Naohiro Ukawa, creator of live-streaming microclub Dommune, is pulling out all the stops this weekend with Freedommune 0 (Zero) in aid of victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, when he takes the studio outdoors for a full day and night of dance music.
Manning the decks will be techno pioneers Jeff Mills, Stewart Walker and Gabriel Ananda. The event will also play host to a star-studded Japanese lineup including The Beatniks, Tetsuya Komuro, Towa Tei, Ken Ishii, Altz, DJ Nobu and Ukawa's long-time friend, Moodman. Living legend Isao Tomita, one of the pioneers of electronic music through the use of synthesizers back in the 1960s, will also be making a special appearance, in a performance likely to be as much a learning experience for music buffs as it is simply entertaining. The Japan Times catches up with Ukawa in the days leading up to the big bash.
How long was it after the earthquake that you decided to organize the festival?