515 Present Green Velvet + The Japanese Popstars 16/4/10

515 tripod

POD + 515 Presents
Green velvet + Japanese popstars (live)

Support:LRB

Fri 16th april @ Tripod
Advance tickets €20
Advance Tickets from usual outlets. Phone/internet bookings subject to extra service charges.
www.ticketmaster.ie /24hr Hotline 0818 719 300
More info www.pod.ie

Green velvet Biog

Change has been a constant theme throughout the successful career of Green Velvet, but as he has crossed genres, explored themes from the comedic to the serious and changed monikers, the common thread running through the music he has made for nearly two decades is its roots in and dedication to the Chicago House sound.
His first transformation came when he left master's degree studies in chemical engineering at UC-Berkeley to turn a hobby into a career making music, influenced by the sounds he had been exposed to as a science-fiction-loving, video-game-playing kid whose father was a part-time Chicago DJ.
As Cajmere, he released his inaugural Underground Goodies EP in 1991 on his Cajual label, keeping true to the early House sound. He quickly followed it up the next year with the smash hit "Coffeepot (It's Time for the Percolator)."
Not one to rest on his success, he soon changed things up, teaming with vocalist Dajae for "Brighter Days," a more mellow House tune, this one released by Emotive. That pairing would be his last with a female vocalist until his recent partnership with rapper Kid Sister for "Everybody Wants."
The 17 years in between those two projects witnessed an incredible array of electronic music emanating from this prolific artist, as well as a second label under his direction, Relief. Adopting the persona Green Velvet (not to mention a Day-Glo shock wig) for his techno-oriented pieces and DJ appearances, he became the champion of new wave Chicago beats through the '90s--known best for hits such as "Preacher Man," "Flash" (a No. 1 U.S. dance hit in 1995), and 1997's laugh-inducing "Answering Machine." The decade ended with his first album, Constant Chaos in 1999.
The new century brought a compilation album, Green Velvet, during a brief signing with Warner Bros. Records' short-lived F-111 imprint, and a production album, Whatever, on Relief. The punk-inspired Whatever explored darker themes than his previous work, including racism ("When?"), drug use ("Genedefekt" and "La La Land"), alienation ("Sleepwalking") and bending to authority ("Gat").
"La La Land" went on to become by far the biggest selling track of his career. His live act expanded as he began playing a keytar, with two other musicians--Nazuk and Spaceboy--backing him, playing heavily distorted synths.
The last decade also saw Green Velvet become a fan favorite across Europe, playing to huge crowds at festivals in addition to live radio appearances and club gigs. Numerous side projects and remixes under various names also added to his seemingly nonstop musical output.
In 2005, Green Velvet released his third album, Walk In Love, which stayed true to the House sound, with a few pop- and punk-oriented tracks for good measure, including "Come Back" and "Pin-Up Girl," both of which featured a live guitarist.
The following year marked a significant change in his personal life, as Green Velvet revealed he had become a born-again Christian after an overdose of so-called recreational drugs. His music since then has reflected his conversion and new attitude on life, including the single "Shake and Pop," and 2007's online-only track "Love Peace, Not War," a short ditty in response to the war in Iraq.

The ongoing evolution in the music, career and life of the artist born Curtis Alan Jones in Chicago has been and will continue to be fascinating to watch and experience for his many followers.



THE JAPANESE POPSTARS BIOG

VOTED BEST LIVE ACT @ IRISH DANCE MUSIC AWARDS 2009
VOTED BEST ALBUM @ IRISH DANCE MUSIC AWARDS 2009
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PRODUCERS - DJ MAG 'BEST OF BRITISH' AWARDS 2008
NOMINATED BEST LIVE ACT - DJ MAG 'BEST OF BRITISH' AWARDS 2009

The Japanese Popstars are riding a wave of great live gigs, major festival bookings, and media praise off the back of their amazing energy driven live shows and their critically acclaimed debut album 'We Just Are'.
Native to Northern Ireland (any fetishists expecting cute Japanese girls can leave now), and consisting of Declan McLaughlin aka Decky Hedrock, Gary Curran, and Gareth Donoghue. The Japanese Popstars are signed to bespoke indie label, Gung-Ho Recordings (Gus Gus, Zoo Brazil) in the UK, and Beatink in Japan (home of Underworld, Aphex Twin, Cinematic Orchestra).


The Japanese Popstars only parallel with rock music is that they'd built up a sizable live following before releasing their first major single - some might even say cultish, judging by the amount of clips on Youtube. Their gigs are typically raucous affairs, with an energy that crackles with each beat, chord, and keyboard stab.

However, let's get one thing straight about the music - The Japanese Popstars aren't indie rave, or any other sub-sub-sub genre, theirs is big room, cool as f**k electronic music built for festivals and stadiums. They're not dance kids aping indie kids, nor are they indie kids dropping synths and calling themselves 'ravers'.

Over the past year the band have remix the likes Beyonce, The Ting Tings, Shinichi Osawa, Pete Tong, The Music, Depeche Mode, Editors and Groove Armada, as well as taking thier energy fueled live show to many major clubs and festivals around the world and the band stood testament to this in 2009 by releasing thier own live album "We Just Are: Live", which was recorded infront of 8000 thousand people!

The Japanese Popstars - back to the future dance music for today, tomorrow, and forever, and it's coming to a field near you very soon.

"A Star Is Born....Or Should I Say Stars!" - Pete Tong, BBC Radio 1

"This album is f*cking amazing. It is in servere danger of taking over our lives..." - POPJUSTICE.com

"File next to Orbital, Underworld and The Chemical Brothers" (NEW BAND OF THE DAY) - The Guardian

"One of 2008’s hottest prospects. They just are." M8/M8 - M8 Magazine

"The Japanese Popstars are F***ing deadly. The End. I need say no more." - Connected Magazine

"Literally, amazing." - Word Magazine

"Never has an Irish Dance Act Created So Much Hysteria From Press And Industry Alike" - Hotpress

"Do believe the hype..." - IDJ Magzine



Here you can find videos of our live gigs:


Official LIVE Footage From Trans Musicales 09 in France

DJing 'B.C.T.T.' at Electric Picnic in Ireland

The Japanese Popstars DJing at Red Rooms, Derry, N.Ireland

'Catapult' LIVE at Fuji Rock Japan 09

Beyonce - Single Laides Remix Video

joker77

Green Velvet has cancelled - ash cloud to blame

He says Japanese Popstars still on though:

http://twitter.com/djgreenvelvet