purple SKY - A Japanese Music Collaboraitve

Posts Tagged ‘new york’

[press release] exist†trace 2012 USA Tour – New York and Philadelphia dates announced!

Friday, December 9th, 2011 by Kathy Chee

December 8, 2011 – All-female Japanese visual kei band exist†trace announced tour dates today for their first USA East Coast appearance! exist†trace will perform their indie hits plus songs from their major-label releases “TRUE” and “THE LAST DAYBREAK.” General admission and VIP tickets go on sale December 14.

Sunday, March 18 – New York, NY @ Hiro Ballroom
Tuesday, March 20 – Philadelphia, PA @ Starlight Ballroom

Official ticket and tour information can be found here:
http://www.japanfiles.com/existtrace-america-tour-2012.html

As part of their USA tour, exist†trace will make a special appearance at Japanese culture and anime event Tekkoshocon 2012. The band will perform a live concert and attend special autograph and Q&A sessions for fans during Tekkoshocon’s four-day event in Pittsburgh, PA from March 22 – 25, 2012.

Tekkoshocon information and pre-registration at: http://www.tekkoshocon.com

exist†trace 2012 America tour is presented by JapanFiles, Monsters Inc., Tekkoshocon, and JhouseRock Entertainment.

exist trace USA Tour information:
http://www.japanfiles.com/existtrace-america-tour-2012.html

exist†trace PROFILE

exist†trace is one of Japan’s first all-female Visual Kei rock bands. Formed in 2003, the members of exist†trace are Jyou (vocals), Miko (guitar), Mally (drums), Naoto (bass), Omi (guitar).

Along with multiple tours of Japan , exist†trace has performed twice in Europe, making appearances in Berlin, Helsinki, Moscow, Paris, London, and Barcelona. In 2009, the band performed at the 2-day V-ROCK FESTIVAL in Chiba, Japan. In November 2010, exist†trace released their album “TWIN GATE” in Japan, followed by an American release from JapanFiles. In June, 2011, they made their major-label debut with the “TRUE” EP on Tokuma Japan, and released a second 5-song EP “THE LAST DAYBREAK” in October 2011.

LINKS!

exist†trace official website: http://www.exist-trace.com

exist†trace on JapanFiles: http://www.japanfiles.com/existtrace.html

[press release] JapanNYC – March & April 2011

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011 by Kathy Chee

JapanNYC Spring Events Begin on Monday, March 14

This spring, from Monday, March 14 to Saturday, April 9, Carnegie Hall launches part two of JapanNYC, an ambitious two-part citywide festival inviting audiences to explore the incredible diversity of Japanese arts and culture with more than 65 performances and events at Carnegie Hall and New York City partner venues.

The spring lineup of more than 40 events will include classical, pop, and traditional Japanese music (including free Neighborhood Concerts), noh theater, taiko drumming, dance, film, exhibitions, workshops, and panel discussions on a wide variety of topics. Featured artists in JapanNYC this spring include violinist Midori, the NHK Symphony Orchestra led by André Previn, Bach Collegium Japan with conductor Masaaki Suzuki, Kodo Drummers, Kasha-juku Noh Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, Eiko & Koma, jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi, shamisen players Yutaka Oyama and Masahiro Nitta, pianist Aimi Kobayashi, and many more.

A number of exciting, new events have been added to the JapanNYC spring lineup since the festival began in December. Two new events kick off JapanNYC’s spring schedule on March 14: Panel Discussion: Innovating and Profiting in Contemporary Japan; Japan’s economic setbacks haven’t stifled opportunities for smart companies to thrive. Join a discussion with Norman Pearlstine, Chief Content Officer, Bloomberg LP; and Chairman, Bloomberg Businessweek, as he speaks with leaders from Gilt Groupe, Dentsu, and other organizations about how they’re profiting in a challenging but lucrative environment; Monday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Weill Recital Hall; presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with Bloomberg.

Special Event: j-CATION 2011: Beyond Cute; an all-day open house taking visitors beyond Japan’s kawaii (cute) culture introducing them to some of the most recent, radical, and wondrous trends in Japan today; Saturday, April 9, 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Japan Society; presented by Japan Society. Also, special walk-in Japanese-language tours of Carnegie Hall will be given at 12:30 p.m. on March 22, March 26, April 5, and April 9. The public may visit carnegiehall.org/japannyc for the most up-to-date information on festival events, interviews with artists, videos, slideshows, and other content providing insight into Japan’s arts scene and JapanNYC festival offerings. Carnegie Hall’s social media sites, facebook.com/carnegiehall and twitter.com/carnegiehall, will also share festival information including a special origami contest.

The JapanNYC festival explores the world of Japan today, where artists embrace their country’s unique aesthetic sensibilities while continually revitalizing its cultural landscape. Led by famed conductor Seiji Ozawa as Artistic Director, JapanNYC celebrates a country that values its long-standing cultural heritage while also embracing and transforming Western art forms, in a spirit that very much looks ahead.

The festival extends throughout New York City, thanks to partnerships with 26 prestigious New York cultural institutions, including Absolutely Live Entertainment and New Audiences; Asian Contemporary Art Week; Asia Society; Baryshnikov Arts Center; Bloomberg; Brooklyn Botanic Garden; Danspace Project; Film Forum; Institute for Medieval Japanese Studies at Columbia University; Japan Society; The Juilliard School; Macy’s; The New York Public Library; The Noguchi Museum; The Paley Center for Media; Paul Szilard Productions and Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance; The Wall Street Journal; Wordless Music; Works & Process at the Guggenheim; and the World Music Institute. Free Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concerts at partner venues—Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts; Abrons Art Center at Henry Street Settlement; LaGuardia Performing Arts Center; and Lehman Stages at Lehman College in the Bronx—will ensure that JapanNYC is accessible to all.

Extending beyond New York, Carnegie Hall continues its partnership with the Philharmonic Society of Orange County for a second consecutive year. Select artists appearing in JapanNYC will also perform this season at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, as part of JapanOC, a West Coast festival presented by the Philharmonic Society from October 2010 through April 2011, thanks to the generous support of South Coast Plaza.

Check out the full event listing at the JapanNYC website – http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/box_office/series/brochure/japannyc/index.aspx

New York, NY – 08/26/10

Thursday, August 26th, 2010 by Kathy Chee

New York, NY – 08/25/10

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 by Kathy Chee

[photo] Deatharmonic I @ Crash Mansion NYC

Friday, July 2nd, 2010 by Kathy Chee
This SimpleViewer gallery requires Macromedia Flash. Please open this post in your browser or get Macromedia Flash here.
This is a WPSimpleViewerGallery

[press release] Zutto Entertainment Presents Deathharmonic – Asian American Rock Music

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010 by Kathy Chee

Zutto Entertainment presents Deatharmonic — A night of Asian American rock music on Sunday, June 13th 2010, at Crash Mansion in New York, NY from 7pm-1am.

This highly anticipated Asian rock showcase will feature performances by premiere Asian American acts KAZHA and Lilac, as well as rising stars Gelatine, Typherus and Geist. Age requirement is 18+ and admission price is $10 dollars.

In addition, Asahi Beer NYC will be sponsoring the event, providing free Japanese beer offered to 21+ attendees for the first hour. Asahi Beer will then be offered at the bar for a discounted rate for the remainder of the night.

What: Five American Asian rock bands in NYC for one night only!

When: Sunday, June 13, 2010 @ 7 PM

Where: Crash Mansion, 199 Bowery Street, New York, NY

www.myspace.com/kazha
www.myspace.com/lilacofficial
www.myspace.com/gelatinenyc
www.myspace.com/bandtypherus
www.myspace.com/geistband

[press release] j-Summit NY Hosts J-rock Festival

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010 by Kathy Chee

New York, NY – May 4, 2010- j-Summit NY will be hosting a Japanese pop culture festival on Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 6:00 pm. This is their second festival, which will feature five rock bands: NoirceuR, Lilac, Stella’s Attic, the Hsu-nami, Typherus as well as other special guests, at the Studio at Webster Hall (125 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10003).

j-Summit NY presents many performers under the influence of J-pop culture. The festival will be favored by fans of J-music (Pop, Rock, V-Kei), fashion (Gothloli, Kawaii), and culture (Traditional and Contemporary). This event will be held monthly at the Webster Hall starting in May. The next one is scheduled for June 6th.

Tickets are available at $10 (advance) / $12 (door) and can be purchased at the venue. The j-Summit NY events are organized by Mok Management, Inc. and Mar Creation, Inc. in collaboration with INDIVISUAL, Inc. from Japan (www.indivisual.asia). This event will be supported by Asahi Beer.

http://www.myspace.com/nynoirceur

http://www.myspace.com/lilacofficial

http://www.myspace.com/hsunami

http://www.myspace.com/stellasattic

http://www.myspace.com/bandtypherus

[interview] Chatmonchy

Thursday, April 15th, 2010 by Victoria Goldenberg

If I were the devil/I wouldn’t have made the world like this/We can’t count the time of our life/Because nobody knows how long we’ve got,”

Eriko Hashimoto sings plaintively on “Sekai ga Owaru Yoru ni.” It’s pretty heavy stuff for a top 10 hit, but that’s precisely why Chatmonchy is so popular. Like Yutaka Ozaki and Mr. Children, the three-piece band uses rock ‘n’ roll as a platform for expressing honest feelings and observations about life, and they don’t shy away from showing discontent. Despite the importance of lyrics to their music, Chatmonchy’s melodic and heartfelt music appeals to American J-rock fans, many of who were introduced to the girls by the song “Daidai” featured in the anime Bleach. Chatmonchy made their American debut on the 2010 Japan Nite tour, kicking off at South by Southwest and hitting New York City on Mar. 21 and 22.

Chatmonchy had fairly typical origins. Hashimoto formed the group in 2000, while she was still a high school student in Tokushima. The lineup changed a few times due to academic and other obligations but reached stability in 2004 with Hashimoto on lead vocals and guitar, Akiko Fukuoka on bass and Kumiko Takahashi on drums. The trio released an independent record and sold it themselves. A year later, they were signed to Ki/oon Records and released the album Chatmonchy Has Come, produced by Junji Ishiwatari of Supercar. By November 2006, they had their first top 10 hit single, Shangri-La. To date, they’ve released five major albums, including the B-side collection Expression from this March.

At the time of the interview, Chatmonchy was preparing for their New York shows. They spent their free time at SxSW checking out other bands, such as Takahashi’s favorite The XX. Fukuoka remarked that the festival was unlike anything in Japan, but Hashimoto found it too crowded. Takahashi had food on the brain, describing how she ate a hamburger in Texas and a bagel and donuts in New York.

Though they’d dreamed of performing in America as far back as two years ago, the girls didn’t try to make it a reality until after they’d completed a satisfying album, 2009’s Kokuhaku. Following a successful tour, the three decided to do whatever they wanted from that moment, and transformed their SxSW offer into a longer tour. “Regardless of the lyrics being in Japanese, we wanted to play in the U.S. without the boundary of lyrics,” Takahashi says. “We want to reach the audience here purely with our music.”
(more…)

[live report] Polysics at Blender Theater (The Gramercy), Feb. 13

Friday, February 26th, 2010 by Victoria Goldenberg

I had never seen Polysics live before Feb. 13 but had wanted to for years. I’d heard the hyper new wave-revival band was incredible in concert and wanted to see for myself before keyboardist Kayo quits in March. The hype was valid–Polysics’s show had all the raw energy and audience interaction that makes indie rock so fun.

For one, the band knew how to work a crowd. During songs, the entire band led the crowd in aerobics routines, waves and dances. They used props effectively, such as by inflating balloons and launching them into the theater, where they zoomed around until they ran out of air. Lead guitarist-singer Hiroyuki Hayashi asked the audience about their Valentine’s Day plans and prompted audience chants, keeping to his zany Polysics character by speaking in the shriek he uses in his music. He was still spontaneous and responded to audience shout-outs.

Chemistry was also key to Polysics’s live appeal. Though their matching, Devo-style outfits conveyed uniformity, the members each brought a distinctive personality to their performance. Hayashi was wild and relentlessly energetic, while bassist Fumi played a more traditional but still charming rock ‘n’ roll star. Drummer Masashi Yano and keyboardist Kayo anchored the other two’s energy with a contrasting coolness. Kayo, most strikingly, acted like a robot. Though the music she played was positively caffeinated, she kept her movements minimal and only occasionally turned to face the audience. She even managed to make a cheerleading routine with pom-poms stoic. Polysics played off their contrasting personalities, with Hayashi walking over to Kayo and shaking spastically while she played her solos.

Polysics’s music is made for live shows. Admittedly, it’s not something I can take in large doses on CD; the combination of nonsensical lyrics, high-pitched, wailing vocals, vocoder, manic guitars and electronic beeps is something I only want to hear for a few songs at a time. But it’s perfect for a rock show—visceral, ecstatic stuff that gets you moving and smiling.

It also helps that The Gramercy is one of the best rock venues in New York City. I was there for the first time and impressed with its quality acoustics and slanted floor that guaranteed a good view of the stage no matter where you stood. It’s such a simple but ingenious design that it’s a wonder more venues don’t incorporate it.

It’s hard to imagine what Polysics shows will be like without Kayo. She provides the calm among the chaos and the mechanical balance to Hayashi and Fumi’s human energy. At least, I’m glad I got to see the classic lineup live in its last New York show.

This SimpleViewer gallery requires Macromedia Flash. Please open this post in your browser or get Macromedia Flash here.
This is a WPSimpleViewerGallery

[interview] Dir en grey and the truth of being human

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 by Catherine Catanzaro
deg2009_group

Die, Kaoru, Kyo, Toshiya, Shinya

It’s Friday the thirteenth, and a miserable one at that. Thick cloud cover casts New York in a sallow, wan light, and the sky sputters icy raindrops that whisper against umbrellas the promise of a deluge. I’m walking down 23rd Street in Manhattan, and around me pedestrians are hurrying to their destinations, eager to escape the rain and cold. As unpleasant as the weather is this afternoon, not far ahead stands a large group of people who seem perfectly content to stay outside in the rain. Wrapped in plastic bags and cheap ponchos and huddling under makeshift cardboard shelters, the line of a few hundred college-aged people winds around two corners and threatens to overtake a third.

No, their ad-hoc cardboard signs proclaim, they’re not homeless. This isn’t a line for a soup kitchen. They’re here for Dir en grey.

Tonight is the second show of the Japanese rock giants’ three night booking at the Gramercy Theater. Some of these people have been sitting outside the theater since the first show let out on Wednesday night. I am personally acquainted with many of these fans: I was one of them too once, waking up at insane hours and waiting on line all day to ensure a good spot in the crowd. I say my hellos to all the familiar faces on the line, but today I’m not here to sit around on the concrete. I’m on my way to meet up with Dir en grey’s roadie-cum-translator Nora and an as-of-yet unknown member of the band for a short interview before the show.
(more…)

  • Purple SKY is a new media site for writers and artists focused on creatively delivering content about Japanese music, the scenes and the lifestyle.

  • latest posts

  • latest comments

  • Categories

  • CD JAPAN

  • tag cloud

    album review an cafe anime Boom Boom Satellites CD cocco concert dir en grey exist trace Far East To East Showcase gackt girugamesh gothic lolita halca hyde indie interview irving plaza j-pop j-rock J-Summit japanese music japanfiles Lilac luna sea miyavi new album new york New York Anime Fest New York City NYAF nyc Otakon punk reviews sakura con Sony Superglorious Tokyo vamps victoria goldenberg visual kei vk Webster Hall zazen boys
  • archive

  • Latest Posts  |   All Categories  |   All Tags  |   Rock  |   Indie  |   VK  |   Pop  |   Photos  |   Video  |   Press Releases  |  

    Staff Bios  |   Subscribe to Posts  |   Work for Us  |   Advertise with Us  |   Contact Us  |  

    purple SKY is proudly powered by WordPress
    Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).

    Copyright Purple Penguin Productions LLC. purple SKY is a registered trademark.