This month, artists from 34 countries will congregate in Tokyo for the latest edition of the Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA), a caffeine-fueled creative hothouse organized by the world's most ubiquitous energy drink brand. For participants, the event offers a chance to attend closed-door lectures with a host of well-known musicians and DJs, and to collaborate with each other at a newly built studio complex in Shibuya.
However, there's reason for the rest of us to get excited, too: In the course of the RBMA's two fortnight-long sessions, Tokyo will be treated to a generous serving of concerts, club nights, talks and art exhibitions — and everyone's invited. Kicking off with a party featuring deep house pioneer Kerri Chandler at Daikanyama club Air this Sunday, the lineup offers some rich pickings, ranging from a multiroom takeover at the Karaoke Kan complex in Shinjuku to a geek-tastic concert at Shibuya's Womb in which contemporary laptop musicians will wrangle with vintage video game soundtracks.
There may only be a couple of Japanese musicians enrolled in this year's academy, but homegrown artists feature heavily in the program of events. Acclaimed sound and visual artist Ryoji Ikeda will transform Omotesando's Spiral Hall into an immersive installation; psychedelic voyager Keiji Haino will preside over a combo noise gig and ambient slumber party at Roppongi's SuperDeluxe; avant-garde icons Otomo Yoshihide and Eye will conduct a group improv session at the Shinseiki dance hall in Uguisudani. And then there's one of the most intriguing offerings: a live collaboration between underground hip-hop producer DJ Krush and a quartet of traditional Japanese musicians, held in front of the Yoshio Taniguchi-designed Gallery of Horyuji Treasures in Ueno.