When you hear the name Ryuichi Sakamoto a number of thoughts come to mind. He is an absolute legend when it comes to the music industry as a whole and quite possibly a deity when it comes to the Japanese music industry. There is so much that he has contributed to the industry over his illustrious career. With COVID-19 still wreaking havoc across the world, there are some luxuries that need to be foregone in order for the safety and health of everyone involved, including the attendees to events and the staff making said events happen. Earlier in the year, Ryuichi Sakamoto was one of the pioneers of live streaming events as the majority of Japan was already staying home and doing their best to keep safe from the virus as he streamed a live performance under the notion of “If music can help to relieve the tension even just a little…” Now on December 12th he will be teaming up for the concert titled ‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 12122020’ with the multimedia art powerhouse Rhizomatiks to bring a new experience to live-streamed concerts that have yet to be seen.
The live stream will be taking place on MUSIC/SLASH a video streaming platform that boasts the highest sound quality possible in the industry when it comes to video streaming. This is certainly a good thing as anyone who has heard Ryuichi Sakamoto’s music before knows that his music isn’t something you listen to, it’s something you experience. The multimedia group Rhizomatiks focuses on the relationship between analog and digital, real and virtual, for works of design, art, and entertainment, led by visionary artist Daito Manabe. They will work with rising New York-based artist duo Zakkubalan to deliver a challenging visual project that brings the worlds of Sakamoto and Rhizomatiks to vivid life.
Tickets for ‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 12122020’ are on sale now until December 7th. The event can be viewed from Japan, USA, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, Canada, and Australia and will cost a total of ¥5,000 before tax. I don’t know about you, but I don’t see things getting too much better in December than they are now and I look forward to being able to experience a concert of this caliber from the comfort of my home.