SXSW FILM FESTIVAL IN AUSTIN, TX SCREENINGS ANNOUNCED FOR ‘WE ARE X’
March 11 (Satellite venue: Marchesa 6:30 p.m.), March 16 (Topfer Theater-Zach 10:45 a.m.) and March 18 (Paramount Theatre 5:30 p.m.)
Yoshiki To Perform Live At The Paramount Theatre On March 18 Immediately Following The Screening Of ‘WE ARE X’
‘WE ARE X’ Wins World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award
For “BEST EDITING” At 2016 Sundance Film Festival
As X JAPAN prepare for the SXSW Film Festival debut of "WE ARE X," the award-winning, music documentary on the Japanese rock group X JAPAN from Passion Pictures, the trailer exclusively premiered this morning on DEADLINE Hollywood (here).
To share the official "WE ARE X" trailer now, go to YouTube (here).
"WE ARE X" explores the evolution, groundbreaking history and hopeful future of the land of the rising sun’s most culturally significant and iconic rock group.
From X JAPAN’s massive success (over 30 million albums, singles and videos sold) and sold-out tours worldwide, "WE ARE X’" chronicles the triumphs and tragedies of this legendary quintet who continue to tour the world performing sold-out shows to massive arenas in 16 countries throughout the U.S. and Europe.
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| Yoshiki |
"WE ARE X" explores the evolution, groundbreaking history and hopeful future of the land of the rising sun’s most culturally significant and iconic rock group.
From X JAPAN’s massive success (over 30 million albums, singles and videos sold) and sold-out tours worldwide, "WE ARE X’" chronicles the triumphs and tragedies of this legendary quintet who continue to tour the world performing sold-out shows to massive arenas in 16 countries throughout the U.S. and Europe.
SXSW Film has announced that "WE ARE X" is already a finalist for the “SXSW 2016 Award for Excellence in Title Design” (here).
Three screenings of WE ARE X will be part of the SXSW Film Festival’s “24 Beats Per Second” which showcases the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians with an emphasis on documentary and is open to both music and film badge holders.
On March 18 at 7:15 p.m. immediately following the "WE ARE X" screening at the Paramount Theatre, YOSHIKI; songwriter, drummer, classically-trained pianist and the creative force of X JAPAN will perform classical versions of X JAPAN’s songs with a string quartet live on stage.
Tickets for YOSHIKI’s 7:15pm performance are available in advance and at the Paramount Theatre box office.
On March 18 at 7:15 p.m. immediately following the "WE ARE X" screening at the Paramount Theatre, YOSHIKI; songwriter, drummer, classically-trained pianist and the creative force of X JAPAN will perform classical versions of X JAPAN’s songs with a string quartet live on stage.
Tickets for YOSHIKI’s 7:15pm performance are available in advance and at the Paramount Theatre box office.
X JAPAN’s "WE ARE X" At SXSW in Austin, TX
DATE TIME VENUE
‘WE ARE X’ screenings (music and film badges)
FRI 3/11 6:30PM Satellite Venue: Marchesa (6226 Middle Fiskville Rd)
WED 3/16 10:45AM Topfer Theatre at ZACH (1510 Toomey Rd)
FRI 3/18 5:30PM Paramount Theatre (713 Congress Ave)
YOSHIKI Live Performance (music/film badges and ticket holders)
FRI 3/18 7:15PM Paramount Theatre (713 Congress Ave) (Tickets)
"WE ARE X" was produced by John Battsek of Passion Pictures, producer of two Academy Award-winning documentaries (Searching For SugarMan, One Day In September), and directed by Stephen Kijak (Stones In Exile, Scott Walker: 30th Century Man).
The film won the Special Jury Award for “Best Editing” at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival Awards (Jan. 20) in Park City, UT.
"WE ARE X," edited by Mako Kamitsuna and John Maringuoin and assisted by June Okada, earned rousing ovations during its six Sundance screenings throughout film festival.
X JAPAN--YOSHIKI (drums/piano/composer), TOSHI (vocals), PATA (guitar), HEATH (bass), SUGIZO (violin/guitar) alongside their fallen brothers HIDE (guitars, 1987-1997) and TAIJI (1986-1992)--are currently laying down tracks in a Los Angeles studio for their as-yet-untitled album, which is due for a worldwide release in late 2016.
About X JAPAN:
X Japan is the most successful rock band in Japanese history, and that is not a statement made lightly.
The band has sold more than 30 million albums; singles and videos combined, sold out Japan’s 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome 18 times – so far – and have played to tens of thousands of fans outside of Japan.
In the band’s early days their look and sound sparked a global interest in entertainment, especially with the Japanese cultural rock phenomenon, “Visual-Kei,” a movement X Japan pioneered that spread globally.
X Japan formed in 1982 (calling themselves X) by Yoshiki and Toshi while they were still teenagers. Over the next 13 years, the band released five studio albums--Vanishing Vision (1988), Blue Blood (1989), Jealousy (1991), Art of Life (1993) and Dahlia (1996), as well as six live albums, ten best hits albums and 20 DVD releases.
X Japan was the first Japanese band to achieve mainstream success while signed to an independent label.
The band was so popular they became a cultural phenomenon.
In the fall of 1997, at the height of their success, the band broke up.
Four months later, Hide, X Japan’s original lead guitarist, was found dead in his Tokyo apartment.
At his funeral, more than 50,000 fans came to mourn his passing.
In early 2007 Yoshiki and Toshi resumed communication and later that year X Japan officially reformed.
The band launched its reunion in 2008 with 3 nights at the Tokyo Dome.
Two years later, X Japan filmed a music video on the rooftop of Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre with a throng of some 8,000 U.S. fans taking part in the shoot on Hollywood Blvd.
But it was on August 8, 2010 that X Japan performed in front of a mainstream American crowd for the first time at Lollapalooza.
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| Pata (guitar), left, Heath (bass), Yoshiki (composer, drums, piano), Toshi (vocals) and Sugizo (violin, guitar) |
Immediately following the festival, X Japan played the biggest concert in its history, selling out two consecutive shows at Japan’s Nissan Stadium, filling 140,000 seats.
The band’s first North American tour wrapped with a monumental New York date selling out The Roseland Ballroom on Oct. 11, 2010.
In June 2011, X Japan kicked off a European Tour at London’s Shepherd’s Bush (selling -out the venue in 30 minutes).
The tour continued to Paris and Utrecht wrapping in Berlin before the band traveled back to Japan to play the famed Summer Sonic Festival.
That same year the world tour took them to South America where they sold out shows playing to massive crowds in Santiago, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Lima and Mexico City.
X Japan then returned to Asia playing arena shows in Seoul, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei and Bangkok. In 2012 X Japan was the first Japanese band to take home the prize for “Best International Band” at the Golden Gods Awards held in the U.S.
In 2014 X Japan headlined a colossal show at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden in the U.S. Now, in 2016, X Japan is gearing up for the biggest event in the band’s history.
The current line-up of X Japan is Yoshiki/drums, piano; Toshi/vocals; Pata/guitars; Heath/bass; and Sugizo/guitars,violin. X Japan recently announced the release of the band’s 1st new studio album in 20 years, which will be available in worldwide release late 2016.
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