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!

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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