My first Taiko drumming experience was in the 1990’s in Melbourne with a free lunch-time show at the Melbourne Central shopping centre. At the time, the building was home to the amazing Japanese Daimaru department store.
More recently the “Akira” album by Melbourne-based band, Black Cab featured Taiko master, Toshi Sakamoto. Black Cab even played at GoMA in 2017 with two Taiko drummers in tow.
Accordingly, catching the train to Cleveland en route to Redland Performing Arts Centre, I was full of anticipation for some serious tub-thumping action. When it comes to sound production, I love a big bottom and Yamato’s drummers definitely delivered on this score. With drumsticks up to the size of baseball bats, they belted out some seriously complex rhythmic patterns with amazing syncopation. Their use of a wide variety of percussion, including drums of various sizes and shapes, bells and cymbals provided great sonic contrast and dynamic impact over a thumping pulse.
Of course, it wasn’t all about the percussion. At one point, four of the performers appeared playing Shamisen [a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument, played with a plectrum called a bachi] – step aside, Baby Metal. The show also featured Flute as well as lots of chanting and singing.
The show incorporated lots of opportunities for audience engagement with frequent humour, mime, frenetic dancing, drama and spectacularly athletic acrobatics. All seven performers made a conscience effort to capture and maintain the attention of their audience – a full house of families and many people of a certain age – who were frequently spellbound and enthralled by their dynamic performance and slapstick antics.
The only way that the Yamato performance could have been more interesting and exciting would be if they also incorporated pyrotechnics – next time for sure.
To the Yamato crew, I say “domo arigato”.
Words and Images by Mark Louttit