black Out' together.
What to expect
Gates open an hour before music and the queue along the mid-park path builds fast for a bill this stacked. Inside, Rumsey Playfield is a flat standing-room bowl with food and drink vendors along the fence and a members' lane that skips the line. Expect Mandarin sing-alongs, a heavy Chinatown Records crate-digging set, and a crowd that treats this like a reunion.
Good to know
- Enter mid-park from Fifth Avenue near 69th Street; the 6 to 68th Street and the B/C to 72nd Street are the closest trains.
- Admission is free and all ages, but entry stops once the field hits capacity — treat the line as part of the plan.
- Bags get searched at the gate, so leave large backpacks, folding chairs and outside alcohol at home.
- A SummerStage membership buys skip-the-line entry and air-conditioned restrooms if the queue looks long.
- It is flat standing room, so aim for the rail or the side risers if you are short.
- Shows run rain or shine and only cancel for genuinely dangerous weather.
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Common questions
Do I need a ticket for Taiwanese Waves?
No. This SummerStage show is free and all ages, with entry first-come first-served until Rumsey Playfield reaches capacity. Arriving before the doors open is the safest way in.
Who is actually performing?
9m88, ØZI and YELLOW co-headline, with Chance Emerson, Mong Tong and a Chinatown Records DJ set also on the bill — six acts spanning neo-soul, Mandopop, avant-pop and psychedelia.
Can I bring food or a blanket?
Rumsey Playfield is standing room, so blankets are not practical. Sealed water and small snacks are generally fine; vendors sell food and drinks inside, and outside alcohol is not permitted.
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