Taiko is the Japanese word for drum, so it doesnt take a genius to figure out what will be at the 11th Annual Houston Grand Taiko Festival. You guessed it lots of big, booming drums. (Hey, youre a genius.) Taiko music only recently started being used as a form of entertainment. In early Japan, the drums were employed only for religious ceremonies, but in the past 60 years musicians have been using them in concerts. Todays performance comes courtesy of the 14-member Kaminari Taiko of Houston, joined by dance master Takahamaryu Mitsujuroku, Native American dancers and classical Japanese dancers in full traditional costumes, along with members of Yosakoi Soran USA, a street dancing troupe. Expect a high-energy performance of spectacle and sound.
Fri., Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m., 2007
This article appears in Sep 27 – Oct 3, 2007.