Today was our first full day in Japan, and what a great day it was. We are being hosted by a wonderful group of people here in Tokyo that we have been in communication with for many months, and together we have been working very hard to ensure the success of this trip. Today it was fantastic for everyone finally to meet eachother in person. Over the course of many long distance conversations we have been discusing where would be best to film, not to mention all of the production logistics necessary to execute the shoots. This morning we met up with our Japan-based team, hopped in a bus and had the opportunity to scout half a dozen of the locations that we have been discussing together.
It was a long hot day, but it could not have gone better. We visited beautiful gardens and ancient shrines-- an amazing juxtaposition against the glass and steel backdrop of modern Tokyo. This city is a beautiful blend of the old and the new, and I know that this unique vibration will resonate powerfully in the music that we find. Everyone's hard work these past weeks is beginning to pay off, and the whole crew feels great knowing that we have assembled a collection of beautiful locations for our musicians to perform in.
We have another day of prepration ahead of us tomorrow, and then are scheduled to begin filming on Tuesday. Please stay tuned for more updates, photos, and videos yet to come...
After an eleven-hour flight from Los Angeles, the PFC crew has arrived in Tokyo and we couldn't be more excited! Narita airport is pretty far outside the city-- it will take our bus about an hour and a half to reach Tokyo-- but we are in no hurry. The sun has finally set (having departed LA during the day and flown west for so long, we've had nearly 24 hours of straight daylight!) and we're all enjoying the view as the hilly country side passes by. It's hot and humid, but the evening air streaming in through the bus's open windows feels wonderful, and is a welcome change from the recirculated air of our flight.
As we continue to drive the landscape is slowly becoming more urban. The road is getting wider and we are finding ourselves surrounded by more and more cars. Highways merge and cloverleaf off. An elevated train joins the chase. We drive across a beautiful suspension bridge, and suddenly we are in the midst of a massive urban sprawl. What began as a vanguard of brightly lit outlying buildings has now swallowed us, and we are surrounded by cityscape.
Our bus is now slowly wending its way through densely flowing traffic toward our hotel. I am looking forward to a good night's sleep and an early start tomorrow. We are all excited to get to work on a week of amazing music here in Japan. And we can't wait to share the experience with you, so stay tuned!
I am excited to announce that the Playing For Change crew will be leaving for Japan this weekend! We have been hard at work this past year creating new Songs Around the World, and we are very excited to have the opportunity to add Japanese musicains to these tracks. Japan has a unique and beautiful culture, and we know that we are all in for a real treat. And we are looking forward to sharing this experience with the Playing For Change Family!
Make sure to keep checking the website, facebook, twitter, and flickr, as we'll be posting updates daily! We have already lined up some amazing musicians for our time in Japan, but we are always on the lookout for more. If you know of any musicains living in Tokyo that you would like to introduce us to, mail us at info@playingforchange.com, and tell us all about them! Playing For Change is a musical movement built by the world, and we always love to hear from you.
Hello Everyone! I have a quick announcement to share. Tickets for the band's Fall Tour will go on-sale to the general public on Friday, September 10th. Members of the PFC Community will have access to a special pre-sale beginning Friday, August 20th. If you are not already a member of the PFC Community, you can join by clicking here. I hope to see you on the road!
I am thrilled to announce that the Playing For Change Band is back by popular demand, and is getting ready to kick off a Fall Tour visiting 30+ cities in the U.S. and Canada! And, over the course of their tour the band will be making special stops in communities all along the way to meet with "Changemakers."
We want to hear from you! If you live in one of the cities the band is performing in, and you or someone you know is making a positive contribution in your community, please send your story to housecall@playingforchange.com. We may feature your story on our website and what is more, the Playing For Change Band may pay you a visit this Fall at your home, school, hospital, community center-- or wherever you may be!
To be clear, this is not a contest-- we are not looking for the "best" or most amazing stories. We just want to share some of the good things people are doing to make the world a better place. And if you are interested in helping spread the message of Playing For Change, please email us at peacesoldier@playingforchange.com for information-- we want your help!
PFC Founder Mark Johnson is currently on location in Jamaica working on new Songs Around The World. He just sent this video explaining the upcoming Tour and this exciting opportunity to meet the band-- check it out:
The PFC Band is coming to a community near you! ($1 of every concert ticket purchased goes to benefit the Playing For Change Foundation, building music and art schools in communities around the world.) Below is the current line-up for the PFC Band's Fall Tour; we hope to see you at a show!
