Armed with accolades from Spin, PRI’s “The World,†Nylon and more, acclaimed Japanese multi-instrumentalist Shugo Tokumaru will join The Magnetic Fields for a handful of unforgettable performances this October. Shugo will showcase songs from his recent highly lauded release Exit (Almost Gold), on shelves now as his first album widely available in the US.
Shugo will make his first US performance this Saturday, September 13th at The Wire’s Adventures in Modern Music festival in Chicago. Soon after, he will perform in a special collaboration with Jon Natchez and Perrin Cloutier of Beirut, Bang on a Can’s Lawson White of So Percussion and recent addition Bryan Devendorf of The National in New York City before jaunting to Los Angeles for a performance with Beach House at the end of the month.
Don’t miss out:
9/13/08   Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (The Wire’s Adventures in Modern Music)
9/23/08Â Â New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (with special guests)
9/30/08Â Â Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland (with Beach House)
10/03/08 Montreal, QC @ Pop Montreal
Shugo with The Magnetic Fields:
10/23/08 Jersey City, NJ @ Loew’s Jersey Theatre
10/24/08Â Columbus, OH @ The Southern Theater
10/25/08Â Philadelphia, PA @ The Merrian Theater
10/26/08Â Washington DC @ Lisner Auditorium at George Washington U.
“Treating his Mac like a sonic sandbox, this Tokyo-raised studio maestro conjures a childlike wonderland, flaunting classic-grade pop tunes that incorporate more than 50 (!) instruments, most of which he plays himself. Chances are you haven’t heard anything like it since your last kindergarten jam. 4 stars.†– Spin
“Shugo Tokumaru, one of our favorite Japanese pop noise-makers, demonstrates (rapidly plucked acoustic guitars, xylophone-like chimes, and clattering rhythms) work on the fluttering bluegrass-meets-Tropicália of ‘Parachute’, the single from the newest album Exit…a whimsical, breezy tune that should have you tasting the rainbow.†– Pitchfork