DRUM TAO Comes to Popejoy Hall This Month

Japanese percussion group DRUM TAO will return to Popejoy Hall on Saturday, March 30, 2024, at 7:30 pm with their signature rock and roll aesthetic and martial arts mastery. With a bold, modern take on traditional Japanese drumming, DRUM TAO reinvents an ancient cultural art and captivates audiences all over the world.

Artistic director Ikuo Fujitaka founded DRUM TAO in 1993 in Japan, when the new blend of ancient Japanese drumming techniques and martial arts first gained popularity. While DRUM TAO primarily performs the Japanese booming drum tradition of taiko, it also incorporates other cultures and instruments, such as the Indonesian bamboo marimba and the horizontal koto harp. The performers showcase a unique and immersive feat of athleticism, pushing the limits of the body through intensive samurai-inspired choreography and the physicality of the drumming itself. Every moment of the show requires incredible stamina and artistry.

Fujitaka, a former champion in gymnastics, kendo, judo, and marathon running, has instilled his competitive spirit into training each DRUM TAO member. Each member endures intensive training for three years in a secluded community before being deemed fit to perform on stage. Truly musicians and athletes, the 35 members of DRUM TAO are bonded by the ability to overcome rigorous tests of physical and mental endurance, drumming skills, and living together. Since very few make it through training, those that do become family, making performances energetic, passionate, highly synchronized, and unforgettable. This season, the award-winning troupe returns to the Popejoy stage with the same heart-thumping energy that made them the greatest of all Japanese drum performers in Japan.