COMING TO TOKYO THIS WEEKEND:
Making a rare appearance in Tokyo this weekend is Michele Adamson, the radiant beauty behind the lovely vocals on probably a dozen of your dancefloor favorites.

Michele joins headliners Space Cat (Avi Algranati, H2O Records) and Perplex (aka DJ Ronen, Spun Records) for Fineplay Music's "Electrodelic" party on Saturday at Differ Ariake. This is your best chance to see her up close until summer.

We last saw Michele in August at "The Beach 2006," Fineplay's summer signature party on a magical island near Nagoya. With her name gracing a few dozen singles and one CD ("Fallen Angel, 2005"), Michele has become "The Vocalist" to get on your next release. The past two years has witnessed a huge increase in psy-vocals "feats." and this young lady is certainly one of, if not the primary reason behind this phenom.

Michele's sets sport some of the most seductive electro ever to grace a psychedelic dancefloor and she adores the Japan crowd for the energetic feedback.

TOKYO PSY-BLOG UPDATE:

Sweet Dreams 2007 Part 6.5 -- What a refreshing little party we had Sunday afternoon under the winter sun at Yoyogi Koen (park) in central Tokyo -- proof positive that the metro party scene is chugging along two to three weeks ahead of our traditional pace in 2007.

Although Yoyogi's famous cherry blossoms aren't due for another few weeks, several hundred happyjins kept the dancefloor surprisingly full for this free doof by Dears Music International. Combined with a bustling flea market and full range of food vendors, Yoyogi resembled a typical first day of the legendary Harukaze Festivals of days gone by, minus the blossoms. This was a handsome, energetic crowd of folks stepping outdoors and spreading their wings for love of our music.

Free parties in Yoyogi are always a bit of a gamble, but Dears seems to have to Lady Luck on permanent staff.

TOKYO PSY-BLOG UPDATE:

New Music, Video -- I've finally had the chance to pick up the new "Gathering 2006" DVD and in a stroke of luck the new Popstream CD "Railways" from Vision Quest. These, and the "Psychlopedia, Vol. 2" compilation released by Noga Records are what we're watching and listening to this week at Tokyo Psy-Blog and will tell you more about very soon.
Over on the right side, I am inserting the next party date with the links for organizers and labels. I'll make the links glow bright red when these parties get close.

TOKYO PSY-BLOG NEWS:

Israeli DJ sensation Rocky told Tokyo Psy-Blog recently in Tokyo that he has a new compilation on the way which promises to be even better than his last one, the double-CD "Psychedelic High " (Aug. 2005, Farm Records) -- one of the hottest-selling trance compilations ever.

Rocky as you may remember had only recently ascended to Arcadia Music A&R before that ship sank in summer 2005. Now he's reconnecting to Japan and should score an unbelievable year.

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Sneak Preview: TPE DVD -- Prepare yourself for visual ecstasy! A couple of nights ago I watched the unfinished first half of the movie for the new TPE "Open Air Festival 2006" DVD. This rave at the Tatehara Kougen campground in Nagano Prefecture was one of the best all year in Japan and you'll see why when you watch this DVD.

SGK Studio, which also did "The Beach" DVD for Fineplay Music this summer, has been working on this project night and day for many weeks. In addition to individual artist clips, the final DVD will include an OAF2006 movie that will blow the socks off anything yet produced in Japan for psychedelic trance.

TOKYO PSY-BLOG NEWS:

The Arcadia name is making a comeback in Tokyo, but not as the party organizer still tainted by the disastrous "Summer Arcade 05" that torpedoed the former Tokyo Big Four unit 2 1/2 years ago. The new Arcadia is operating as a booking agent under the name Arcadia Music Productions.

The introduction of a booking agent structure is a welcome sign of maturity for psychedelic trance because handling international artists in Japan -- flights, hotels, transportation, meals and so on -- has long presented a distraction, if not a flat-out headache, to the organizing effort of parties. The new rules of the game neccessitate a more mainstream approach.

A booking agent handling such details benefits all concerned. The artist gives up a percentage, but usually gets more paid-in-full gigs, won't be stranded at the airport or a hotel, gets places on time and is networked into beneficial dinners and meetings while in town. The organizer may pay a bit more for the artist but significantly reduces its risks and manpower requirements. The crowd gets a better show from a more pampered artist not worried about getting paid, fed or a place to sleep.