Event Details | Shiroyama Concerts
Kodo
Exploring the limitless possibilities of the traditional Japanese drum, the taiko, Kodo are forging new directions for a vibrant living art-form. The taiko is something you experience viscerally as the sound of the drum travels from the player and reverberates in the body of the listener. Since their debut at the Berlin Festival in 1981, Kodo's ongoing "One Earth Tour" has brought the experience of the taiko to 45 countries around the world for over 3,100 total performances. Spending about a third of the year overseas, a third touring in Japan and a third resting and preparing new material on Sado Island, Kodo strives to both preserve and reinterpret traditional Japanese performing arts as they develop new styles that transcend all genres and borders. Since 1988, Kodo has had the pleasure of inviting artists they have met in their travels back to their home of Sado Island to engage in unprecedented musical collaborations at their annual music festival "Earth Celebration."
BLØF
Bløf was founded in 1992 in the Dutch island chain known as Zeeland. It took a few years for their reputation to reach the mainland, but they hit the mainstream in 1998, and these days Bløf is the Netherlands' best known band. Bløf has released 7 studio albums, 4 live CD's, 2 Best-of CD's, 1 digitally released charity album, 1 free-download album and 7 DVD's. They made a full length motion picture and were the most-played artists on Dutch radio in the years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
One of their most significant projects to date was the recording of the album 'Umoja,' a collaborative album sung entirely in Dutch, but recorded with local artists in 13 different countries throughout the world. Bløf chose Japan as one of their destination countries, and from the very beginning they hoped to record with Kodo. The first single of the album 'Aanzoek Zonder Ringen' (recorded with Kodo on Sado Island) was a smash hit in The Netherlands, climbing the charts to become a #1 single. Since that time they have worked with Kodo on several different occasions, including a three-night joint concert series in 2008 where the two groups performed to sold-out crowds at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam.
