I think you might by now understand why people like me are so obsessed with the music coming out of Japan. No place else in the world is producing such a rich vein of unique, high quality music coupled with such brilliant visual spectacle currently. Japan is reaping the rewards of an education system that encourages musicianship and theatricality from an early age. The amount of talent in Japan is insane. Even their high school marching bands (see Kyoto Tachibana High School) are next level as you can see from the Pasadena Rose Parade. Whilst rock and metal sometimes appeared to be withering on the vine in the rest of the world it was still shining bright in the land of the rising sun.
A year ago, they announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus after 10 years. They recently said it was indeed a hiatus and they would eventually get back together. Most people think it's because the vocalist and Kyoto player have a toddler at home and wish to limit their extensive touring. I managed to attend their finale show in December. Lots of tears both in the crowd and on stage. As Richard said below, at their shows, the crowd sings in unison rather than cheer to ask for an encore. Some of the most beautiful experiences at a concert I've ever encountered.
和楽器Wagakki※ Band Members Yuko Suzuhana (鈴華ゆう子) - vocals, piano Machiya (町屋) - guitar, vocals Beni Ninagawa (蜷川べに) - 津軽三味線tsugaru shamisen※ Kiyoshi Ibukuro (いぶくろ聖志) - 琴koto※ Asa (亜沙) - bass Daisuke Kaminaga (神永大輔) - 尺八shakuhachi※ Wasabi (山葵) - drums Kurona (黒流) - 和太鼓wadaiko※ ※ The wagakki is traditional Japanese musical instruments 鈴華ゆう子 Yuko Suzuhana (vorcal) is a 師範 Shihan＝Qualified instructor of 詩吟Shigin＝the recitation of the poem (a traditional Japanese performing art), and her singing is based on the vocal method of Shigin. Additionally, she has also studied 剣詩舞 (Kenshibu＝Dance with a sword & fan to 詩吟Shigin) since she was a child. She also studied piano at the Tokyo College of Music, and is a very experienced and talented songwriter. Beni Ninagawa (蜷川べに) - 津軽三味線tsugaru shamisen＝The shamisen is a three-stringed Japanese instrument played by striking the strings with a plectrum, known as 撥bachi. Tsugaru-shamisen refers to both the Japanese genre of shamisen music originating from Tsugaru Peninsula in present-day Aomori Prefecture and the instrument it is performed with. Tsugaru-shamisen is characterized by fast and furious playing, which sets it apart from the usual traditional shamisen music, but it also goes well with rock and metal music, so it is not uncommon for Tsugaru-shamisen to perform and compete with those fields. The koto is known as “Japanese harp”, traditional Japanese stringed instrument similar to a zither. The shakuhachi is a traditional Japanese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo. The wadaiko is Japanese drum.
Check out the Food Scene, way way way better than Japanese food can be produced outside of Japan no matter how hard the good people work. Fresh Ingredients in Japan???
Wagkki Band gives you an experience. Yuko has had to issue a statement due to rumors that they are breaking up. We are not breaking up, we are just taking a break after 10 on the road. We want to come back with more good music for the fans. In the meantime, we will concentrate on our own careers.
@@lovebitesbrasilfans Are you thinking about what happened more than two years ago?... So I think everything is fine now. She is releasing a new album with Hanafugetsu these days. Also, she is releasing a DVD from her Rockin' Birthday last summer
@@DrAcula-os1nz I'm waiting to get that DVD right now. The clips I have seen are just wondrous. And I'm very glad to hear there will be more Hanafugetsu !!!!!! Yuko, Kiyoshi and Daisuke are just magic.
Japan is like a World Class Amusement Park but especially when talking Art and Music. Wagakki Band is Modern Traditional Japanese Awesomeness that is Highly Progressive in Every Regard.
Please check out the Food Scene? People should especially watch Japan food videos before vacationing there. So many different dishes that most Westerners haven't even heard of. Lots of Europeans say Japan is the #1 dream destination, they love anime 🤗🤗🤗
Yes. Yuko Suzuhana is a Japanese singer, Shigin master (vocal), Kenshibu master (sword dance), composer, pianist, radio presenter, and cultural ambassador best known as the leader of Wagakki Band.
Welcome to the Wagakki Band, I think these guys are amazing. Really hoping that they will visit the UK sometime in the future as I would love to see them live. I don't know what it is going on in Japan but I hope they keep on doing it 😃
@@lovebitesbrasilfans The band's vocalist has repeatedly assured fans that WagakkiBand is merely on hiatus, not disbanded. While the members are currently pursuing individual projects, the vocalist, shakuhachi player, and koto player have reunited in their pre-WagakkiBand project, Hanafugetsu. This clearly indicates that the members remain connected and supportive of each other, even during WagakkiBand's break.
The "Wagakki Band" plays many different styles of music ! Stick with this band they are really amazing and shine performing live like most of the other Japan Bands ! Thanks Y'all Great Reaction =)
Well you've now covered my three favourite acts ever, Band Maid, Shiina Ringo and Tokyo Jihen, and Wagakki Band. This was actually two songs, Homura was an instrumental piece that guitarist Machiya brought with him into the band he wears a mask for those pieces. Akatsuki no Ito is an original Wagakki Band song with a short shigin poem at the beginning, this has become their encore song with the audience singing it to bring them back on stage. Yuko Suzuhana the founding member and singer has a wonderful voice that she can put anywhere she damn well likes seemingly without effort or the need to breathe. Try Hangeki no Yaiba from the Dai Shinnenkai 2018 concert or Kyoukasuigetsu + Tsukini Sakebuyoru for the full flavour and spectacle of this band.
That was one of the most amazing things I had ever witnessed at a concert. The entire crowd singing for the encore. I didn't know most of the words but I hummed as best as I could just to be a part of the spectacle. Amazing band live, I hope their hiatus will not be too long.
I'm a fan of BAND-MAID, but I also love Wagakki Band. Although both of them have advanced performance techniques, they are not self-centered and put their first priority on entertaining the audience. Also, both have a wide range of musicality that is not bound by genre. Next time, I recommend "hakusyu kassai" LIVE.
This is the first Japanese band I had ever heard. Probably about 4 years ago. I was mesmerized by the sounds, but I had discovered them through Amy Lee of Evanescence. She appears on a Wagakkiband track Sakura Rising. It popped up on my Spotify feed , and I was hooked and have fallen way down the Japanese pigeon hole, so now nobody can find me. Amy Lee and Wagakkiband do an awesome cover of Evanescence's Bring me to Life live which is definitely worth checking out.
Highly recommend 'Kyoka Suigetsu', which is a piece that show cases each member. You will hear the main singer - Yuko Suzuhana's amazing "normal" singing and her Shingen voice.
Hi Grin, if it is to hard to pronounce "Wagakki", you can recognize this word into 2 parts. "Wa (和)" = Japanese traditional stuff "Gakki (楽器)" = Music instruments I guess you have ever heard of "Wagyu" in some steak restaurants. "Gyu (牛)" = Beef "Wa-Gyu" = Japanese traditional Beef Hi Jimmy, Wagakki Band is playing in Japanese scale. It is a kind of pentaonic scale like C, D, E, G, A (Key=C). It is called "Wa-Onkai (和音階)" = Japanese traditional Scale. If you play these 5 notes randomly, you can feel Japanese taste. Band-Maid's "Secret My Lips" and "Gion-Cho" are also in this scale.
Thank you for reacting to Wagakki band. I love LOVEBITES and Wagakki Band. I enjoy watching your LOVEBITES reaction videos every time. Wagakki band has many good songs, but I love "Guernica" because it's heavy. ruclips.net/video/QnKTwuwe6E8/видео.html Wagakki Band - ゲルニカ (Guernica)
good choice for reaction. they all so awesome musicians. instantly became a fan of guitarist machiya. he plays a sago ( a visit on their channel is very rewarding) kotetsu with two frets more than a "normal" guitar.
I really cannot believe you've never reacted to Wagakki Band before, it's just astonishing. For the last 10 years or so they have been the only supergroup on the planet. I put them in the class of Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Moody Blues, Yes, Rush, Power Station, Blind Faith and any other you can think of. I discovered them in 2016 by accident. Someone posted the live music video of their song "Kishikaisei" on Facebook and I was stunned. I became a die-hard fan almost immediately. I had had experience with Japanese music going back to around 2000 after listening to Show-Ya, and then when I saw The 5.6.7.8's play in Kill Bill I was pretty much hooked. Wagakki Band was formed by the excellent and amazing vocalist Yuko Suzuhana. She wanted to get younger Japanese to appreciate traditional instruments, and what better way to do that than mix traditional with modern rock instruments. Yuko is also an expert in Shigin, a traditional form of song/poetry. She is an extremely talented piano and keyboard player as well as an expert in traditional dance, both Shi (fan) and Ken (sword). Her Mom is a very high rated music professor at the Tokyo School of Music, where Yuko also teaches Shigin. She started playing the piano at 3 and traditional singing and dance at 5. She was also one of the youngest ever to get full accreditation as an instructor in Shigin. She went to university with several of the members of the band. Kiyoshi Ikuburo (who is also Yuko's husband) plays the Koto, which is close to a zither as an instrument. Daisuke Kaminaga plays the Shakuhachi, a bamboo flute. Kurona plays the Wadaiko drums and the incomparable Beni Ninagawa plays the Tsugaru Shamisen. The modern part of the band consists of Shin Ohmura a/k/a Machiya at guitar, Asa at bass and Wasabi at drums. They are all tremendous artists in their in their own rights. Yuko, Machiya and Asa are all also composers and lyricists, and Machiya handles all of the arrangements for the band. Yuko has said she trusts him implicitly to do what he needs to do. Prior to joining WGB, Machiya always wore Noh (Japanese style opera and stage plays) masks on stage. You have just barely touched the surface with WGB and there is a LOT more for you to delve into. The sad part is that the band went on hiatus as of the end of 2024 to pursue some individual projects. Per Yuko Suzuhana, they will be back together in the future. Yuko has embarked on a solo career in the meantime. One thing I would say though, is that when reacting to WGB, stay away from their early music videos, which are really spectacular, because the record company at that time, Avex, will block every attempt. Their live performances are a different story and you shouldn't have any issues with them. To me Yuko Suzuhana is the best vocalist in music today, bar none. No one even comes close to her in overall talent. I know you will do a lot more research into WGB and you will be rewarded for your efforts. And Jimmy, Machiya designs his own guitars and I've counted that most of his electric guitars have 29 frets, which is definitely not the norm. There is so much music for you to delve into. I think reacting to any live version of the song "Senbonzakura" should be your next step, as it is their most popular song. The song is a Vocaloid composition written for the anime character Hatsune-Miku. WGB covered the song and it set YT on fire, with somewhere in the area of 30+ million views since 2015. I'm sure you will be getting a ton of recommendations for WGB. Like Band Maid, they don't a single mediocre track in their catalogue. They are also an act best served live.
Jimmy, one thing I think you and La Gringa should do is look at the entire concert of their "Live Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2" from 2020. They are backed up by a symphony orchestra, and Amy Lee makes an appearance to do a new and fantastic arrangement of "Being Me To Life" that is now my favorite version. There are 17 songs in the concert and there's a playlist of the videos on YT. Just put the title above ion the search box. Yuko puts on possibly the finest performance I've seen by a vocalist, her voice is just..............there are no words to fully describe her. And her performance as a frontwoman has no peer in today's music.
Quite an amazing fusion of traditional Japanese music with modern rock isn't it? Wagakki Band do a stunning orchestrally enhanced cover of Bring Me To Life by Evanescence. With Amy Lee! If it doesn't get blocked, please check it out when you get a chance. Cheers from Australia. 🇦🇺
“Wagakki” is Japanese for “traditional instruments” The band was founded by the shigin (classical poetry) singer, SUZUHANA Yuko, who is also a classically trained pianist. She developed the concept of fusing Japanese traditional instruments and musical tropes with modern western music. The full band consist of eight musicians, three on western instruments (bass, guitar, drums), four on Japanese instruments and Suzuhana-sama on vocals and sometimes piano. The sad thing is that after ten years of huge success they are hanging it up indefinitely after this year. Meanwhile they have a lot of material up on youtube and it’s all worth exploring. Some more background” The “lute” thing is a Shamisen. The “harp” thing is a Koto. The “flute thing” is a shakuhachi. The Japanese drums are collectively called “wadaiko”. Yes, you’ve heard these instruments a million times, in movie soundtracks, when they want to convey a Japanese atmosphere. Here is a video that really lets you see up close all the instruments and how they work together: ruclips.net/video/Q2meWkWqc-I/видео.html It was originally written for a “Vocaloid” which is an electronic virtual singer-essentially an AI. In Japan (where else?) vocaloids have actually become pop stars. What can I say? America may be the land of innovation for things like tech and social media, but in music no one here cares any more. Most of the creative action has moved to Europe and Japan.
Omura shin use a 29frets baritone guitar tune in B / E / A / D / F # / B with the Capotast in the 5 frets you have a classic 24 frets guitar tune in E.
Love this band but, sadly, after 10 years or so, they announced a few weeks ago that they'd moved on ("a temporary hiatus" as they called it) and Wagakki Band is no more. Wagakki=traditional (instruments). Gotta love the gorgeous Beni shredding on the tsugara shamisen! Great - and scary - mask on the guitarist. The incredible vocalist, Yuko, uses Shigin poetry in her lyrics and has won numerous awards for her vocals and poetry.
What took you so long guys ! 😉 Wagakki Band were ( until last month sadly ) one of the biggest bands in Japan . They consistently played to sold out crowds at some of Japan's biggest venues ( including the Budokan ) and were recognised as one of the world's leading " fusion " bands . It really is worth checking out more of their live stuff - it will open your eyes and ears to another world 🙏
plz.react to Wagakki Band - 千本桜 (Senbonzakura) with Amy Lee of EVANESCENCE / Premium ... ruclips.net/video/FFK4AK8pHj8/видео.htmlsi=qc-dpEFt-kwVm60F @RUclips
I think you might by now understand why people like me are so obsessed with the music coming out of Japan. No place else in the world is producing such a rich vein of unique, high quality music coupled with such brilliant visual spectacle currently. Japan is reaping the rewards of an education system that encourages musicianship and theatricality from an early age. The amount of talent in Japan is insane. Even their high school marching bands (see Kyoto Tachibana High School) are next level as you can see from the Pasadena Rose Parade. Whilst rock and metal sometimes appeared to be withering on the vine in the rest of the world it was still shining bright in the land of the rising sun.
A year ago, they announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus after 10 years. They recently said it was indeed a hiatus and they would eventually get back together. Most people think it's because the vocalist and Kyoto player have a toddler at home and wish to limit their extensive touring. I managed to attend their finale show in December. Lots of tears both in the crowd and on stage. As Richard said below, at their shows, the crowd sings in unison rather than cheer to ask for an encore. Some of the most beautiful experiences at a concert I've ever encountered.
And they have the most diverse crowd. Elementary school kids to aged grandma's.
和楽器Wagakki※ Band Members
Yuko Suzuhana (鈴華ゆう子) - vocals, piano
Machiya (町屋) - guitar, vocals
Beni Ninagawa (蜷川べに) - 津軽三味線tsugaru shamisen※
Kiyoshi Ibukuro (いぶくろ聖志) - 琴koto※
Asa (亜沙) - bass
Daisuke Kaminaga (神永大輔) - 尺八shakuhachi※
Wasabi (山葵) - drums
Kurona (黒流) - 和太鼓wadaiko※
※ The wagakki is traditional Japanese musical instruments
鈴華ゆう子 Yuko Suzuhana (vorcal) is a 師範 Shihan＝Qualified instructor of 詩吟Shigin＝the recitation of the poem (a traditional Japanese performing art), and her singing is based on the vocal method of Shigin. Additionally, she has also studied 剣詩舞 (Kenshibu＝Dance with a sword & fan to 詩吟Shigin) since she was a child. She also studied piano at the Tokyo College of Music, and is a very experienced and talented songwriter.
Beni Ninagawa (蜷川べに) - 津軽三味線tsugaru shamisen＝The shamisen is a three-stringed Japanese instrument played by striking the strings with a plectrum, known as 撥bachi. Tsugaru-shamisen refers to both the Japanese genre of shamisen music originating from Tsugaru Peninsula in present-day Aomori Prefecture and the instrument it is performed with.
Tsugaru-shamisen is characterized by fast and furious playing, which sets it apart from the usual traditional shamisen music, but it also goes well with rock and metal music, so it is not uncommon for Tsugaru-shamisen to perform and compete with those fields.
The koto is known as “Japanese harp”, traditional Japanese stringed instrument similar to a zither.
The shakuhachi is a traditional Japanese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo.
The wadaiko is Japanese drum.
Love Wagakki Band. Glad you guys get and embrace the Asian music scene, so much talent. Another top tier reaction. ❤
IMO Japan currently has the most innovative music scene in the world.
Check out the Food Scene, way way way better than Japanese food can be produced outside of Japan no matter how hard the good people work. Fresh Ingredients in Japan???
Beauty at its most divine, I think this is the best definition for Waggaki Band.
Wagkki Band gives you an experience.
Yuko has had to issue a statement due to rumors that they are breaking up. We are not breaking up, we are just taking a break after 10 on the road. We want to come back with more good music for the fans. In the meantime, we will concentrate on our own careers.
Yuko-san suffered very serious postpartum complications and this affected her health. Apparently, she spent 15 days in the ICU.....
@@lovebitesbrasilfans Are you thinking about what happened more than two years ago?... So I think everything is fine now.
She is releasing a new album with Hanafugetsu these days.
Also, she is releasing a DVD from her Rockin' Birthday last summer
@@DrAcula-os1nz I'm waiting to get that DVD right now. The clips I have seen are just wondrous. And I'm very glad to hear there will be more Hanafugetsu !!!!!! Yuko, Kiyoshi and Daisuke are just magic.
I can suggest you "Overture" with the big Orchestra, always live. Thank you!
This was engrossing, enthralling, mesmerizing. They have the best of both worlds. WAGAKKI BAND is the first grand surprise of the beginning year!
I recommend
Wagakki Band : "Hakushu Kassai-2018 Dai Shinnenkai".
Japan is like a World Class Amusement Park but especially when talking Art and Music. Wagakki Band is Modern Traditional Japanese Awesomeness that is Highly Progressive in Every Regard.
Please check out the Food Scene? People should especially watch Japan food videos before vacationing there. So many different dishes that most Westerners haven't even heard of. Lots of Europeans say Japan is the #1 dream destination, they love anime 🤗🤗🤗
I heard that the singer plays piano equal to Miyako of Lovebites? She also does sword dancing and has won awards for poetry reading competitions???
Yes. Yuko Suzuhana is a Japanese singer, Shigin master (vocal), Kenshibu master (sword dance), composer, pianist, radio presenter, and cultural ambassador best known as the leader of Wagakki Band.
Welcome to the Wagakki Band, I think these guys are amazing. Really hoping that they will visit the UK sometime in the future as I would love to see them live.
I don't know what it is going on in Japan but I hope they keep on doing it 😃
I'm sorry to inform you, but Wagakki Band is going to disband.....😩
@@lovebitesbrasilfans The band's vocalist has repeatedly assured fans that WagakkiBand is merely on hiatus, not disbanded. While the members are currently pursuing individual projects, the vocalist, shakuhachi player, and koto player have reunited in their pre-WagakkiBand project, Hanafugetsu. This clearly indicates that the members remain connected and supportive of each other, even during WagakkiBand's break.
It was great to see you enchanted by some Wagakki Band magic (just saw their 10th anniversary performance in Tokyo and it was stellar)
The "Wagakki Band" plays many different styles of music ! Stick with this band they are really amazing and shine performing live like most of the other Japan Bands ! Thanks Y'all Great Reaction =)
Well you've now covered my three favourite acts ever, Band Maid, Shiina Ringo and Tokyo Jihen, and Wagakki Band. This was actually two songs, Homura was an instrumental piece that guitarist Machiya brought with him into the band he wears a mask for those pieces. Akatsuki no Ito is an original Wagakki Band song with a short shigin poem at the beginning, this has become their encore song with the audience singing it to bring them back on stage. Yuko Suzuhana the founding member and singer has a wonderful voice that she can put anywhere she damn well likes seemingly without effort or the need to breathe.
Try Hangeki no Yaiba from the Dai Shinnenkai 2018 concert or Kyoukasuigetsu + Tsukini Sakebuyoru for the full flavour and spectacle of this band.
That was one of the most amazing things I had ever witnessed at a concert. The entire crowd singing for the encore. I didn't know most of the words but I hummed as best as I could just to be a part of the spectacle.
Amazing band live, I hope their hiatus will not be too long.
I'm a fan of BAND-MAID, but I also love Wagakki Band. Although both of them have advanced performance techniques, they are not self-centered and put their first priority on entertaining the audience. Also, both have a wide range of musicality that is not bound by genre. Next time, I recommend "hakusyu kassai" LIVE.
This is a great one to start with!!!!! Thank you for what you do!!!!!
I wonder if Amy Lee felt privileged to perform her song Bring me to Life with the Wagakki Band
I hope so. They are at another level.
@@hiawatha.g yeppers ]:)
This is the first Japanese band I had ever heard. Probably about 4 years ago. I was mesmerized by the sounds, but I had discovered them through Amy Lee of Evanescence. She appears on a Wagakkiband track Sakura Rising. It popped up on my Spotify feed , and I was hooked and have fallen way down the Japanese pigeon hole, so now nobody can find me. Amy Lee and Wagakkiband do an awesome cover of Evanescence's Bring me to Life live which is definitely worth checking out.
Highly recommend 'Kyoka Suigetsu', which is a piece that show cases each member. You will hear the main singer - Yuko Suzuhana's amazing "normal" singing and her Shingen voice.
Hi Grin, if it is to hard to pronounce "Wagakki", you can recognize this word into 2 parts.
"Wa (和)" = Japanese traditional stuff
"Gakki (楽器)" = Music instruments
I guess you have ever heard of "Wagyu" in some steak restaurants.
"Gyu (牛)" = Beef
"Wa-Gyu" = Japanese traditional Beef
Hi Jimmy, Wagakki Band is playing in Japanese scale. It is a kind of pentaonic scale like C, D, E, G, A (Key=C).
It is called "Wa-Onkai (和音階)" = Japanese traditional Scale.
If you play these 5 notes randomly, you can feel Japanese taste.
Band-Maid's "Secret My Lips" and "Gion-Cho" are also in this scale.
Such a great band. A fusion between now and then. There is nothing quite like them.
Another great reaction from you two😀👍
Ahhhh, was waiting for this reaction from you guys.
Thank you for reacting to Wagakki band.
I love LOVEBITES and Wagakki Band.
I enjoy watching your LOVEBITES reaction videos every time.
Wagakki band has many good songs, but I love "Guernica" because it's heavy.
ruclips.net/video/QnKTwuwe6E8/видео.html Wagakki Band - ゲルニカ (Guernica)
TJimmy think about setting up the sound for this concert. The guitarist manages the sound setup.
good choice for reaction. they all so awesome musicians. instantly became a fan of guitarist machiya. he plays a sago ( a visit on their channel is very rewarding) kotetsu with two frets more than a "normal" guitar.
vocal の方と箏(japanese harp) の方は、今、夫婦です。
The vocalist & harp player are married couple.
I really cannot believe you've never reacted to Wagakki Band before, it's just astonishing. For the last 10 years or so they have been the only supergroup on the planet. I put them in the class of Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Moody Blues, Yes, Rush, Power Station, Blind Faith and any other you can think of. I discovered them in 2016 by accident. Someone posted the live music video of their song "Kishikaisei" on Facebook and I was stunned. I became a die-hard fan almost immediately. I had had experience with Japanese music going back to around 2000 after listening to Show-Ya, and then when I saw The 5.6.7.8's play in Kill Bill I was pretty much hooked.
Wagakki Band was formed by the excellent and amazing vocalist Yuko Suzuhana. She wanted to get younger Japanese to appreciate traditional instruments, and what better way to do that than mix traditional with modern rock instruments. Yuko is also an expert in Shigin, a traditional form of song/poetry. She is an extremely talented piano and keyboard player as well as an expert in traditional dance, both Shi (fan) and Ken (sword). Her Mom is a very high rated music professor at the Tokyo School of Music, where Yuko also teaches Shigin. She started playing the piano at 3 and traditional singing and dance at 5. She was also one of the youngest ever to get full accreditation as an instructor in Shigin.
She went to university with several of the members of the band. Kiyoshi Ikuburo (who is also Yuko's husband) plays the Koto, which is close to a zither as an instrument. Daisuke Kaminaga plays the Shakuhachi, a bamboo flute. Kurona plays the Wadaiko drums and the incomparable Beni Ninagawa plays the Tsugaru Shamisen. The modern part of the band consists of Shin Ohmura a/k/a Machiya at guitar, Asa at bass and Wasabi at drums. They are all tremendous artists in their in their own rights. Yuko, Machiya and Asa are all also composers and lyricists, and Machiya handles all of the arrangements for the band. Yuko has said she trusts him implicitly to do what he needs to do. Prior to joining WGB, Machiya always wore Noh (Japanese style opera and stage plays) masks on stage.
You have just barely touched the surface with WGB and there is a LOT more for you to delve into. The sad part is that the band went on hiatus as of the end of 2024 to pursue some individual projects. Per Yuko Suzuhana, they will be back together in the future. Yuko has embarked on a solo career in the meantime. One thing I would say though, is that when reacting to WGB, stay away from their early music videos, which are really spectacular, because the record company at that time, Avex, will block every attempt. Their live performances are a different story and you shouldn't have any issues with them. To me Yuko Suzuhana is the best vocalist in music today, bar none. No one even comes close to her in overall talent. I know you will do a lot more research into WGB and you will be rewarded for your efforts. And Jimmy, Machiya designs his own guitars and I've counted that most of his electric guitars have 29 frets, which is definitely not the norm. There is so much music for you to delve into. I think reacting to any live version of the song "Senbonzakura" should be your next step, as it is their most popular song. The song is a Vocaloid composition written for the anime character Hatsune-Miku. WGB covered the song and it set YT on fire, with somewhere in the area of 30+ million views since 2015. I'm sure you will be getting a ton of recommendations for WGB. Like Band Maid, they don't a single mediocre track in their catalogue. They are also an act best served live.
Jimmy, one thing I think you and La Gringa should do is look at the entire concert of their "Live Premium Symphonic Night Vol. 2" from 2020. They are backed up by a symphony orchestra, and Amy Lee makes an appearance to do a new and fantastic arrangement of "Being Me To Life" that is now my favorite version. There are 17 songs in the concert and there's a playlist of the videos on YT. Just put the title above ion the search box. Yuko puts on possibly the finest performance I've seen by a vocalist, her voice is just..............there are no words to fully describe her. And her performance as a frontwoman has no peer in today's music.
Quite an amazing fusion of traditional Japanese music with modern rock isn't it?
Wagakki Band do a stunning orchestrally enhanced cover of Bring Me To Life by Evanescence.
With Amy Lee!
If it doesn't get blocked, please check it out when you get a chance. Cheers from Australia. 🇦🇺
“Wagakki” is Japanese for “traditional instruments”
The band was founded by the shigin (classical poetry) singer, SUZUHANA Yuko, who is also a classically trained pianist. She developed the concept of fusing Japanese traditional instruments and musical tropes with modern western music. The full band consist of eight musicians, three on western instruments (bass, guitar, drums), four on Japanese instruments and Suzuhana-sama on vocals and sometimes piano.
The sad thing is that after ten years of huge success they are hanging it up indefinitely after this year. Meanwhile they have a lot of material up on youtube and it’s all worth exploring. Some more background”
The “lute” thing is a Shamisen.
The “harp” thing is a Koto.
The “flute thing” is a shakuhachi.
The Japanese drums are collectively called “wadaiko”.
Yes, you’ve heard these instruments a million times, in movie soundtracks, when they want to convey a Japanese atmosphere. Here is a video that really lets you see up close all the instruments and how they work together: ruclips.net/video/Q2meWkWqc-I/видео.html It was originally written for a “Vocaloid” which is an electronic virtual singer-essentially an AI. In Japan (where else?) vocaloids have actually become pop stars.
What can I say? America may be the land of innovation for things like tech and social media, but in music no one here cares any more. Most of the creative action has moved to Europe and Japan.
They, in the past, they toured the US and there are wonderful interviews videos on YT.
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Omura shin use a 29frets baritone guitar tune in B / E / A / D / F # / B with the Capotast in the 5 frets you have a classic 24 frets guitar tune in E.
Love this band but, sadly, after 10 years or so, they announced a few weeks ago that they'd moved on ("a temporary hiatus" as they called it) and Wagakki Band is no more. Wagakki=traditional (instruments). Gotta love the gorgeous Beni shredding on the tsugara shamisen! Great - and scary - mask on the guitarist. The incredible vocalist, Yuko, uses Shigin poetry in her lyrics and has won numerous awards for her vocals and poetry.
What took you so long guys ! 😉
Wagakki Band were ( until last month sadly ) one of the biggest bands in Japan . They consistently played to sold out crowds at some of Japan's biggest venues ( including the Budokan ) and were recognised as one of the world's leading " fusion " bands .
It really is worth checking out more of their live stuff - it will open your eyes and ears to another world 🙏
The guitar you liked so much with the cherry blossom pattern is unusual in another way as it's a Baritone guitar.... not something you see every day.
Recommended song. → 和楽器バンド / Bring Me To Life with Amy Lee of EVANESCENCE ruclips.net/video/hk1GtYK7BJM/видео.html
...and then Beni steps up with her tsugaru shamisen and all hell breaks loose.
plz.react to Wagakki Band - 千本桜 (Senbonzakura) with Amy Lee of EVANESCENCE / Premium ... ruclips.net/video/FFK4AK8pHj8/видео.htmlsi=qc-dpEFt-kwVm60F @RUclips
The Japanese music scene is just better these days. Beni Ninagawa on the Shamisen is brilliant. Leave it to the Japanese to shred on one.
I think this band broke up.
React Senbonzakura ,please