News

Upcoming shows/events, new releases and random odds and ends from the news closet.

ketchup mania in The States

January 9, 2008 - Pop-punk rockers ketchup mania will perform at the SXSW Music Festival in March 2008, followed by a set of shows as part of the legendary Japan Nite lineup. They will finish their USA tour by playing at Sakura-Con 2008 in Seattle, WA.
 
ketchup mania tour dates:
 
3/14 - SXSW (Japan Nite) - Austin, TX
3/16 - Knitting Factory, New York, NY
3/17 - TT The Bears, Boston, MA
3/18 - Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
3/19 - TBA, Denver, CO
3/21 - TBA, San Francisco, CA
3/23 - TBA, Los Angeles, CA
3/28-3/30 - Sakura-Con, Seattle, WA
 
 
ketchup mania has been red-hot since winning Shojo Beat's "Best Japanese Punk Group" award in the 2007 Music Issue.
 
In June 2007, ketchup mania partnered with JapanFiles.com to make their debut in America at A-Kon 18 in Dallas, Texas. The band rocked the stage for over 2000 fans, their biggest audience ever. "It was like a dream," said singer Hiro, who couldn't stop smiling after the show. "Meeting our fans in the USA made me so happy!"
 
ketchup mania returned to Japan for non-stop touring, with songs from their first Toys Factory release " U.R.G.E." and their chart-topping CD "Greetings from Tokyo" dominating the set list.
 
In August 2007, they released the follow-up CD "L.O.V.E." For their performance at Sakura-Con, the band will play hits including "Namida Vacuum Sound," "Real Yaayo," "Life Size," and tracks from their upcoming third release on the Toys' Factory label.
 
LINKS
 
ketchup mania links!
 
Hiro's Blog - www.ketchup-mania.com
Sakura-Con 2008 - www.sakuracon.org
 
ketchup mania appears at Sakura-Con 2008 by arrangement with JapanFiles.com.

Stuff of interest

Some stuff that is well worth checking out.  feedle is the nom de guerre of a bloke called graham who apparently works out of his bedroom in Sheffield, producing fantastic swathes of fuzzy electronica.  the harvey girls are an 'indie/pop/experimental' four piece from Portland, Oregon.  In a kind of lo-fi/indie version of the Frank Sinatra Duets album, they've shared some files and put out a cracking four track E.P under the name holland buffalo.  Their MySpace page is here and you can download the tracks there.  Go.  Now (well, after you've read the rest of this).

Second up is this piece on the Guardian website about the top 20 places to download music.  Including the iTunes Store on the basis of the free single of the week is perhaps pushing it a bit, but the other blogs and sites mentioned are diverse enough that there should be something there for everyone.

tokyo pinsalocks live in the States

This press release is a couple of weeks old but at least it's about something that hasn't happened yet.  Given how fantastic the Plutonium EP is, I'd definitely get your collective arses along to this show if at all possible.

December 11, 2007 – Japanese electronic/pop group tokyo pinsalocks will make their USA premiere at Anime Boston 2008 in Boston, MA, March 21-23, 2008.
 
BIO
Formed in Tokyo in 2000, tokyo pinsalocks fuse fresh rhythms with the psychedelic vocal stylings of singer/keyboardist Naoko to create a retro-futuristic new-wave meltdown.   Since their formation, tokyo pinsalocks have toured all across Japan, including Sapporo's revered Rising Sun Rock Festival. In February 2007 they took their music to England for a week-long tour, gaining them an instant British fanbase.
 
tokyo pinsalocks is:
Hisayo (bass, backing vocals) - Naoko (vocals, keyboard) - Reiko (drums, programming)
 
"tokyo pinsalocks offer tripped-out psychedelic pop that recalls Jane's Addiction and Lush in equal parts" – Daniel Robson, Disorder Magazine
 
"Keyboard-led pop sensation tokyo pinsalocks play danceable, rhythmic pop with nary a guitar nor agenda in sight" – Neo Magazine
 
 
tokyo pinsalocks links!
 
 
YouTube video ("Repeat") - www.youtube.com/watch?v=we5LmIZFzms
YouTube Video ("Plutonium") - www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMnRHzvmYCY
 
 
tokyo pinsalocks appears by arrangement with JapanFiles.com.
 
About ANIME BOSTON:
 
Anime Boston is an annual three-day Japanese animation convention held in Boston, Massachusetts. Anime Boston 2008 will be held Friday, March 21st through Sunday, March 23rd at the Hynes Convention Center and Marriott Copley Boston.
 
Anime Boston is currently the largest anime convention in the northeast United States, with a 2007 attendance total of 11,500.
 
"Anime Boston has lept onto the fandom stage, becoming the most significant anime convention in the north east, and assuming a position with the high tiered anime conventions in the US." 
-Ain't It Cool News

News Archive

  • Aerial tour cancelled, Closer tour not
  • An intelligent use of the internet
  • An MOJ exclusive, Sahashi the victim and some other stories.
  • Anchorsong live dates
  • Anchorsong Update

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