Boom Boom Satellites, Zazen Boys, and Echostream at NYAF

BOOM BOOM SATELLITES,
ZAZEN BOYS, AND ECHOSTREAM
TO PERFORM AT FAR EAST TO EAST SHOWCASE AT NYAF
Bands Join Puffy AmiYumi For Concert In NYC's Irving Plaza

Norwalk, CT, August 20, 2010: The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) today announced bands Boom Boom Satellites, Zazen Boys, and Echostream will come together with previously-announced musical guest Puffy AmiYumi for a concert at the Far East To East Showcase (FETES) on Sunday, October 10, 2010. FETES is produced by Superglorious, a live event production firm responsible for orchestrating events with a very eclectic and exciting mix of artists. The New York Anime Festival, an anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture convention, will take place October 8-10, 2010 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan. It is created by and co-located with the New York Comic Con. Boom Boom Satellites, Zazen Boys, Echostream, and Puffy AmiYumi will all appearing at NYAF for speaking sessions and autograph signings prior to their show. NYAF has additionally announced seiyuu and singer Minori Chihara and Japanese rock band VAMPS will also appear as guests, and comics legends Stan Lee, John Romita, Sr., and John Romita, Jr. will headline the New York Comic Con.

Presented at Irving Plaza (17 Irving Place, New York, NY) for the first time, FETES is proud to take place in this historic venue, and will be presenting a roster of performers fully befitting the concert hall.

"FETES 2010 is a one-night-only, once-in-a-lifetime lineup," FETES Manager Hayden Brereton said. "With FETES going into its third year, we're pulling out all the stops to produce an event that offers a very diverse selection of top artists. Fans of pop, electronic, rock, alternative or just great live music will fall in love with the Far East to East Showcase this year!"

"Created as a night of music that brings together musical artists from both America and Japan, focusing on the borderlessness of song, and creating an evening appealing to anime fans, audiophiles, and casual New Yorkers interested in something new, FETES has been a unique attraction at the New York Anime Festival since 2008," NYAF and NYCC Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. "And we could not be more humbled and thrilled looking out at the artists who'll be taking the stage this year!"

Boom Boom Satellites, Zazen Boys, Echostream, and Puffy AmiYmi will all be appearing at the New York Anime Festival and New York Comic Con throughout the weekend for panel discussions and autograph signings before taking the stage on Sunday night at Irving Plaza. Tickets to FETES are $22 in advance and are separate from NYAF and NYCC admission. FETES tickets can be purchased now at www.superglorious.com or www.livenation.com.

Tickets for NYAF or NYCC may be purchased at www.nyanimefestival.com or www.nycomiccon.com. Other information about the shows, as well as news about ReedPOP, which also organizes Star Wars Celebration, is available at Lance Fensterman’s blog, www.mediumatlarge.net.

ABOUT BOOM BOOM SATELLITES:
Electronic/Rock unit Boom Boom Satellites -- bassist/programmer Masayuki Nakano and guitarist/vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima -- first broke in Europe in 1997. Absorbing both electronic and rock elements, they created a completely new and unknown sound, which not only established them as an exciting new band, but also boosted their profile as one of the most distinguished music producers in Japan. Their first single, 4 A Moment of Silence, was released in Europe in 1997 and triggered rave reviews from such definitive European music magazines as Melody Maker, who compared their debut impact to those of the Chemical Brothers’ and Prodigy’s. In 1998 the band embarked on a 3 month US tour with Moby, and shortly after they began receiving -- and still keep receiving -- requests for remix work from various artists such as Garbage, Josh Wink, and many more, which proved that their sound could be acclaimed and accepted internationally. When Oliver Stone and Luc Besson chose a band’s track to use in the film Yamakashi, it reinforced interest in their music from industries out side of the music business. In 2004 the band continued their film work by producing the soundtrack album to the animated film Appleseed. Boom Boom Satellites contributed four new songs, including the movie’s main theme, Dive For You, to the soundtrack, which also included music from Paul Oakenfold, Basement Jaxx, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. In 2007, their 6th album EXPOSED was released. Japanese lead track Easy Action was featured in 3D live action anime film, Vexille (directed by Fumihiko Sori), and was included in the soundtrack which also features Asian Dub Foundation, Underworld, and The Prodigy. EXPOSED was produced in an attempt to find the answer for the band to the long-standing question from the industry that tends to appreciate genre specific music, namely, Rock vs. Dance. In this album they have reached an answer -- Rock AND Dance, both can exist at the same time and same place. Hence the new follow-up greatest hits album, OVER AND OVER. Coming in September 14, 2010 from SonyMusic Independent Network, this album is thoroughly re-mastered and re-mixed by the members themselves, and allows the listeners to appreciate it as a completely new album rather as a simple compilation of pre-existing tracks.
www.bbs-net.com
www.myspace.com/boomboomsatellites
www.facebook.com/boomboomsatellites

ABOUT ZAZEN BOYS:
Zazen Boys are Mukai Shutoku / Vocal,Guitar.Synth , Matsusita Atsushi / Drums , Yoshida Ichiro / Bass , Yoshikane Sou / Guitar

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`. Their eclectic style is complex but raw, ranging from funk in irregular time, to Captain Beefheart combined with Minyo (traditional Japanese folk songs),to angular guitar-driven punk-ballads. Mukai`s lyrics are in Japanese, and the unique worldview that they express are based around two key concepts:`shogyou-mujo` and `seiteki-shodo`, meaning roughly `the transience of this world`and `sexual impulse`. To date, Zazen Boys have released 4 albums and 2 singles, all through their own label Matsuri Studio. Their latest album `Zazen Boys 4` was produced by Dave Fridmann (49th Grammy Winner for Best Recording Engineer),It opens with `Asobi`, a dark and brooding number performed entirely on drum machine and synthesizer, reminiscent of early deep house, and then on to `Honnoji`, a raging 16 beat-psyche-funk rock tune, and so on. Zazen Boys` awesome live shows reach almost 100 per year, and their music continues to stir hearts all over Japan and beyond. (www.mukaishutoku.com/)

ABOUT ECHOSTREAM:
Echostream's music draws the audience into a singular world, where haunting melodies swirl over grooving beats and unique instrumentation. Drawing on classical sensibility, the music includes techniques and arrangements normally only found in stuffy concerts populated by grey-haired old ladies. Here, those same instruments are let loose like beasts released to roam the wilds in search of adventures. Pianos, French Horns, Mandolins, Theremins, and of course the standard rock fare -- drums, bass, guitars -- abound, blending and accentuating one another to create a sound that is just as at home in a movie, on TV, or in a game, as it is on a festival stage. Echostream is not a new band, although you may only now be discovering them. Over a history of five years, two self-released albums, multiple licenses for TV and compilations both domestic and abroad, and many large-venue performances, the band has honed its sound and skills to an exceptional level. (www.myspace.com/echostream)

ABOUT PUFFY AMIYUMI:
Puffy AmiYumi, composed of singers Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura, debuted in 1996 with the million selling single Asia No Junshin. Since then, their music has made them household names in Japan, leading to numerous hit songs, commercial appearances, and even their own television show. In 2000, Puffy AmiYumi began releasing albums and touring in the US. In 2004, Cartoon Network created an original cartoon, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, which became one of the most watched cartoons in the world -- havin g been broadcast in 110 different countries. In 2006, Puffy AmiYumi were appointed the Goodwill Ambassadors of the Visit Japan Campaign for the US. In 2009, Puffy AmiYumi performed in Europe for the first time in front of 5,000+ people in Paris's Japan Expo. In the same year, they sang the theme song to the Naruto film Naruto Shippuden 3: Inheritors of the Will of Fire. Their latest album, Bring it!, includes All Because Of You and I Don’t Wanna written by Avril Lavigne and her producer Butch Walker, Hiyori Hime written by the Japanese female rock icon Sheena Ringo, the theme song to the new Genji anime series, and other songs written by numerous stellar song writers. In September 2010, PuffyAmi Yumi will perform in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the following month, they'll be coming to NYC. (www.puffyamiyumi.com)

ABOUT SUPERGLORIOUS:
Superglorious is a music event production company that specializes in creating unique live music presentations. With a special emphasis on distinctive sounds, engaging performance, and high production values, Superglorious unifies a diverse collective of artists to create soundscapes that are meant to entertain and inspire. The firm's strong understanding of the local music industry and global approach to art has allowed artists from across America, the Far East, and Europe to boost and extend their connections to audiences across New York City. Utilizing a holistic approach to its projects, Superglorious offers a wide range of expertise that includes artist and equipment coordination, online and street marketing, print design and artist booking. Its constant pursuit of excellence offers challenging and exciting opportunities for both artists and music lovers. (www.superglorious.com)

ABOUT REEDPOP: ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions which is exclusively devoted to organizing events, launching and acquiring new shows, and partnering with premium brands in the pop culture arena. ReedPOP is dedicated to producing celebrations of popular culture throughout the world that transcend ordinary events by providing unique access and dynamic personal experiences for consumers and fans. The ReedPOP portfolio includes: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) East & West, Star Wars Celebration V, New York Anime Festival (NYAF), and UFC Fan Expo. The staff at ReedPOP is a fan based group of professionals producing shows for other fans, thus making them uniquely qualified to service those with whom they share a common passion. ReedPOP is focused on bringing its expertise and knowledge to world communities in North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

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New York Anime Festival Press Release