fimmtudagur, ágúst 16, 2007

Japan loves Icelandic music and Icelandic Music Weekend @ Tokyo "Japan vs. Iceland"

Some people who love Icelandic music started an online service in Japan.
http://icelandia.shop-pro.jp
Available among many other CD's: a Japanese version of the movie Soundtrack "Screaming Masterpiece" http://screamingmasterpiece.jp
Two Japanese college students, who fell in love with Iceland after a ten-day camping trip in 2006, organized an event dedicated to Iceland at Lounge Seco, Shibuya, Tokyo, last week, entitled “Japan vs. Iceland.” It was attended by about 150 people.
“Several people told me how much they appreciated us providing lots of information about Iceland, which is hard to find,” one of the organizers, Yuka Ogura, told icelandreview.com. “This one lady came up to me and said ‘I would like to buy you a drink.’ […] It was very nice of her.”
Attendees paid an entrance fee of JPY 2,000 (USD 17, EUR 12) to watch Screaming Masterpiece, a documentary about Icelandic musicians, and promotional videos from Bang Gang and Jóhann Jóhannsson, who both recently played in Japan.
Local DJs played Icelandic music and Icelandic food like smoked lamb, shrimp, salmon and capelin was provided by Shinpo Foods Co. and Icelandic Japan Co. Lounge Seco made special Iceland-inspired cocktails using Brennivín, Icelandic schnapps, provided by the Icelandic Embassy in Japan.
Japanese online music store ICELANDia, owned by Ogura, opened a special music shop at the club, where guests could buy Icelandic music, some of which is difficult to locate in Japan.
Múm’s, Jóhann Jóhannsson’s […] and Amiina’s new albums were the bestsellers of the night,” said Ogura, who was in charge of the music shop. “If people heard something they really liked, they would rush towards my place and ask ‘which album is playing now?’”
“It’s really a labor of love,” Ogura said in regards to the effort it took to organize the event. “I’d like to thank the companies that donated food for this basically non-profit event, which a couple of college students put together just for fun because of their love for Iceland.”
Source: Yuka Ogura
More on Icelandic music on the weblog:
http://icelandia1.exblog.jp
and about the previous Iceland Airwaves Festival (2006):
www.tour.free-bird.co.jp/campaign/Iceland

Engin ummæli: