The Spirit of Tokyo Star

Looking back at the photos we've captured at Tokyo Star this year, a warm glowy feeling comes over us. We remember all the fun times, all the drunk times and all the parties which rocked the night away. We've seen some crazy moments at ol' Tokyo this year, and next year promises to bring many more moments equally as crazy and captivating.

2008 is just around the corner and we're looking forward to the endless oppurtunities it brings as well as the chance to meet new people, throw even bigger parties and drink more Tokyo slush! There's no party like a Tokyo party after all...

And what is it that makes Tokyo Star so unique, friendly and party-worthy? In the words of one of our fave DJs, Tomcat, "It's like being in an episode of Cheers everytime I walk through the door." Everyone knows your name!
You can't beat that kind of feeling...

But before we take the leap towards 2008, a moment must be taken to remember 2007. Here goes: Renovations launched a whole new Tokyo, introducing us to the possibility of bigger dancefloors, bigger crowds and some far-reaching DJs. Imports from Cape Town have seen the likes of Sibot and Fletcher brought to our Joburg decks. Keeping it local however we haven't forgotten any of our faves who keep us dancing day in and day out. A shout out must go to all our resident DJs (especially those who've taken the time to fill out our questionaires). Lets hear it for Richard the Third, Tomcat, Datakashi, Darkwing, Sassquatch, DJ Ill Type, Fokolnonsens, Klassikist, Dirty Tricks and our Wednesday faves, the Reflew Crew.

And our 90s parties have kept everyone reminiscing about the good old days, and dancing all those horrible memories away...!

We can't however mention DJs and not have a moment to remember two Fridays ago when a wind blew in from the North carrying the DJ who is Krafty Kuts. A Tokyo birthday was never experienced in such a beautiful and mind-blowing way as it was that night. A very happy birthday for Tokyo indeed!

The renovations at Tokyo also made space for a whole new bunch of friends. Old regulars keep coming back for more, while a whole new breed of newbies keep visiting us eager for Tokyo slush, rocking underground music and an all round party! The new bar behind the dancefloor encourages all this and has produced an increased need for lovely bar-ladies, something which this year has taken to the max. A whole bundle of gorgeous girls keep the booze flowing and the good times going!

But with the Tokyo bloggers heading off to the beach (finally!), don't think we're abandoning you (or atleast we're not yet). Tokyo Star will be staying open until the 22nd this year to keep all those who can't quite make it to the coast happy with festive cheer! We open again on the 9th of January, and you can expect a welcome back party above and beyond any New Year party you may have witnessed!

So to all the readers of our little blog, we'll be back before you know it, and in the meantime have a rad holiday (wherever it may be!) and don't forget to pop by before we close, and definitely come back next year to say hi...

Happy holidays!

A few more features before we head off to the beach. Check out Greenhouseffect's interview, and vote in all our new 2008 style polls!

Quickfire Q's
Fave Toothpaste
Mark: Aquafresh
Jamie: don't brush
Brent: I try brush my teeth as often as possible
Ian: extreme fresh whitening happy fun show paste

Fave Cartoon Character
Mark: Calvin & hobbes
Jamie: darkwing duck (that guy rocks...hehehe)
Brent: Homer simpson (has to be)
Ian: marvin the martrian... best villian ever or stewie from family guy

Fave international act
Mark: RHCP
Jamie: Tom Waits
Brent: Legal Carriage of Marijuana Act, just kidding, shit I cant say I have seen many international acts live, but I would give my left ball to see J5 live or maybe System of a Down
Ian: jack? and the travelling bolshoi theatre

Fave dinosaur
Mark: Velocoraptor
Jamie: The ever elusive Clitaurus
Brent: Doyouthinkhesaurus
Ian: dino (from mario bros)

Fave local act
Mark: the Privates
Jamie: Privates, Smoots
Brent: Real Estate Agents, Privates, Obita
Ian: smoots

Fave boardgame
Mark: monopoly
Jamie: Bored of games
Brent: Cranium, Weakest Link (only if I can be Fiona)
Ian: 30 seconds... card games? poker...

Fave drinking game
Mark: coinage
Jamie: Fuck the Bus
Brent: Drink, Drink, Fall Down Game
Ian: when i grow up ill tell u... still havent had a drink b4

Intense Intimidating Questionaire
How did you lovely men meet?
Mark: I met brent through dom as they studied at the same IT college and i met jamie through brent at somebodys else boozing it up...as usual. I met ian also through Dom and some of his friends.
Jamie: In the lesotho highlands herding goats
Brent: I remember the day as if it was yesterday, the warm summer breeze on my neck, the sound of children laughing in the distance and the stench of three week old beer stains and putrified foam sound proofing, scorched yellow with cigarette and marijuana smoke... aaah those were the days.
Ian: cant remember... there was weed involved

What do you love most about Tokyo Star?
Mark: The staff who work there :)
Jamie: The fact that i can spend minimal money, wear no shoes, listen to cool music, hang with my friends and behave like an absolute baboon.
Brent: SLUSH!!! and the creepy peeps that live under Tokyo Star, which you let loose mainly on Thursday Nights. They are frighteningly entertaining. And of course you can always be certain to know at least half the people there.
Ian: slush! and all u buggers!

What’s playing in your car?
Mark: Citizen Cope
Jamie: The sound of my dodgy front right tire and rattling brakes
Brent: Mr Meen's Hip Hop Renaissance Compilation
Ian: the normal stuff, rhianna, pussycat dolls, oh and the gayest of them all nickelback

What did you set out to achieve with Greenhouseffect?
Mark: To make some really cool and original music the different way...and have plenty of fun.
Jamie: World domination through free love. (fuckin hippy)
Brent: Bring about change in peoples minds of what a band has to conform to. Which in essence is that bands shouldnt conform at all, just play music from your heart.

Tell us the craziest thing that ever happened with a groupie of yours?
Mark: unfortunately i'm a married man and have been all through band, no groupie stories here..ask james and ian!!
Jamie: Coming to the realisation of the true age of certain girls..mmm
Brent: Nothing happened I swear!
Ian: a normal lifestyle... didnt work out so well so... now world domination!

How long have you been coming to Tokyo? Tell us WHY?!
Mark: i have been going to tokyo since 2003...cause all my friends are there, plus the slush machine was a huge puller...and james and i used to do open mic nights and play there.
Jamie: Since the dawn of time... see question 2
Brent: Long enough to see it change managers about 4 times. I use to work there too. Brief but fun.
Ian: about three years, because i have a crush on mike the bouncer... he doesnt search me anymore, and that makes me sad!

Any upcoming gigs we should know about?
Mark: gig at Tempo's on the 7th, gig at tanz on the 12th
Jamie: Royal Albert Hall opening for U2 in January:)
Brent: I'm pretty sure there are, I'll need to check it out for myself actually.
Ian: lots a gigs... i only find out a couple hours b4 so i really couldnt tell u

Describe your music…
Mark: we don't succumb to a particular genre, but if u really need a description it could be seen as raw hiphop beats mixed with bluesy alternative indie rock.
Jamie: What mark said...(he's clever)
Brent: Pro-creative loop-hop-indie-rock-like-funko-electro-boogaloo-trance, pavement pounding ,slop bucket, arse breakfast, Baah! and you dead kind of music... oh yeah, with some scratching
Ian: nice music.

Getting to know us!

A quick mention must be made of the party which is happening at Carfax tonight. A lot of us Tokyo crew will be heading off in that direction for what promises

to be an evening to remember! We have been looking forward to showcasing some of our favourite musicians, including those that pluck strings, twiddle knobs and spin records. You can guarantee a hot night out with a wealth of choices to tingle any discerning eardrum! R70 is the entrance - that can hardly be called damage! Check it out:

Join us for a 1 of a kind evening, featuring 2 stages and 1 extra DJ dancefloor for good measure.

Electro Floor
Home Electric

5 Men 3 Missing

Unit R (C.T.)

Rock Floor

Batwings or Crablegs

Atilla and the Honeys

The Shadow Club

The Bang

The Privates

Greenhouseffect

Loaded Dancefloor (DJs)

Mankazam

King of Town

Richard tha IIIrd

See you there!

*******************************

It's that time again! We're getting to know some of our fave Tokyo people. So far we've chatted to bands and DJs, but now its time to get a little more personal - meet the Tokyo Star bar-ladies!

The Bar-Lady Questionaire
What’s your fave Tokyo drink?
Jo – Just add vodka
Kate – If it’s for free, it’s for me, I’ll take three!
Robyn – Jagerbombs all the way!
Gabi – Free soco shoots from our fave regular Keith!

What’s the lamest pick-up line you’ve ever heard at Tokyo?
Jo – “I have your name tattooed on my wrist” and then the idiot proceeds to show me his wrist where the words “Your name” have been written.
Kate – “I totally beat up the bouncers at TranceSky AND I make R1 million a month at the massage parlour I own.”
Robyn – “Like, how many times do you get hit on in a night..?”
Gabi – I asked one guy if he wanted a single or double in his drink and he replied, “I’m single, but I’ll have a double.”

What preparation do you do for an evening working at Tokyo?
Jo – I put on some funky badges cause they help make good tips.
Kate – I always practise the robot in the mirror and then try not to be sleeping when my shift starts!
Robyn – EAT!!
Gabi – Buy cigarettes cause the machine doesn’t sell my brand…

If you were an animal which one would you be, and why?
Jo – Monkey, cause I’m supple and flexible and imagine what I can do for the boy monkeys!
Kate – Moose, cause I’m as quiet as a mouse and like to sit in the fridge and eat chocolate mousse!
Robyn – Bunny, cause I like bouncing and the idea of floppy ears…
Gabi – Cat, cause I’m selective about being nice, affectionate and polite to customers (and it usually depends on how nice they are to me!)

What makes you YOU?
Jo – I’m cute and fun, always keen for a chat and love wearing funky clothes (and badges!)
Kate – I’m tall cause I was made on a long weekend…
Robyn – I’m a very social being, who loves the party!
Gabi –

What do you look for in a man?
Jo – Justin
Kate – Three M’s of manhood – mullet, moustache and a moonbag
Robyn – Anything but the creepy janitor type
Gabi – Too much…

I don’t leave the house without:
Jo – funky badges (donations welcome by the way!)
Kate – random gifts for all my lovely bar-lady friends..
Robyn – my camera
Gabi – clean underwear

What’s your fave thing about Tokyo Star?
Jo – Levi
Kate – Thursday nights
Robyn – slush
Gabi – good conversation (walking into Tokyo is like walking into an episode of Cheers!)

What would you bring back from the past?
Jo – high fives
Kate – silkworms in a shoebox
Robyn – imaginary friends (haha!)
Gabi – penguin biscuits (does anyone remember these?)

What’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you at Tokyo?
Jo, Kate, Robyn – One quiet Tuesday night a white guy came walking into Tokyo dressed as a Zulu warrior! He serenaded us with some traditional African songs before selling us his CD…What a night!
Gabi – A guy once started stripping to try raise some money to pay for his drinks!

What do you do when you’re not working?
Jo – sleep and exercise
Kate – teach nursery school
Robyn – sleep and eat (and sometimes go to varsity)
Gabi – come to Tokyo!

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Jo – archaeologist/Indiana Jones
Kate – pirate/work for Koo cause I can!
Robyn – be the boss of everyone – hehe!
Gabi – Oscar-winning actress

What’s the most pissy thing a customer can do?
Jo – Click or whistle at us to get our attention – we’re not dogs!
Kate – Have no manners!
Robyn – Be rude or reach over the bar to grab at us/the alcohol…
Gabi – Wink at us.

What’s the nicest thing a customer can do?

Jo, Kate, Robyn, Gabi – Have some manners (please say ‘please’!), give us nice tips (we’re providing you with a service!) and buy us the odd drink (it’ll get you quicker service too!).

Our day with Krafty Kuts...

Another week, another lifetime. And you certainly couldn't beat the weekend we've had! Friday was epic beyond all comparison and was kicked off with a very early morning trip to go fetch a certain Mr. Krafty Kuts from the airport! His 9am arrival was greeted by two very sleepy members of the Tokyo crew, who whisked him off through the rainy Joburg weather to an equally sleepy Melville guest house. Trust Joburg weather to be crap everytime you fetch a first time visitor to South Africa!

After a cup of coffee at the local Mugg 'n Bean we headed off to the Lion Park on the other side of Honeydew. You can't beat taking a tourist to play with lion cubs, and then drive through the lion enclosures in which full grown male lions rub up against your car! Priceless! And a little frightening (even for jaded South Africans!)

And the man himself? He loved every moment of it! And what a guy he is... The man is a legend, an institution, but in the same breath one of the most down-to-earth, humble and all round laid back people you ever wish to meet! He was happy to just sit and chat and share tales of his life. And what a life it sounds like: just last weekend he was playing in Canada and after visiting Bloemfontein, Durban and Cape Town, he's off to play in Miami! We can't wait for his next visit to SA, especially as we definitely feel we've made ourselves a new, awesome friend from Brighton, England!

But the day wasn't over yet, after some evening cat naps we headed off to Carfax to celebrate Tokyo Star's 5th Birthday in style! And with Krafty Kuts on the decks you really couldn't ask for more style! Its always so awesome to see the Carfax dancefloor as busy as it was, but it was just as satisfying to hear Krafty say he really enjoyed the vibe and had a really good night, this coming from a man who regularly plays to 10s of thousands of people...

What a killer night, not to be forgotten any time soon. Big ups to Krafty Kuts - good luck for the rest of your time in SA, and come back soon!

A mention of all the other acts which made Friday night so unforgettable must be made before we move on. The main floor was opened by Richard the Third, Push 'n Shove and the Real Estate Agents, while the Tokyo floor kept our regulars dancing with tunes from Tomkat, The Klassikist, Fokolnonsens and a guest appearance from the mercurial ADI Loveland. The courtyard was kept cooking by the Reflex Crew, Blunted Stuntman and Afro Whitie!

Speaking of Richard the Third, he is our official DJ of the week this week! Check out his interview:

Quickfire Boiling Pot
fave cartoon character:
Homestar Runner.

fave international act:
Of the ones I’ve seen, and want to see again, I would have to say To Rococo Rot.

fave dinosaur:
Diplodocus.

fave local act:
340 mil.

fave boardgame:
Star Wars Monopoly.

fave CD of all time:
Ahh, what a hard one. Umm, I’ll say the Doors, the Doors because it’s the first album I fell in love with and so I’ve loved it the longest.

fave drinking game:
The one where you go; ‘I went to the sexshop and I bought a porno movie’ and then the next person goes; ‘I went to the sexshop and I bought a porno movie and edible underwear’ and so on and eventually you can’t remember all the things and then you have to drink. Hmmm, I wonder if that was actually a drinking game…

Intense Intimidating Questionnaire:
1. when did you first realise you had a DJ living inside you?
I think it was when I attended the Red Bull Music Academy in 2004. They made me play music at these styling bars in Rome, despite the fact that I was just a music producer at the time, and it was so much fun that I decided to give it a go.But it could have been when I heard this voice in my head go; ‘I am a DJ living inside of you, if you do not let me take over your very being, I will drive you insane by playing an endless mix of Springbok cover hits’. And so I let it take over.

2. what do you love most about tokyo star?
The fact that if someone comes up to you and goes; ‘Can’t you play some R&B?’, you can say back to them; ‘No, get lost. This is one of the only venues in Joburg that plays alternative party music.’ and then just to scare them off even more, you play something really scary like Crystal Castles. Heh, heh.

3. what's playing in your car?
I’m listening to a pre-mastered copy of my own album that I’ve finished producing called, ‘Third World From the Sun’ cause as DJ Premier said, ‘You have to bump your beats in your ride before you know that they’re ready’, something like that.

4. what do you want to achieve with your music and DJ skills?
I want to make and release music as a music producer guy, but as a DJ I just want to rock the party with rad music that is both accessible but also interesting and fresh and sometimes just plain crazy. I also want to remix every artist that I like.

5. tell us the craziest thing that ever happened with a groupie of yours?
I got so drunk DJing at a Goldfish party one time that once my set was over I didn’t really know what was going on. Someone loved my set and invited me to go and snort cocaine with them (as people do). I stumbled outside to an isolated balcony section of the venue where people did blow regularly. The guy kept his coke in a small tin, and for not apparent reason I threw the tin off the balcony. Luckily he had already taken his drugs out, but needless to say that he wasn’t a Richard the Third fan after that. Oh and to all the kids; don’t do drugs, get high on life, etc.

6. who is Richard the Third?
Richard the Third is ‘a self-confessed musical schizo’ according to Unsound System. I agree.

7. how long have you been coming to tokyo? tell us WHY?!
Since it first opened I think. Because it felt like being in Cape Town but in Joburg. No seriously it was just what Joburg needed at the time. Cutting edge design, rad music, cool people. Essentially what Tokyo Star has always been :)

8. any upcoming events we should know about?
I got holiday gigs coming up, most notably Petting Zoo on the 7th of Dec, where I'm going head to head with Data Takashi, and the Electro vs Rock gig at Carfax on the 8th (I’m rooting for electro). If you down in Cape Town come and listen to me at the momentus Rollercoaster gig with such amazing bands as 340ml, Desmond and the Tutus and the Black Hotels, or at Long Street's hottest club, Fiction on the 22nd of Dec.

9. describe your style....
SL magazine described my style as ‘a gluttonous mix of pop and electronica’ which I think is pretty accurate. At Tokyo Star on a Friday I kick off with Hiptronica (think Sibot and the Real Estate Agents) and then move onto mid-tempo remixes of well know tunes such as my own remix of 340 ml (check out my Myspace profile) to hook people onto the floor and then pick up the energy with electro (think Tokyo Thursday). Later in the night I'm prone to playing old school soul and hip-hop cause thats what the crowd often wants. Wherever I play it’s a variation of this kind of music ;)

To hear Richard the Third’s own music, check out his gig-guide or tease and harass him go to his myspace profile at www.myspace.com/richardthaiiird

Installation Two of Videos of the Week

Ok, if you don't dig these, then there's probably something fundamentally wrong with you! This week we have the best and funniest MTV ad ever created - "Mother and Daughter"! And a massively cool video for an old classic, UNKLE's Reign. Daniel Askill directs an absolute stunner.
Check them out...

MTV - FATHER & DAUGHTER


UNKLE - REIGN


To all those who will be joining us this evening at Carfax, look forward to a rocker! We headed out (very early this morning) to the airport to pick up Krafty Kuts, and have spent the day with him. And yes, he is an absolutely awesome guy! We've shared some crazy laughs and crazier tales today. Stand by for some legend stories about the day, and some pics from the Lion Park which we visited with him this afternoon..

DJ Of The Week

This last weekend saw some drunken times which sky-rocketed off the scales. While some are still recovering from their three-day drinking binge, here's the low-down on what happened at Tokyo:

Thursday saw one hell of a break-up party with one of the busiest nights we've had in a while! From every side of the bar we could hear students celebrating the joy of their last exam. We could only join in on the party!

Friday night brought a bit of a quieter night (we suspect serious hangovers from Thursday) but the party didn't stop with Richard the Third and Fokolnonsins getting the dancefloor going.

And of course, Saturday brought around another successful 90s shindig! Darkwing kept the dancefloor jumping and singing along to the best of 90s cheese, while the bar kept the slush and shooters flowing to all those who were there to party!

But its not over yet, this week has just begun - scroll down to our calender to see what's happening at Tokyo! Most importantly don't forget this Friday when the Tokyo crew will be heading off to Carfax for our birthday! With international act Krafty Kuts hitting the decks, a Tokyo floor and cheaper tickets available from Tokyo for all the Tokyo Star Facebook members, its going to be a night to remember!

We're going to kick it all off with our first DJ of the Week section. With a landslide 40% of the votes we bring you Tomkat! Better known as Thomas, this DJ makes us proud with his ability to get a dancefloor pumping and his love of music, from the Foo Fighters to 340ml to U.N.K.L.E, this guy knows his stuff... Describing his style as a mix up of triphop, indie, funk, motown, retro and electro, he is all about keeping variety on the decks! Read on to find out more about the DJing muso that is Tomkat.

Quickfire Boiling Pot
Fave Toothpaste:
Colgate Whitening 'cause the ladies like to see a bright, toothy smile when they ask me to play a Killers track.

Fave Cartoon Character:
The Roadrunner 'cause he runs through life in a state of blissful ignorance...a bit like me.

Fave International Act:
It has to be the Foo Fighters! Nothing raises my blood pressure quite like Dave Grohl ripping through Everlong in front of a 75000watt speaker stack...f*ck yeah!!!

Fave Dinosaur:
The Raptor...sneaky, deadly and rather good to look at. If I was teleported back to the late Jurassic I'd like to tame one and bring it back as my body-guard...

Fave Local Act:
340ml. Without a doubt. These stylish cats know how to stand out of the crowd. I love their mix-up of funk, ska and dub...it gets me on the good foot everytime; Tiago for president!

Fave Boardgame:
Would have to be Balderdash. I'm a pretty good bullshitter!

Fave CD:
Psyence Fiction by U.N.K.L.E! This album blew my mind! You get the gritty Shadow production, the infectious Lavelle beats and a bucketload of New York shtick courtesy of Mr Mike D. The album has an edgy, atmospheric sound that enthralls the listener with varying degrees of light and shade. One minute you're exploring the desperate depths of isolation in "Lonely Soul," the next you're being blasted by a butane torch of agression in "Drums of Death." It's pure aural porn!

Fave Drinking Game:
Mmmm...must be Roxanne! I'm a big Police fan so getting drunk to Sting and boys is pretty cool!

Intense Intimidating Questionaire
When did you first realise you had a DJ living inside you?
When I got an el cheapo mixer from the hi-fi corp and starting mixing random stuff on two Sony Discmans. I wanted to learn more, so I scaled my dad's Technics turntable and taught myself how to beat-match cheesy house vinyls. The rest is history.

What do you love most about Tokyo?
It has to be the friendly staff! Man, I tell you, it's like being in an episode of Cheers everytime I walk through the door! I also dig the vibe, the tunes and the sexy bar ladies...

What’s playing in your car?
Thievery Corporation's "The Cosmic Game."

What do you want to achieve with your music and DJ skills?
I want to make people aware of music that isn't playing on the Top 40. I hate commercial radio-filler, so if I can get people boppin' to some olde school funk, motown or rock 'n' roll, it really makes my night!

Tell us the craziest thing that’s ever happened with a groupie of yours?
Mmmm...probably the time some girl gave me R100 and a Vodka Slush to play a Strokes track. I wish I could tell you more but I was in the zone and forgot to take her number...damn!

Who is Thomas the DJ?
From Monday to Friday Tom The DJ is a slave to the advertising industry. On weekends he likes to cut loose by mixing tunes, drinking beer and watching girls burn up the dancefloor. He also enjoys vintage jazz, Steve McQueen movies and strong cups of espresso coffee on Sunday afternoons.

How long have you been coming to Tokyo? Tell us WHY?!
Since 2003 because I heard it was where all the cool kids hung out.

Any upcoming events we should know about?
Not at the moment but I might be playing at the Krafty Kuts party this Friday. I live in hope...

Describe your style…
A very rough mix-up of trip-hop, indie, funk, motown, retro and electro. I don't believe in sticking to one genre as people nowadays all seem to have 45-second attention spans; play one genre for more than 20 minutes and they get super bored. Variety is, as they say in the classics, the spice of life!
To all my fans, please check out my Facebook profile for more vital stats!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=633615271

What an interview! And if that's not enough (it never is) we've squeezed in a little extra: the interview with Sibot, Tokyo's top rated guest DJ! What could be better than featuring both of Tokyo's fave DJs in one spot?! Read on...

Quickfire Boiling Pot
fave beach:
noetsie

fave cartoon character:
frank the cat

fave international act:
daftpunk

fave dinosaur:
triceratops

fave local act:
sweat x / eat this horse

fave boardgame:
monopoly

fave CD of all time:
dr octagon

fave drinking game:
chandeliers

Intense Intimidating Questionaire:
1. when did you first realise you had a DJ living inside you?
when i was 17

2. what do you love most about tokyo star?
people get down !!

3. what's playing in your car?
shychild ......check it out

4. what do you want to achieve with your music and DJ skills?
telekinesis of the butt

5. tell us the craziest thing that ever happened with a groupie of yours?
XX

6. who is Sibot the DJ?
he's a 9-5 kinda guy,studio pimp come bass junkie

7. how long have you been coming to tokyo? tell us WHY?!
I've been going to tokyo every time I'm in joburg for about 4 years maybe longer, cos its one of the only fresh places in joburg

8. any upcoming events we should know about?
30th carfax Krafty Kuts real estate/1st fuel cafe sibot dj set 8th closet snare at carfax/ 12th opening of assembly live venue in cape town line-up tbc.

9. describe your style...
ice-creamunderpantsbentoverbackwards

Wanna know more? Check out some of these sites that Sibot recommended to us:
www.myspace.com/sibot
www.myspace.com/fuckplaydoe
www.sshadoworkss.co.za
www.recmag.com/recmagspip/sommaire.php3?etat=actu&id_article=157&id_rubrique=999

Still not enough? Check out some of his French reviews:
http://www.legrandbazart.com/dossiers/dossiers.php?id_dossier=1032
http://www.bokson.net/electro/chronique/2751.html
http://www.electrochoc.org/radio/index.php
http://novorama.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=247&Itemid=26
http://www.gamekult.com/blog/datura333/
http://www.musiques-volantes.org/12/programmation/MC_Spoek_Sibot.htm
http://www.radiocampusrennes.fr/airplayHTML.php?mois=10&annee=7

Stay tuned, coming next week we have interviews with Richard the Third, Us kids Know and more! See you at Krafty!

The Calender

Just when you thought we couldn't host another event, we've added a few more! It's time to start planning your holidays, and it looks like they're going to be the busiest yet!

Check out our calender:

November:

Thursday the 22nd:

This Thursday brings a whole new thing to the DJ booth, namely Data Takashi, Klassikist and Marc Latilla. Drop by to hear their tunes heating up the dancefloor!

Friday the 23rd:
Expect to experience the break-up party of the year! Richard the Third, will be kicking off with some sa-weet glitch-hop to get your heads nodding, and some foot-tapping electro and punk funk to get your feet moving. DJ Fokolnonsins will be coming thru after midnight to deliver a thrashing set of breaks to get your hands in the air. In case none of this makes any sense, just make sure you’re in front of the DJ booth at 9 sharp and it will all become clear.

Saturday the 24th:
Get ready for the last 90s party of 2007: we bring you 1994! Come celebrate the end of exams, in what is sure to be a break-up party of note! Expect to hear the finest in 90s tunes to keep you dancing the night away! This Saturday the 24th, at Tokyo Star, where else?!

Tuesday the 27th:

We bring the Break Down at Tokyo Star, featuring Darkwing, Fokolnonsins, Ill Type and Dirty Tricks. Sick breaks and R8 tequila - need we say more?

Friday the 30th:

Coming this November 30th, join us to celebrate Tokyo Star’s 5th birthday, but don’t worry about bringing gifts cause we are going to provide the best present of all: imported straight from the UK we bring you the Breaks DJ and Producer Phenomenon that is Krafty Kuts!
Expect an eclectic evening showcasing the wealth of Tokyo Star’s favourite underground DJs and the finest on the breaks scene including Push & Shove and Carfax favourites The Real Estate Agents.
Tokyo Star will be closed for the evening so meet the crew at Carfax to enjoy three dancefloors, moulding what happens weekly at Tokyo into a wicked once-off mash-up of epic proportions!

December:
Saturday the 8th:
Join us for a 1 of a kind evening at Carfax, featuring 2 stages and 1 extra DJ dancefloor for good measure. Expect to see: Home Electric, 5 Men 3 Missing, Closet Snare (C.T.), Unit R (C.T.), Batwings or Crablegs, Atilla and the Honeys, The Shadow Club, The Bang, The Privates, Greenhouseffect and hear the likes of DJs Data Takashi, Mankazam and King of Town!
We have been looking forward to showcasing some of our favourite musicians, including those that pluck strings, twiddle knobs and spin records. You can guarantee a hot night out with a wealth of choices to tingle any discerning eardrum. R70 is the entrance that can hardly be called damage! Presale tickets available from Tokyo..

And that's just the beginning! Stand by for even more to come...

What a weekend!

Its been one for the blog!

This last weekend was full of all the usual fun at Tokyo Star. Friday night saw Andrew the DJ and Tomkat making us proud on the decks, while Saturday night left us all swinging from the trees!

However, nothing could beat Sunday when the Tokyo crew headed off to Emperors Palace to watch the finals of the RBF competition.

This Battle of the Bands competition saw our last week band-of-the-week finish FIRST! We’ve never been prouder of our friends in the green, Greenhouseffect! Beating out a hundred or so other bands for the top position, they’ve won a music video, a day of recording in the RBF studios, and a Jagermeister sponsorship deal! We would just like to remind the boys of the importance of sharing!

It wouldn’t be right to mention last week’s band-of-the-week without mentioning this week’s. And there is very good reason to! We have their replies to our little questionnaire we sent them…check it out:

Cutout Collective Questionaire:
Quickfire Boiling Pot
fave toothpaste:
The toothpaste in the bathroom at that random house you’re not quiet sure how you got to, belonging to the (hopefully pretty) random girl whose name you can’t quiet remember…
Or whatever toothpaste you use at the end of a four day music festival – that experience of brushing your teeth is normally bordering on biblical…
fave cartoon character:
Tim -judy jetson. can anyone say MILF?
Jason – Jacob Zuma
fave international act:
Tim - muse.
Jason - Radiohead
fave dinosaur:
Tim - the green one, with the spikes and shit.
Jason - Barny
fave local act:
Tim -sweat x
Jason- Toss up between anything Marcus Wormstorm and Sibot touch; and Mathew van der Want and Chris Letcher
fave boardgame:
Tim: mrs green in the drawing room with a candlestick? porno.
Jason: Does twister with bisexual scandenavian models count?
fave drinking game:
Tim and Jason: "how close can you get to puking without actually puking and still maintaining a reasonable amount of decorum whilst at tokyo star" - working title, rules unfinalised.

Intense Intimidating Questionaire:
1. how did you lovely men meet?

Jason - We went to school and acted in a couple of plays together… then one evening after a couple too many drinks at a mutual friend’s party we talked about starting a rock band… it never materialized, but we stared making really strange loop-based music together, then two of our friends joined and it turned into an indie-jazz-funk thing called Wanton, which took a break at the beginning of the year so we decided to put down our guitars and try something new… the result was Cutout Collective
2. what do you love most about tokyo star?
Jason - the one time.
Tim – the bar ladies
3. what's playing in your car?
Tim -kate nash. how gay.
Jason – 5fm or UJfm cause I only have a tape player that doesn’t work and a radio, but I’ve been listening to a lot of Elvis Perkins and also Four Tet at the moment
4. what do you want to achieve with cutout collective?
Tim - a synth sound that physically can melt off your face when loud enough.
5. tell us the craziest thing that ever happened with a groupie of yours?
Tim - well, once i actually HAD one. pretty crazy in its own right. usually they steal shit that i'm wearing. as if the tight white pants arent minimal enough.
Jason – Had a girl fly from another city to see me play… pretty awesome/crazy
7. how long have you been coming to tokyo? tell us WHY?!
Tim - how long? dude, like long. like many years now. since before i was 18. but maybe that shouldn't be up there? correction: since I was 18. and legal. very legal. why? for the drum and bass extremeness of course.
Jason – ditto…
8. any upcoming gigs we should know about?
We’ve got a to be confirmed tour to Cape Town in the first week of December. The dates will be on our facebook group once they are confirmed.
9. describe your music....
it is music made from instruments that shouldn't exist, mixed with instruments that almost exist, played backwards through a traffic cone and rerecorded on the other side using photographic memory. this is then re-enacted directly onto myspace through that wonderful medium of theatre.
Or, um, alternative-electro?

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Scroll down to check out one of our new features: the video of the week section. Every week we will be adding two new rad clips for your entertainment! Expect to see the best in what YouTube has to offer, including a few of our own fave picks of music videos, adverts and clips to keep you laughing!

Speaking of weekends, have a look-see what happening at Tokyo this weekend:

With exams officially ending this week, there is no better way to spend this Friday the 23rd celebrating freedom than by cruising thru to Tokyo Star, loading up on some Vodka slushies and hitting the dance-floor in drunken master style until the bouncer kicks you out in the early hours.
Bringing the heat to the dancefloor will be Richard the Third, who’ll be kicking off with some sa-weet glitch-hop to get your heads nodding, and some foot-tapping electro and punk funk to get your feet moving. DJ Fokolnonsins will be coming thru after midnight to deliver a thrashing set of breaks to get your hands in the air. In case none of this makes any sense, just make sure you’re in front of the DJ booth at 9 sharp and it will all become clear.

And if thats not enough for you, check out Saturday:

Its that time of year again! Get ready for the last 90s party of 2007: we bring you 1994! Come celebrate the end of exams, in what is sure to be a break-up party of note! Expect to hear the finest in 90s tunes to keep you dancing the night away! This Saturday the 24th, at Tokyo Star, where else?!
To find out more:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7083802188

Videos of the Week...

Just when you thought we couldn't possibly add anything more to our blog, we've come up with another awesome idea! To keep you peeps coming back, we've got some videos you might not have seen. Expect to see two new awesome videos a week, featuring only the best and coolest we could find...

To kick things off we've got the totally rad video for "The Teddybears - Cobrastyle tune. It is possibly one of the coolest music videos ever. Directed by ACE NORTON, who is the indie specialist, it's in a DIG! -esque documentary style with a twist.



In keeping with the hedonism of The Teddybears we also bring you the "Reebok - DEFY Convention" ad. It's directed by Brian Beletic and the soundtrack was done by our old fave DJ SHADOW.



Enjoy peeps, let us know what you think and if you'd like to see more videos by posting a comment!

Here come the summer holidays...

For all of you who are writing exams, we feel your pain! But its nearly all over, and you can trust Tokyo to have one hell of a break-up party! Stand by for more info...

And then, while some of us head to the beach, Tokyo will be staying open for all of those who prefer the city life (or just can't make it to the beach this year)! Tokyo will be open until the 22nd of December this year! And there are rumours flying of another Tokyo New Years party to remember!

Its going to be an awesome end to an awesome year!

And what a year it was been for Tokyo... The renovations at the end of last year kicked off a whole new, sleek Tokyo. A new dancefloor, bar and DJ booth have really made the year for Tokyo, with there finally being enough space to rip out all those dance-moves everyone's been dying to show off!

Tokyo Star made it into the pages of Cosmo and our old fave SL keeps the Tokyo pics flowing! It's been an interesting year trying to keep the balance of the old, underground Tokyo, while keeping it young and fresh. The growing crowds seem to be a sure sign of our success. We made many new friends this year, as our regular count grew and grew, and are glad to see the same familiar faces coming back week after week!

Behind the bar, the boys moved onto greener pastures, to be replaced by a team of beautiful ladies, all keen for Tuesday sushi and Thursday madness! (And never to miss a good 90s party!) Speaking of bartenders, two of our old faves are set to return for a visit these hols too - can't wait!

And of 90s parties: 2007 saw the return to the 90s, namely 1991, 1992 and 1993! Anyone keen for 1994?

We think it's been a damn good year, and are all so uber keen for the up-coming birthday party! Join us at Carfax this November 30th, to celebrate an awesome year at Tokyo, and an even better one to come! What better way to welcome in the summer holidays than with some chiller music, killer beats and all the best of Tokyo Star?

A week in the life of...

This week at Tokyo proved to be one to remember!

Tuesday turned into a staff party of note, with most of the barladies dancing the night away! The Tuesday R8 tequila special definitely helped us along! :)

Wednesday saw another rocking drum and base evening, with the Reflex crew tearing up the decks, and bringing on a dancefloor of note!

This Thursday was the busiest we've seen in a while - and we were expecting a quiet one, what with the exams and all! A big thanks must go to the golfers, who were doing the rounds, and got there early. Their outfits were rad, and their loyalty to Southern Comfort was astonishing!
Greenhouseffect (our official band of the week) also pulled through after their gig at the Bohemian to carry on the party - and boy did they party! Nice one guys!

Friday this week saw the return of an old favourite... yes, thats right, Amstel's Back All Right! *Backstreet Boys tune* OK, uber cheesy, but for some of you the return of Amstel is something to sing about! So its a massive WELCOME BACK to our old fave in the green and gold Amstel...

And for all of you who missed out on this week, or just haven't got your fill yet, Tokyo is still open tonight - see you there!

But don't think we've forgotten about our blog with all the excitement of this week - we've been doing some serious brainstorming as well! Stay tuned for all our new features, including the regular of the week, whats hot and whats not (voted by the barladies this week), tokyo rules, lost and found, your fave music type, the drunk quote of the week, staff member of the week, the best and worst outfit, and our very own agony aunt section - "Ask your local barladies, Robyn and Kate!"

Should you wish to nominate anyone for the following categories please email us at tokyostarlive@gmail.com

• regular of the week
• drunk quote of the week
• staff member of the week
• best and worst outfit (send pics)

Also send through any questions or queries you may have, and your local barladies will be sure to oblige with insight and help.

Tokyo Interactive

Want to see your own Tokyo stories and pics on the blog?
Share them with us at:
tokyostarlive@gmail.com

We're also looking for nominations for our new band-of-the-week section, as well as questions for our opinion polls and new rad videos to put up! Please email us!

There are also new rumours circling of another Tokyo expansion which may just mean more space for bands to play! Vote for your favourite band at our blog and they might just play at Tokyo!

Krafty Kuts on the 30th - Some stuff to check out!!

Here is a pre-emptive strike on the video front for the chaos that is sure to ensue at Tokyo Star's 5th birthday party at Carfax on Friday the 30th of November:

Krafty Kuts - Bass Phenomenon (Music Video)



An interview with the man plus live clips...



Local Legends - The Real Estate Agents



A taste of whats to come...

Naughty November...

First up to all you foosballers, the machine is officially repaired and back in action! And at Tokyo, every night is foosball night! :) What with the slush machine, and now the foosball machine its like a brand new Tokyo!

And the rumours have been confirmed! Tokyo Star will be closed on the night of the 30th. Check out the write-up for the gig:

Coming this November 30th, join us to celebrate Tokyo Star’s 5th birthday, but don’t worry about bringing gifts cause we are going to provide the best present of all: imported straight from the UK we bring you the Breaks DJ and Producer Phenomenon that is Krafty Kuts!

Expect an eclectic evening showcasing the wealth of Tokyo Star’s favourite underground DJs and the finest on the breaks scene including Push & Shove and Carfax favourites The Real Estate Agents.

Tokyo Star will be closed for the evening so meet the crew at Carfax to enjoy three dancefloors, moulding what happens weekly at Tokyo into a wicked once-off mash-up of epic proportions!