Taiwan’s very own unique Ska Orchestra
Since: 2007
From: Taipei, Taiwan
Music Type: Ska, Rock Steady, Reggae and Latin, Swing, Jazz, Lounge …etc

In the rough ‘n tumble world of Taiwanese ska, Skaraoke have emerged as undisputed champs.  Formed in 2007 by trombonist and band leader Thomas Hu, they were one the earliest ska bands to come up through the indie band scene and are now the best known ska groups in Taiwan. They are also one of the best go-to party bands on the island. The music takes inspiration from UK revival ska (The Specials), classic Jamaican ska (Laurel Aitken, Desmond Dekker, Prince Buster) and also fuses the unique flavors of classic Taiwanese pop songs. Wearing matching suits and singing in Chinese and English, they have produced remarkable ska arrangements of some of the most universally known songs in Taiwan, from Grace Chang’s “Wo Yao Ni De Ai” to the 1930s classic “Wang Chun Feng”. Their name — ska + karaoke — reflects this desire to connect from the island of Jamaica to the island of Taiwan through their unique musical bridge, and in the process they create a madcap ska party that everyone can enjoy.

Skaraoke has performed at Taiwan’s largest music festivals including Spring Scream, Formoz, Megaport, Urban Nomad and others. They have also performed at a number of festivals in Japan and toured regionally to Hong Kong and elsewhere.