X JAPAN:
“FIRST LOOK” FROM NEW MUSIC DOCUMENTARY FILM
‘WE ARE X’
DEBUTS ON HOLLYWOOD REPORTER (here) AND BILLBOARD (here)
WORLD PREMIERE OF ‘WE ARE X’
SET FOR SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL TOMORROW, SATURDAY, JANUARY 23
As X JAPAN prepare for the world premiere of ‘WE ARE X’–the new documentary film from Passion Pictures–at the Sundance Film Festival, an exclusive “First Look” clip from the film can be seen today (Friday, January 22) on Hollywood Reporter (here) and Billboard.com (here). ‘WE ARE X’ explores the evolution, groundbreaking history and hopeful future of the land of the rising sun’s most legendary rock group. X JAPAN have sold 30 million singles and albums combined and continue to tour the world performing sold-out shows to massive arenas in 16 countries throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Today, Friday, January 22 at 9pm, YOSHIKI–songwriter, drummer, classically-trained pianist and the creative force of X JAPAN–will perform live with a string quartet for the first-ever Sundance Festival Base Camp party, presented by Canada Goose. YOSHIKI will headline the Festival Base Camp, a new outdoor venue located at Swede Alley, behind Main Street. Other artists confirmed to perform include Dan Deacon, Flying Lotus and Neon Indian.
Saturday, January 23 will markthe world premiere of ‘WE ARE X’ in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at Prospector Square Theater in Park City at 2:30pm. YOSHIKI and the film team will be on hand for the red carpet at 2:00pm and a Q&A after the premiere. ‘WE ARE X‘ was created by the production team behind the Academy Award- winning film Searching For Sugarman: producer John Battsek (Passion Pictures), alongside renowned director Stephen Kijak (Stones In Exile and Scott Walker: 30 Century Man (executive produced by David Bowie). From X JAPAN’s massive success (over 30 million albums, singles and videos sold) and sold-out tours worldwide, ‘WE ARE X’ chronicles the triumphs and tragedies of this legendary quintet who will never give up. On Sunday, January 24, YOSHIKI will perform live at the ASCAP CAFÉ at Sundance at 4:00pm. For the full Sundance 2016 schedule for performances and screenings of ‘WE ARE X,’ see the grid below.
Japan’s most iconic rock band, X JAPAN initially split up in 1997 after playing their fifth New Year’s Eve show at the 55,000-capacity Tokyo Dome;theyhave now sold out the Tokyo Dome a record 18 times. The group reformed in 2007 and have released three singles: “I.V.” in 2008, “Jade” in 2011 and “Born To Be Free” in late 2015. They’ve been touring worldwide ever since and in October 2014, the group performed their debut Madison Square Garden show in New York before announcing the new album and ‘WE ARE X’ film releases slated for 2016.
X JAPAN—YOSHIKI (drums/piano/composer), TOSHI (vocals), PATA (guitar), HEATH (bass), SUGIZO (violin/guitar) alongside their fallen brothers HIDE (guitars, 1987-1997) and TAIJI (1986-1992)–are currently laying down tracks in a Los Angeles studio for their as-yet-untitled album, which is due for a worldwide release late 2016.
“Your average Westerner couldn’t name one song, yet they’ve sold 30 million albums, spawned their own subculture and fill the world’s most iconic arenas. Meet X JAPAN: rock’s biggest cult band.”
—CLASSIC ROCK (U.K., November 2015)
“They have collapsed and been revived, with varying lineups, countless times. In many ways, their unkillable spirit has been the source of their mythological reputation and power. They are rock’s most flamboyant survivors.
—ROLLING STONE (October 2014)
Catch YOSHIKI of X JAPAN’s performances and the ‘WE ARE X’ screenings at Sundance 2016:
| DATE | LOCATION | VENUE | TIME | |
| YOSHIKI Performance at Sundance Festival Base Camp | ||||
| FRI | 1/22 | Sundance-Park City, UT | Outdoor Venue (Swede Alley, behind Main Street) | 9:00PM |
| ‘WE ARE X’ World Premiere | ||||
| SAT | 1/23 | Sundance-Park City, UT | Prospector Square Theatre | 2:30PM |
| ‘WE ARE X’ Press and Industry Screening | ||||
| SUN | 1/24 | Sundance-Park City, UT | Holiday Village Cinema 2 | 9:00AM |
| YOSHIKI Performance | ||||
| SUN | 1/24 | Sundance-Park City, UT | ASCAP CAFÉ (Rich Haines Gallery) | 4:00 PM |
| ‘WE ARE X’ Public Screenings | ||||
| SUN | 1/24 | Salt Lake City, UT | Tower Theatre | 6:00PM |
| TUE | 1/26 | Sundance-Park City, UT | Redstone Cinema | 10:00PM |
| THUR | 1/28 | Sundance-Park City, UT | Yarrow Hotel Theatre | 9:00AM |
| FRI | 1/29 | Sundance-Park City, UT | Holiday Village Cinema 2 | 9:15PM |
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Listen, watch and share the “Born To Be Free” video, streaming here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zggyy_qxbrY.
Watch X JAPAN in concert here: https://www.youtube.com/user/XJAPANpodcast.
About X JAPAN:
X Japan is the most successful rock band in Japanese history, and that is not a statement made lightly. The band has sold more than 30 million albums; singles and videos combined, sold out Japan’s 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome 18 times – so far – and have played to tens of thousands of fans outside of Japan. In the band’s early days their look and sound sparked a global interest in entertainment, especially with the Japanese cultural rock phenomenon, “Visual-Kei,” a movement X Japan pioneered that spread globally.
X Japan formed in 1982 (calling themselves X) by Yoshiki and Toshi while they were still teenagers. Over the next 13 years, the band released five studio albums–Vanishing Vision (1988), Blue Blood (1989), Jealousy (1991), Art of Life (1993) and Dahlia (1996), as well as six live albums, ten best hits albums and 20 DVD releases. X Japan was the first Japanese band to achieve mainstream success while signed to an independent label. The band was so popular they became a cultural phenomenon.
In the fall of 1997, at the height of their success, the band broke up. Four months later, Hide, X Japan’s original lead guitarist, was found dead in his Tokyo apartment. At his funeral, more than 50,000 fans came to mourn his passing. In early 2007 Yoshiki and Toshi resumed communication and later that year X Japan officially reformed. The band launched its reunion in 2008 with 3 nights at the Tokyo Dome. 2 years later, X Japan filmed a music video on the rooftop of Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre with a throng of some 8,000 U.S. fans taking part in the shoot on Hollywood Blvd. But it was on August 8, 2010 that X Japan performed in front of a mainstream American crowd for the first time at Lollapalooza. Immediately following the festival, X Japan played the biggest concert in its history, selling out two consecutive shows at Japan’s Nissan Stadium, filling 140,000 seats. The band’s first North American tour wrapped with a monumental New York date selling out The Roseland Ballroom on Oct. 11, 2010.
In June 2011, X Japan kicked off a European Tour at London’s Shepherd’s Bush (selling -out the venue in 30 minutes). The tour continued to Paris and Utrecht wrapping in Berlin before the band traveled back to Japan to play the famed Summer Sonic Festival. That same year the world tour took them to South America where they sold out shows playing to massive crowds in Santiago, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Lima and Mexico City. X Japan then returned to Asia playing arena shows in Seoul, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei and Bangkok. In 2012 X Japan was the first Japanese band to take home the prize for “Best International Band” at the Golden Gods Awards held in the U.S.
In 2014 X Japan headlined a colossal show at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden in the U.S. Now, in 2016, X Japan is gearing up for the biggest event in the band’s history. The current line-up of X Japan is Yoshiki/drums, piano; Toshi/vocals; Pata/guitars; Heath/bass; and Sugizo/guitars,violin. X Japan recently announced the release of the band’s 1st new studio album in 20 years, which will be available in worldwide release late 2016.
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