The 100% Genki tour takes place over 10 days in May 2009, and will introduce contemporary Japanese acts to the UK. International audiences have demonstrated a growing interest in Japan’s music, and a wealth of talented artists exists in the burgeoning domestic scene, spanning the entire musical spectrum – from punk to electronica, from techno to ska.
Young Japanese bands, producers, singers and DJs have their own unique sense of direction and style, due in part to the unique position of the country – increasingly immersed in Western culture, but still removed, culturally as well as geographically.
The tour is organised by the music promoter Smash, and the music charity Strummerville. Smash have been organising concerts in Japan since 1984, and produce the annual Fuji Rock Festival. Strummerville is a registered charity set up by the friends and family of Joe Strummer in the year after his death, which aims to create new opportunities for aspiring musicians. Strummerville supports Fuji Rock festival’s riotous “Rookie-a-go-go” stage, offering financial support to the unsigned bands who play.
The 100% Genki Tour is playing home to the following Japanese artists:
80kidz
Following in the footsteps of genre-mashing electronic artists such as Surkin, M.I.A, The Bang Gang DJs, and Vitalic, and influenced by club scenes from Sydney to London to Paris, these 80kidz are ready to show the world what Tokyo can do. Are the 80kidz real or hype? They entrust your judgment in making that call!
De De Mouse
DE DE MOUSE began life in 2005, two years after YMCK debuted – Endo does not base his entire oeuvre on soundtracks to games made for the 8-bit NES console. Instead, Endo’s layered grooves often take on a darker, more abstract bent that incorporates drum ‘n’ bass and ambient. DE DE MOUSE has won fans in Tokyo’s music and fashion scenes: as well as sharing live bills with the likes of HALFBY and BUFFALO DAUGHTER, it has also soundtracked fashion shows by Takayuki Suzuki, the costume designer of choice of J-pop stars such as Mika Nakajima.
Riddim Saunter
Famed for their frantic live shows, Riddim Saunter’s up-close, in your face style of performance won them the support slot for The Go-Team’s first ever Japan tour, and an invite to perform at the 2007 Fuji Rock Festival. Blown away by their set at the festival, Johnny, from American punksters “The Death Set”, promptly invited the band to tour with them in the US in the near future.
Tucker
A hyperactive one-man band / turntablist / organ playing whirlwind, who has created an worldwide internet phemenon. Tucker’s confounding, high-energy mix of rock and roll, punk, pop, and hip hop leaves critics fumbling for words. The electric organ fan site Electone Zone described it dizzily as “a 21st century Neo-Tokyo vaudeville show.” Other fans describe his sets as “performance art” (in 2006, Tucker appeared at Barcelona’s Sónar multimedia music and art festival).
Head over to 100% Genki main site for more details
