Posted in music | tour dates on March 2, 2009
Japan's ZAZEN BOYS - 3 NY-area shows, Cake Shop w/ Paper
by Andrew Frisicano
DOWNLOAD: Paper - Out of It Into It (MP3)
Zazen Boys @ Mercury Lounge on 10/5/08 (by Jeff Winterberg)
"Zazen Boys were formed in 2003 by Mukai Shutoku, former leader of Japanese rock band Number Girl. In a word, Zazen Boys aspire to be `Led Zeppelin in kimono."Japanese funk-rockers Zazen Boys are playing three NYC-area dates this weekend - Friday (3/6) at Cake Shop; Saturday (3/7) at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ (tix); and Sunday (3/8) at Pianos.
A Baltimore City Paper review of the band's visit to that city (in support of their September 2008 release IV) captures the band's dueling improv-art-rock and dance groove tendencies, with plentiful name dropping:
After a brief introduction in delightfully accented English--"From Matsuri Studio, Tokyo, we are Zazen Boys!"--the quartet first pounded away with some mathy hardcore and obnoxiously endearing noise. In a far-fetched conception, this portion of the band's set was like California's Health, but with dramatically fewer loops and noise explosions; the drummer was adequately primal but keen to all the subtle transitions of art-rock composition.At the Cake Shop, Zazen Boys will share the bill with NYC's Frankpollis, and Sweden's Paper who we also recently featured and are playing Cake Shop two other times that week.But as the Boys softened a few of the hard edges and brought out funk fit for dancing shoes, it was possible to view them more accurately as disciples of the Dismemberment Plan, or even George Clinton. The hit "Weekend," with its juicy slap bass, pornographic guitar noise, and bilingual (nearly spiritual) party lyrics, made the show definitely feel like the "buzzworthy" arrival of foreign rock stars. "I Don't Wanna Be With You" was a delicious club number with hip-swerving runway synthesizers and pitch-altered Dan Deacon-esque vocals. It was unexpectedly mind-blowing, a show more than worth the in-box clutter.
Videos from Zazen Boys's 2008 release IV, and those dates in list & flyer format (their only scheduled shows at the moment), below...
Zazen Boys - Weekend
Zazen Boys - 2009 Tour Dates
3/6 Cake Shop - New York, NY
3/7 The Saint - Asbury Park, NJ
3/8 Pianos - New York, NY
---
Recent Related Entries
- Free Energy played Pianos (pics), play Brooklyn Bowl tonight
- Mi Ami - new album, MP3, 2010 tour dates (Cake Shop)
- The Hope Conspiracy, Blacklisted, United Nations & Mother of Mercy @ Cake Shop in NYC - pics
- Talk Normal & Screaming Females New Years Eve pics, more tour dates & SXSW band announcements
- Zazen Boys & Paper @ Cake Shop in NYC - pics
- JBM @ Pianos in NYC (BV CMJ) - pics
- Karin Park @ Pianos in NYC - pics
- Pete & the Pirates (downstairs) @ Pianos (BV CMJ) - pics
- Pete & the Pirates (upstairs) @ Pianos in NYC (BV CMJ) - pics
- Sharon Van Etten @ Pianos in NYC (BV CMJ) - pics
Posted on March 2, 2009 2:42 PM
Leave a comment
Powered by Ajax Comments
Comments (6)
aaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwww jjjeeeaahhh
Posted by Anonymous | March 2, 2009 9:53 PM
this music is a little too trendy for me
Posted by nyc native | March 3, 2009 12:58 AM
i think i saw Yaps sit in with these guys at Pianos last week
Posted by Anonymous | March 3, 2009 1:45 AM
frankpollis changed their name to your nature
Posted by Anonymous | March 4, 2009 12:52 PM
wtf its too late when i see this.
Posted by arron kuo | March 21, 2009 12:21 PM
I was looking for crucial information on this subject. The information was important as I am about to launch my own portal. Thanks for providing a missing link in my business.
Posted by rfmowerydesigns | January 26, 2010 4:52 AM