Land of the rising drum

Yamato, a Japanese percussion group, is touring Poland's biggest cities with their program entitled "Shin-On - Heartbeat." This is the group's second time in Poland, following on from its last visit two years ago.

The music, which is composed and performed by the band, combines Japanese tradition with the vim and vigor of contemporary pop music. To create this mix the band uses several dozen taiko drums, the widest of which boasts a diameter of five meters. Yamato also employs a broad range of stringed Japanese instruments with exotic-sounding names, such as koto, chappa, shino-bue and kane.

In addition to creating aural landscapes, the percussionists offer their viewers a combination of careful choreography and light show. Members of the troupe perform in traditional Japanese outfits.

According to the group, the goal of each of its performances is to "convey the energy dormant in the hearts of the traditional drums." Indeed, the process is so intense and energy-consuming that Yamato members need up to 12 hours' rest after each concert. Founded in 1993, Yamato have already performed more than 1,500 times. The troupe drew its name from the ancestral name of its hometown, by which the whole of Japan was also at one time known.

Yamato will be performing in: Wrocław's Hala Ludowa (22.05); Poznań's Arena (23.05); Warsaw's Sala Kongresowa (26.05); Bydgoszcz's Opera Nova (27.05); Gdynia's Teatr Muzyczny (29.05); and Zabrze's Dom Muzyki i Tańca (31.05). Tickets are available at www.ticketpro.pl and www.ebilet.pl