100% genki Tour - New Music From Japan

New Music From Japan – the “100% Genki” tour


http://www.newmusicfromjapan.com/

Japanese music takes on the UK in May


100% Genki brings four of Japan’s best contemporary music acts over to tour the UK’s main music events, for the first time.

Over ten days in May, the Japanese acts will play the UK’s most subscribed music events and festivals - as well as a special one off London event - bringing a taste of the Japanese music culture and energy to the British musical ear. As much visual as aural, their unique style is not to be missed. Time to expand your mind.


The tour is bought to you by the organisers of the annual Fuji Rock festival, Smash, and is supported by Strummerville, the Joe Strummer New Music foundation. Please check below for short band info, links and the Tour Dates.



80kidz:


Following in the footsteps of genre-mashing electronic artists such as Surkin, M.I.A, The Bang Gang DJs and Vitalic, 80kidz are ready to show the world what Tokyo can do. They have performed alongside Justice, Boys Noize and Hot Chip and remixed Cazals, CSS, Black kids and many more. Believe the hype.
http://www.myspace.com/80kidz


De De Mouse:


De De Mouse is the abstract, ambient brainchild of bespectacled Tokyo-based studio boffin Daisuke Endo. His fanbase ranges from the Tokyo fashion community to the crème de la crème of Japan’s J-Pop pop royalty and music critiques.
http://www.myspace.com/dedemouse


Riddim Saunter:




Riddim Saunter, influenced by the Ska Boom of the late 90s, are famed for their frantic live shows. The band’s up-close, in-your-face style of performance won them support for the Go-Team’s first ever Japan tour.
http://www.myspace.com/riddimsaunter


Tucker:


Tucker is a hyperactive one-man acrobatic band / turntablist / organ playing whirlwind. His confounding, high-energy mix of rock and roll, punk, pop, and hip-hop leaves critics fumbling for words; someone not entirely hip-hop, not entirely rock, not entirely retro, and perhaps not ever entirely serious has left many at a loss. http://www.myspace.com/tuckerelectone




Tour Dates:
Fri 15th May – The Great Escape, Brighton
Sat 16th May – The Great Escape, Brighton
Sun 17th May - Futuresonic, Manchester
Tues 19th May – Secret Strummerville Yard Party
Thurs 21st May - Stag & Dagger festival, London
Fri 22nd May - Liverpool Sound City, Liverpool




“Supporting this tour is in line with what we do here at Strummerville - we give opportunities to musicians who would not normally have access to them. We are committed to help break down cultural and physical borders and boundaries around music – we’re really excited to support this exceptional musical talent out of Japan.” – Strummerville




Links:
http://www.newmusicfromjapan.com/ (go here for live video links also)
www.strummerville.com
http://www.myspace.com/80kidz
http://www.myspace.com/dedemouse
http://www.myspace.com/riddimsaunter
http://www.myspace.com/tuckerelectone
www.butterflyrebel.blogspot.com



Q & A with Smash London:




Why did you want to do this?
We'd like to present a snapshot of talent from Japan - while people internationally are increasingly engaged with various aspects of contemporary Japanese culture (food, anime, fashion, design) Japanese music is still something most aren't familiar with. As a Japanese promoter we of course take pleasure in bringing back to the UK some of the excellent acts we work with in Japan, and giving these artists a first footstep in finding an international audience.

How did you pick the bands?
We worked with our office in Tokyo, to put forward a diverse group of acts who we thought represented a good cross section of styles, and whose music would appeal to English audiences.

What is good about these bands?
They're all influenced by music from around the world (UK included) but still maintain a distinctly Japanese element - whether it's DE DE MOUSE's flashes of 8bit brilliance or Tucker's crazy looping one-man-band, the acts could only have come from Japan...!

Why these festivals?
The festivals are perfect platforms to present new talent - full of young people hungry for new sounds and open to new artists. UK audiences are very receptive, and we hope presenting the artists in this way will help win them some new fans!

Tell us about each band:
De De Mouse - I'll just quote something I read on a blog recently – “How does a Japanese dude make prettier, funkier, more soulful Pop music with a laptop and some voice-altering software than the entirety of the American music industry with all their millions of dollars and lavish recording equipment?”
From http://www.imageyenation.com/?itemid=4113

Tucker - What we've all been waiting for ... a one man whirlwind, who plays Electone organ, theremin, guitar, bass, drums and turntables, and then proceeds to set his equipment on fire and do a hand stand on his organ.

Riddim Saunter - Genre defying rocking 6-piece mixing pop, Shibuya Kei, ska, UK rock and dance influences to blistering effect.

80kidz - Tokyo's brightest stars of the club scene come to the UK for the first time ... having performed alongside international stars back in Japan, we're looking forward to having them here!

What can we expect along the tour?
Fantastic new music, fish & chips on the beach and a few lost in translation moments