Drum Tao have definitely entered the international scene with a bang. After a show-stopping performance at Edinburgh's Fringe Festival back in 2004 put this taiko collective into the European spotlight, they've only built on their reputation as one of the highest-powered drumming acts out there: a massive, sold-out North American tour and a series of very successful shows here in Japan are but the most recent examples.
Now they're back at home and will be headlining the all-new 'Mangekyo – Revolutionary New Drumming Entertainment in Tokyo' show. On at Club eX inside the Shinagawa Prince Hotel from September 16 and performed until October 29, its run will include a total of 60 performances. These drum-bangers certainly have stamina.
Drum Tao have a long and distinguished record: they've performed in over 500 cities in 23 countries, and have racked up a total audience of over seven million. They've been in business for a rather long time as well: having started in 1993 in Aichi prefecture, the collective moved to a patch of land near Aso National Park in Oita prefecture in 1995.
This is where they essentially created their own creative commune, finalised in 2000, all in order to properly unleash the Tao drumming spirit. Another thing worth noting is that one of their main odaiko (big drum) performers is female, as pictured above – a true rarity in the world of taiko.
Their more recent performances have revealed a new side of Tao, with fashion designer Junko Koshino producing their stage costumes. Her outfits for the Mangekyo performances have been designed to show off the drummers' rather ripped torsos, while emphasising 'teamwork'. We're not complaining.
Consequently, you'll be able to get a pretty good view of the performers themselves at Club eX. The entire space, including the circular stage, is relatively compact and smaller than your average Drum Tao venue, which means you can catch more than a glimpse of sweat dripping down from some very well-toned arms. And to top it all off, projection mapping is set to be deployed during the performance as well.
Considering their extensive touring record, Drum Tao's Mangekyo shows are a rare chance to catch this hard-drumming group in the flesh, and with some dates even boasting two performances, you really have no excuse to not see them. Best grab your tickets right away.
For full details and ticket information, check out the official Mangekyo – Revolutionary New Drumming Entertainment in Tokyo website