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 Alicia Saldenha  Rachael Sage  Karlex |
The music scene here has evolved over the last 20 years into a scene where moving on to "the next level" requires the assistance of a major company or sponsor. The reason for this is due to the popularity of pay to play performances where artists are more than happy to pay 15,000yen (US $150) to play to people that they invite to come out to shows. This system is sustained by artists who have regular jobs and only play a few times a month. Since their financial resources are not devoted to recording, touring and marketing their music, the only chance to get out of this system is to receive help from a sponsor that can support and expose them to the larger market. However, not all venues are pay to play. Most venues fall into one of these categories: clubs(called "live houses"), dance clubs, concert halls, churches, cafes/bars, summer events and hotels. Live Houses Clubs always have amps, drums and basic backline available. Artists usually perform on a pay to play basis (buy 10-15 tickets from the club and then try to recoup by selling them), or get a percentage of the door sales. Touring acts are often allowed to play for exposure at no charge & make money by name recogntion or from merchandise sales. Depending on the genre an artist may be able to get a guarantee, but the bottom line for club managers is, "How many people can an artist bring in?" Most venues can also be rented out for parties or events. Concerts Big name artists and gospel groups usually perform at churches, big clubs, concert halls and auditoriums. Gospel is popular here with singers doing workshops and church performances year round. However, unlike most western countries that have smaller bands opening
for bigger name acts, venues and promoters in Cafes/Bars Jazz, gospel, blues and R&B artists have a good chance to make money by playing cafes or small venues of 50 people or less. These places usually don't operate on a pay to play system and offer the artist a flat percentage of the door. Summer Events Festivals, beach parties, etc. are usually organized at least 3 - 6 months in advance and usually require contacts with agents city organizations or promotional companies. Music Conferences & Festivals Music conferences are still very much unknown, but Kansai Music Conference is the best example of a western style international music conference in Japan, covering most of the basic musical genres. Many other music festivals happen year round, generally covering rock, jazz and acoustic styles. Hotels Artists that perform R&B, gospel, and jazz, often find good work at hotels, wedding ceremonies and theme parks. However, these artists almost always reside in Japan and have a contract with an agency. It's fairly difficult for anyone who is not residing in a specific area to get these type of gigs. Restaurants Some bigger name restaurants have periodic events featuring jazz or acoustic artists. Quite often the audiences for these live shows want to hear standards, oldies or cover tunes done by western singers and musicians. These types of gigs are simple and pay well, but usually require a contract with a company based in Japan. This is a just quick view of the scene and by no means an absolute explanation. Please contact us if you have comments or questions about performing in Japan. |
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