Wind Up Geek’s J-Music Quick Fix – October 3, 2016

shonenBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Bradio

Bradio will be performing live with France‘s 80’s group Les Innocents in a concert titled “Music Exchange Concert France-Japan ~BRADIO meets Les Innocents~”. The event will be live streamed through VIDEO Clipper. The VIDEO Clipper app is only available for the iPhone. Streaming will begin October 4th at 5pm (17:00) JST. Bradio’s live will begin at around 8:20pm (20:20) JST.

About VIDEO Clipper
https://clipper.events/

App Store VIDEO Clipper Download
https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/video-clipper-maruchianguruderaibu/id1053782735?mt=8

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuC8ftw20bA&w=560&h=315%5D
 

Continue reading “Wind Up Geek’s J-Music Quick Fix – October 3, 2016”

Traditional Japanese Group Covers Track from GNR’s ‘Appetite for Destruction’

SMER_CD_BLH14By James Robert Shaw
(The Wind up Geek)

They have yet to go viral on YouTube with this recording but Japan‘s Bamboo Flute Orchestra has received over 840,000 views on Facebook thanks in part to Guns N’ Roses, the NHK, and the Rock vs. Metal Facebook page (stylized Rock \m/ Metal). Bamboo Flute Orchestra which contains members Yoshimi Tsujimoto, Erina Ito, and Yuko Watanabe are taking the Internet by storm. Like the Yoshida Brothers before them they are introducing traditional Japanese music to a wider audience. With their first album Shakuhachi (released on September 28, 2016), they create a fusion by performing pop and rock tunes with traditional instruments. Some of the songs covered by the Bamboo Flute Orchestra are Michael Jackson‘s “Smooth Criminal”, Avicii‘s “Wake Me Up”, and Taylor Swift‘s “Shake It Off”.

Continue reading “Traditional Japanese Group Covers Track from GNR’s ‘Appetite for Destruction’”

Takei’s Powerful Broadway Musical ‘Allegiance’ to Make Silver Screen Debut

allegiancecastBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

If you missed George Takei’s Allegiance, the first Broadway musical written by Asian-Americans, about Asian-Americans and starring Asian Americans, get ready for a single night’s performance on December 13th. This time you won’t need a seat in New York City’s Longacre Theatre where it ran from late 2015 to early 2016, only a ticket to the cinema. The play written by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione was inspired by Takei’s experience as a boy in a Japanese-American internment camp during Word War II and will move from the stage to silver screen. Movie audiences will be treated to an exclusive introduction by Allegiance‘s star George Takei as well as some behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and creators. The play also stars Olivier and Tony award-winning actress Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon), Telly Leung (RENT) and opera baritone Christòpheren Nomura.

Continue reading “Takei’s Powerful Broadway Musical ‘Allegiance’ to Make Silver Screen Debut”

[Victoria Fringe Festival ’16] SMUS Shakes it Up with Disney’s Camp Rock!

CAMP-ROCK_4CNOTE: Reblogged from Two Hungry Blokes & written by Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

LOCATION:
St. Michaels
University School
3400 Richmond Road
Saanich, BC

SHOWTIMES:
Fri Aug. 26 – 7pm
Sat Aug. 27 – 2pm
Sat Aug. 27 – 7pm

Sometimes it’s tough to decide on what to take on as the first Victoria Fringe Festival presentation for the 2016 season. This year, the decision was a no-brainer and I had to see the results of what St. Michaels University School (SMUS) Summer Musical Theatre program produced. The folks involved always deliver a quality educational curriculum to teach the next rising stars the basics while having fun at the same time. On opening night, they put on the musical version of Disney’s Camp Rock.

This show highlights the musical stylings of bands like The Jonas Brothers and the modern sounds of the past decade. Like ’em or not, those who grew up to these tunes had a rollicking time with this production. James Shaw admits to not being fond of today’s music whereas I’m open; at least I keep up when he can not, thus making me the ideal candidate to look at this production. His limitations in what he likes to talk about make for better opportunities for me to talk about my fondness for modern Disney.

Opening night was not without a few chuckle-worthy moments, gaffes included; the group was able to roll with it and continue on. They also helped each other out on stage when lines were forgotten and I believe that’s the heart of what this program extols than to provide a higher calibre show other local professional theatre schools like Canadian College of Performing Arts works on. I’ve seen their production of Little Shop of Horrors years ago, and that was a memorable show to which I grinned like a Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland when rubber bands were shot towards audiences!

Continue reading “[Victoria Fringe Festival ’16] SMUS Shakes it Up with Disney’s Camp Rock!”

Japanese Rock Group VooDoo Hawaiians to Play Tokyo’s Club251 with Doberman

VooDooHawaiiansBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Tickets are now on sale for VooDoo Hawaiians latest concert at Tokyo‘s popular Club251. The venue is located in the basement of the office building owned by Two Five One Co, Ltd in one of the most interesting and lively districts of Tokyo, Shimokitazawa. The area is known for its hungry bands and it’s loud and flashy nightlife. Club251 has hosted a variety of acts that one would consider the underdogs of the music industry, or to put it another way, artists that haven’t given in to the mainstream. SpecialThanks, Thee 50’s High Teens, Broken Doll, Earth Crisis, and The Monochrome Set are just a few groups that have played to the excitement of patrons in this sub-level venue .

Continue reading “Japanese Rock Group VooDoo Hawaiians to Play Tokyo’s Club251 with Doberman”

Band Maid Announces First European Tour!

BrandNewMaidBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Japanese group Band-Maid whose appearance in cute, maid aesthetics while serving skillfully played powerful music onstage, is continuing their world domination. In the past year alone they have appeared at Sakura-Con in Seattle, MCM London Comic Con in England and had multiple videos go viral (“Thrill” hit 2 million views within the first two weeks). Now in a global push Band-Maid announced a European tour to coincide after their Latin America debut in Mexico City on October 9th.

The dates are to promote their first international album “Brand New Maid” that saw release June 17, 2016. Brand New Maid is available across the UK and Europe through JPU Records. The CD version contains an exclusive bonus track as well as an extra booklet containing lyric translations and transliterations into English.

Continue reading “Band Maid Announces First European Tour!”