29th July 2010
The next J-Pop Go event is scheduled to take place on Saturday August 21st 2010. The event is in conjunction with the Japanese Art Festival which takes place that same weekend in Conway Hall, Central London.
The Japanese Art Festival is a celebration of Japanese culture and features a weekend of exciting events and activities. The Festival will feature martial arts, manga workshops, traditional Japanese music, cosplay, performances and more. Plus there will be plenty of stalls and dealers selling a wide range of books, DVDs, manga and gifts. The Festival will also have some special guests including 6%DOKIDOKI and kimono designer Yumi Yamamoto.
J-Pop Go will take place on Saturday evening and features live performances and a selection of tunes from our DJs which will cover J-Pop, Anime Themes, Game Themes and also a side order of contemporary chart music (think Lady Gaga meets Tommy February6!). This combination has proved very popular at other events, including the Grand Cosplay Ball (and J-Pop Go will be returning for the next Cosplay Ball this November).
More details on the J-Pop Go line-up to follow soon - watch this space!
Sputniko!: Menstruation Machine
1st July 2010
Hiromi Ozaki (aka the wonderful Sputniko!) has been very busy lately. As part of her Royal College of Art show she's been showing off some of her work which includes the engaging Crowbot Jenny, Sushiborg Yukari and finally the Menstruation Machine which simulates the pain and bleeding of an average 5 day menstruation process of a human.
'Menstruation Machine -Takashi's Take' is a music video about a boy Takashi, who builds the machine in an attempt to dress up as a female, biologically as well as aesthetically, to fulfill his desire to understand what it might feel like to be a truely kawaii (cute) girl. He determinedly wears the machine to hang out with his kawaii friend in Tokyo, but...
Sputniko!, Natccu, Sunset Drive UK dates
20th April 2010
Sputniko!, Natccu, Sunset Drive UK dates arrive courtesy of It Came From Japan.
Mark your Hello Kitty diaries for 30th April and 1st May for the Moshi Moshi Sushi Festival with live performances from Natccu and Sunset Drive (plus Sputniko! on 1st May only). The Festival is free entry and includes Japanese food, cosplay, karaoke and more.
Then there are a series of UK-based gigs to follow:
May - LONDON, The Camden Crawl - The Fiddler's Elbow
Natccu, Sunset Drive and Sputniko!
Compere: rock'n'roll comedian (and Electric Eel Shock's manager) Bob Slayer
Daytime show! Free sushi! Free entry with festival pass
www.thecamdencrawl.com
3 May - BOURNEMOUTH, Solid Air: Mayday! Mayday! - The Winchester
Natccu, Sunset Drive
Free entry! Plus local bands
www.thewinchesterpub.co.uk
7 May- LIVERPOOL, Zanzibar
Sunset Drive, plus local bands
www.thezanzibarclub.com
8 May - LONDON, Teracotta Far East Film Festival afterparty - Slug & Lettuce, Lisle St, Soho
Free entry!
www.terracottafestival.com
12 May - LONDON, Dublin Castle, Camden
With local bands
www.bugbearbookings.com
13 May - BRISTOL, Mothers Ruin
Natccu, Sunset Drive
Free entry! Plus local bands
www.myspace.com/themothersruinbristol
14 May - LONDON, White Light - The Lexington, Pentonville Road
Natccu, plus other bands tba
www.whitelightfriday.com
15 May - BRIGHTON, The Great Escape - The Basement
Natccu, Sunset Drive, Lillies And Remains
Compere: TV/radio presenter and Japanese music buff Iain Lee
Daytime show! Free sushi! Free beer! Free entry with festival pass
www.escapegreat.com
More info:
IT CAME FROM JAPAN
www.itcamefromjapan.co.uk
NATCCU Dark Tokyo pop
www.natccu.com
SUNSET DRIVE
Catchy garage rock
www.sunsetdrive.jp
SPUTNIKO!
Wii-powered electropop
www.sputniko.com
LILLIES AND REMAINS
Kyoto postpunk/new wave
www.lilliesandremains.net
20th April 2010
Gackt expands his gaming credentials with a spot in PC game Dragon Nest.
Popular and bonkers singer Gackt is lending his vocal skills to voice the villain Belskard in the upcoming PC role-playing game Dragon Nest. He's also singing the game's theme song as well. At a recent Tokyo press conference, Gackt also appeared as Belskard.
This isn't quite a new venture for Gackt who previously sang the theme for Wii game Samurai Warriors 3, cosplayed as Final Fantasy VII's Cloud Strife and even lent music to a pachi-slot game for the PS3. More via Kotaku
5th April 2010
J-Pop Go now has a dedicated video page for more J-Pop Goodness.
You can now check out a nice random selection of tunes and videos on our new Video page. Expect lots of additions in the future as we whack up stuff that we like - and also to give you a flavour of the music played at J-Pop Go.
We also now have a J-Pop Go You Tube Channel, so swing by there for more video goodness.
5th April 2010
J-Pop Go's own DJ Yamada has put together another exciting podcast of fresh tunes for your entertainment.
The selection includes songs from Ai Otsuka, Rip Slyme, UVERworld and FLOW. As the Y Man says: "Another selection of tracks from various sets I've played at the J-Pop Go! nights, plus a couple of previously unplayed ones that I hope to play at future nights". Hear the podcast: djyamada.podomatic.com
