Japan In Focus
Music Program Guide
Acknowledging the growing artistic link between Japan and Victoria’s music scenes. This year’s music program has a large emphasis on contemporary music from Japan.
Cementing Melbourne and Japan’s close musical ties is RISING’s Japan in Focus program. The Forum hosts iconic pop experimentalists from Tokyo’s mid-’90s, “cut-and-paste” Shibuya-kei scene, and a seminal percussionist from the ‘80s Avant Garde. Over at Max Watt’s there’s Tokyo doom rock veterans, and atmospheric techno.
Midori Takada — Thu 9 June
Theatrical waves of rhythm invoked by a maestro of Japanese percussion. Transcendent solo performance beyond comparison.
Boris — Fri 10 June
As part of the Japan in Focus music program, legendary doom trio Boris power through their 2002 classic Heavy Rocks.
CHAI and Buffalo Daughter — Sat 11 June
New and emerging icons and descendants of Tokyo’s Shibuya-kei scene. Punk attitude with a techno pulse.
Animals Dancing : DJ Nobu and Kenji Takimi — Sun 12 June
From Melbourne's day party denizens comes a finale befitting RISING's debut run: Japanese techno icon DJ Nobu and anything-goes selector Kenji Takimi