EPIC MARBLE BLOG

EPIC MARBLE PROJECT meets ROAD AGENT

2011-05-30T13:45:00.004-07:00

After 3 months of filming and 3 days of editing, EPIC MARBLE PROJECT meets ROAD AGENT is finally uploaded on youtube.
The video closes up on London-based rock band, Road Agent, and includes live footage as well as exclusive interviews.
Road Agent is a 5-piece rock band that was originally active in Tokyo, so the interviews will delve into their opinions about the Japanese music scene relative to the London music scene.

The video is recommended for those who are:
1) fans of Road Agent
2) avid music lovers (especially rock)
3) people who choose to watch documentaries over romantic or melodramatic films
4) people interested in the London/Tokyo music scene
5) those interested in going to museums in London (you'll see why if you watch)
6) people interested in learning English / Japanese
7) people who have too much time on their hands
8) fans of Andy, Kaz, Hisa, Masa, or Rob
9) people who have been checking out www.epicmarbleproject.com
10) people who simply love youtube!

Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgICZwA-LN8

BELGIUM part two

2011-03-26T02:43:00.016-07:00

Day 2 in Belgium. After I had 4 slices of toast covered with nutella chocolate, cornflakes, a hot chocolate, a slice of cheese and orange juice (the hostel routine), I headed for the central station to buy my ticket to Bruges, the so-called world heritage city.
The ticket was not too expensive, being 13,80 for a round trip. The lady at the counter told me it was 25 if it was a weekday. Guess I was lucky.

When I arrived in Bruges, I was finally able to understand what the guide book meant by "Bruges is a museum, just without a roof". Each building was like an anarchist obedient to the common dress code - it's all different, but it matches, somehow.
If you come to Bruges, you don't need a color wheel to find which color matches with which.
It's all there. It might actually be just as helpful, if not more, than an university art text book.

Also known as the "Venice of the North", the city is a "Water City" with canals linking various parts of the city. As I am on a budget trip, I had to give up on the boat tours around the city, but it was worth the time just to stop and look at the boats gliding through the waters.
To be honest, the feeling was like taking a stroll in Disney Land. When I entered the Markt (also known as the Market Square), I was welcomed by an organ playing a Christmas tune, and some other ones I'm not too familiar with. It's an experience you can't miss.

After a good walk around the city, I dropped in at a cafe, and grabbed myself a Jupiler beer, and a stick with meat... I can't recall what the name was, but it was similar to a shish-kebab.
I was only hoping to read through a Haruki Murakami novel that I purchased in London, but it turns out that the waitress was a hopeless old lady sick of her job.
She started nagging at me (indirectly.. as I can't really understand French - "je ne comprends pas!") just for switching seats closer to the window so I got upset and just left.

Since my stomach lacked the satisfaction it needed, I dropped by at Carrefour (a supermarket chain that originated in France) to buy a baguette and dip. It was the way to go when you live the life of a backpacker. I sat on the stairs in the station and filled up my hollow and lonely stomach.
What I realized was that even though London sells the same kind of deal.. the bread dips I mean, it was nowhere as good as the ones sold in other European countries. If you go outside the UK, don't buy sandwiches, buy a bread and dip!

After heading back to Brussels, I walked around to find a cheap room that was equivalent or less than the one I stayed at last night, but wasn't fortunate enough to find any that would meet my needs.
My solution was simple - forget the bed, go to the pub.
I went to Celtica again, and drank the following:

-Orval
-Duvel
-Chimay-Bleu
-Tourtel (non alcoholic beer which I would not buy, if I had known in the first place!)
-Maes
-Blanches de Bruges

The beers at Celtica are probably the cheapest in the city, as each bottle is 2 euros during the Happy Hour, which lasts from noon to midnight. Maes and Blanche de Bruges on the other hand are only one euro... crazy.
After tasting all these beers, I came to the conclusion that Leffe is my favorite Belgian beer(this, I had in London...). Jupiler also matched my taste buds quite well and I also discovered that I like Abbey-type beer too.

After staying in the pub until 4 am in the morning, I walked around the sleeping city. I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier but March is still not a good time to sleep on a bench as the air is still freezing cold... I went to the station and slept on the bench for a while until the security told me, nicely, to get out.
With nowhere to go and nothing to eat but a pack of Belgian waffles I bought at Carrefour, I was walking aimlessly for a few hours until I saw a policeman

and a girl

lying dead (if not sleeping)

in the middle of the road.

I heard a cry screaming something like "help" and there were several other police cars racing to the scene, but I was in no mood to watch and stare at someone's misfortune.
It's not like there's anything I can do anyway, and most of all, I wasn't really in the mood to go to the police station to have my passport reviewed.

The night was long, and the day to follow was long as well. I stayed at a Paris-style cafe for the morning to read through "Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman", and then I went to several grocery stores to buy my breakfast and lunch. My nap time was at McDonalds, and the remaining time before my coach back to London was at the bench in the central station, drinking Gordon Finest Gold Beer. 10% alcohol for beer was quite amazing, and it was certainly a good way to end the day and to look at my last sunset in Brussels.

It was 5am on Tuesday, when I was back in London. After a quick shower, I started work again from 9:30am like I usually would, and found myself to be not so tired as I had thought to be, despite the sleepless days in Belgium (which was kind of unavoidable).

It wasn't until two days later my body started aching like there was no tomorrow. They say it's a sign of aging when you start to feel the pain two days after harsh activity, so yes, I guess I can't really pull off another one of these crazy travels for a while.
UNTIL I GO TO ITALY!

BELGIUM part one

2011-03-25T16:28:00.016-07:00

To escape the exhausting regular day routines, and the harsh realities of life, I decided to spend my weekend in Belgium! The trip took a total of 10 hours, 2 of which was on the ferry. Fortunately, the ticket came by cheap, with the cost being only 41 pounds (that's around $65 CDN) for a round trip.
Why Belgium you ask? Simple. Chocolate and beer.

When I arrived in Brussels, the central city so they say, it was only 4am in the morning.
With little to do, and stores all closed, I had nowhere to go.
After a few minutes of aimless wandering, I finally found my way to the Grand Place, one of the biggest tourist attractions in Brussels.
Since the city was still lost in utter silence, I decided to stop by at a fast food chain that looked almost identical to McDonalds, to kill some time.

After a good two hours or so munching on salt-free french fries and stuffing my mouth with a hamburger loaded with mustard instead of ketchup, the city finally woke up from its eternal sleep.
I took a stroll around the Grand Place, went to see the Manneken Pis, and went into random chocolate shops to drool over the showcases loaded with one of the greatest inventions by mankind - chocolate.

On a side note, there were three limitations that I have decided to put on myself while I was in Belgium:
1) don't pre-book any hostels
2) no internet while in Belgium
3) turn off cellphone during the trip

These were the limitations I had thought of, to fully enjoy everything that Belgium had to offer (well at least most of it).
It's not that difficult when you think of it, I mean all backpackers do it... but it's not easy when you're an internet junkie....

On my first day in Brussels, I was able to visit a total of three museums: the chocolate museum, the beer museum, and lastly the music instrument museum.
I had high hopes for the chocolate and the beer, but these turned out to be the biggest disappointments in Daizo history. The beer museum was not a museum at all, just a room with a TV playing back a low budget video on how to make beer; the chocolate museum was a waste of time: just a small house with exhibitions that matched the quality of a high school student research project.

On the other hand, the instrument museum was one of the biggest excitements I've ever had since I've come to Europe. Known to house the most instruments in the world, every corner in the museum was a delight and surprise. As a matter of fact, the pianos I saw in the museum were more than just an instrument, they were works of art!!

What was innovative about the museum was that all the visitors would receive a headset that allows you to listen to how the instrument sounds, when you stand in front of it.
Just so that music geeks aren't the only ones being pleased, you can hear them being either orchestrated or in the form of an ensemble (I believe the instruments in the ensemble are limited to the ones you see in front of you... correct me if I am wrong).

Aside from all the traditional and classical instruments, they also had a floor dedicated to modern instruments (THE Theremin included) but this portion wasn't as impressive as the rest.
Also English wasn't being displayed on the signs so you had to use a guide provided in the museum to comprehend what it said.
Nonetheless, more than half the instruments in the museum were ones I've never seen before.... if this doesn't excite a musician, what would?

By the way, is it just me or am I the only one that didn't know about viols...

After a lengthy 3 hours of educating myself on how unknowledgable I was (uh... is this even a word?), I went to a pub by the name of Celtica to grab myself a beer.
I spent my night at a hostel which I found for a rate of 19 euros per night... (which is not too bad for a 8 person bed room in Belgium) and then I called it a day.

Who would have imagined that I would spend the next day with no bed, get lost in the middle of Bruges (Traveler's Choice Destinations 2010 Winner) and run into a potential crime scene involving a girl lying dead (or partially?) in the middle of the road? Continued to part two...

DAIZO

UBC JA's 6.N'Roll Bandshow @ Tom Lee Music Hall

2011-03-07T01:42:00.005-08:00

Hihi!! Gigi's here!
On March 4th, 2011 Gigi went to a gig at Vancouver downtown Tom Lee Music Hall hosted by UBC JA. 6 bands were playing in this rocking event, and many of them had performed at EMP's gigs over the years. It's was a good show, and it was good to see all the local musicians, friends, fans, and photographers, it was like a big reunion. Gigi asked to get off work early just for this event, was expecting a relaxing time just being an audience(and photographer, u all know me, I like taking photos). End up Gigi got busy working backstage on makeup and hair.... Gigi likes to do makeup and hair , so it was totally cool, but Gigi didn't bring ANY professional makeup and hair tools.... working with just the personal makeup items from my purse was difficult... note to self: from now on, always bring my makeup kit to gigs, EMP gigs, or not EMP gigs. LOL
Congratulations to UBC JA on this successful event. Good jobs to all the bands. Hopefully to see u all again soon in the near future.

xoxo
Gigi

Upcoming events and Website updates

2010-11-04T04:45:00.006-07:00

Daizo here.
As you may have noticed, this blog has been abandoned for quite a while now, but like it always has been, EMP has been working on some new projects over the past few months.
I would like to announce them here on the blog:

1) EPIC MARBLE PROJECT is now officially recognized as a non-profit organization by the name of EPIC MARBLE PROJECT PRODUCTIONS in Canada.
Our activities will not change however, and we will continue to provide ideal grounds for musicians, and expansion of our local music community.

2) 3 new episodes of EMR has been uploaded!
Episode 5 and 6 feature digest videos of the bands that have participated in the SONIC BREEZE event hosted by EPIC MARBLE PROJECT and TRUE Entertainment. Episode 7 features an exclusive interview with band, 15★CRISIS at the JP Scion Dealership in Downtown, Vancouver.

3) Upcoming event at the new Motel Nightclub featuring bands The Right Hook, angelika, 15★CRISIS, and Daydream!
Please check below for details!

SUPERSTAR SUNDAY
Venue: Motel Nightclub
1312 SW Marine Drive, Vancouver, BC
Featured Band: The Right Hook (EP Release)
Participating Bands: 15★CRISIS, angelika, Daydream
Time: 8:00PM
Tickets: $15 / Advance
$18 / Door
Attendees must be 18+ (please bring 2 pieces of ID)
Please contact epicmarbleproject@gmail.com for entry!

Please continue to check out our website at www.epicmarbleproject.com for details on the latest events in Vancouver.

DAIZO

Possible SCAMS aim at musicians and artists in BC

2010-09-30T22:25:00.003-07:00

It is senseless for some people to trick passionate musicians and artists for money and benefits. Unfortunately I regret I recently had a close personal experience of almost being scammed. As Epic Marble Project's event planner, I would like to discuss this to our readers and hopefully this would help you to be careful of suspicious situations and beware of your rights as a performer.

My band LOCUS was contacted by a charity group in BC to perform and help raise money for a recent construction project that would save lives in the future. The performance was scheduled in a well-known Richmond public centre on a weekend. My band believe in giving back to our society with what we do best, and therefore has agreed to fill out an application to perform for the show. Later we were asked to "pay" $120 donation for each performer in our group before a deadline, or else we won't get a chance to be on stage.

First of all, as a musician performer, we have in the past "donated" our talent, passion and personal free time for charity performances. Secondly, performers are usually "paid" to perform, not "paying" to perform. Performing for free for charity shows already means you have donated your performance fees towards the charity event. Third of all, the meaning of "donation" is to "give what one's capable", and therefore must have absolutely no fixed rates of payment of donation.

So what happened to my band???

We refused to pay the amount required and did not perform.

Now, the interesting thing was, just 2 days before the show, another staff from the organization called me and thanked us for participating in the show, and asked me when we will be performing so she can come and watch. I told her we have no money to pay for the standard performance fee "donation" so we are skipping out on this show. She was shocked and told me she did not know anything about the fixed rate of donation issue.

I did not go watch that show the day because I was busy.

I don't know if anyone performed, and I don't know if they "paid" anything.

If you have any questions about any suspicious show details, it is always a good thing to consult someone in the industry, or feel free to email us.

Life in Europe

2010-09-05T13:59:00.007-07:00

This is Daizo and I am currently in Paris, France.
To refresh my mind and to explore different possibilities as a creator, I have decided to relocate to England for a while, and before I settle down, I have decided to travel around Europe for a few months.

It was a tough decision for me. It has only been two years since the foundation of epic marble project, and it was quite recently that the team has expanded so significantly.
With the new Epic Marble Radio project, and other secret projects currently under process, the burden on the team has grown remarkably.
To be honest, I feared that people will think that I am running away from my obligations, but that is not true. I feel that I need to have a greater understanding of the world around me, and the time is now.
Knowledge is important but nothing can beat experience... and although it has only been 5 days, I can feel that this trip will definitely change something within me.

So far, I have visited Barcelona, Spain and Paris, France. The art and culture of these two cities are completely different from that of Vancouver.
The language barrier, the culture shock, the different transit systems, and the weight of my backpack are all new to me, but everything that these two countries has to offer are unique and inspiring.
Gaudi's Sagrada Familia have shown me the potential of architecture, and Montmartre in France has showed me the amount of influence a city can have on many famous artists.

In Barcelona, I was stopped by a man who identified himself as a police. While I was walking around the city, a man walked up to me asking me the directions. Even though I told him I didn't know, he kept coming after me, and it was only a few minutes after when another man came up to me with a policeman's notebook. He told me he was the police and that he was doing an investigation. After asking for my passport, he told me to show him my wallet. He said he was suspicious that I was having a trade of some sort - most likely drugs. However, it was unnatural for the police to ask me for the content of my wallet so I told him that I can show him my wallet if it is at the police station. Suddenly, both the guy asking me the directions and the one who claimed himself to be an officer started running away. It then made sense that both of them were working as a team.

Like there are horror stories, there are equal amounts of good news in Europe.
Although euros and pounds are stronger than the Canadian dollar, beer can be found for as cheap as one euro, and a lot of the dairy products are just as cheap.
Food is different, but the baguette sandwiches in France and the Tapas in Spain are delicious!
Just as much as I am learning, I am enjoying my vacation.
I will write about anything new that comes up here in Europe, and hopefully it will lead to the next big project lined up for the coming years.

I am currently writing a blog in Japanese at http://ameblo.jp/marblesounds, and will be writing some entries here every once in a while so please check back often!

Cheers,

DAIZO

EMP Staff Interview Series Part 2: Anthony Au - Videographer

2010-08-15T12:46:00.005-07:00

Today for our interview, we have welcomed videographer of Epic Marble Radio, Anthony Au, to find out what really got him into filming the new youtube series. Despite his professional and ambitious approach to his projects, Anthony was surprisingly quite casual and very easy to talk to. With his friendly aura, we had a very enjoyable time sitting with him and hearing his opinions on the activities of Epic Marble Project, and his vision on the media itself.

Tell us how you joined Epic Marble Project -

It was through a friend "Kaila", who she is quite devoted to this project in promoting some local
music groups. And I found that it is so amazing to work with a group of experts who has the same goal and passion, all we are working voluntarily, the spirit is there! So, I'm excited to be part of the team.

I'm quite impressed with the process from our initial shooting, I believed we could be running more smoothly after a few episodes.

Tell us about yourself -

My name is Anthony Au. I graduated from Emily Carr majored in photography. Video production is my latest hobby. Prior to that, I had been a press photographer for over 15 years and have started my photographic art exhibitions since 2006. Website: www.pbase.com/tonyau
Exploration of human interest, people and environment are my photographic themes. In some
cases of working in photographic art, carrying tons of equipment to travel is not a fun hobby,
but will enjoy the result after capturing the best shot for my collection.

I respect friendly people with a big heart..!

Music: I am a hardcore fan of the classical heavy and progressive rock groups like; Yes, Pink Floyd,
Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple etc. But for now, don’t have any particular type, whatever any music
could make me flow, even Susan Boyd or Tiesto etc!

Movie: 2012, Inception, Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, Kung fu Hustle etc. Visual effects,
actions and black comedies are the type that I like, or anything also from Quentin Tarantino, Stephen Chow and John Woo, they are my all time favorite directors.

Tell us about your position and the projects you were involved in (within / out of EMP) -

I am an event videographer and photographer, event for portraits, weddings and video productions
for the show in theatre. I have a teammate in video, Michael, he helps me in other projects and
of coz for EMP. We have so much hard work during the shooting and editing. Hope that we
could have more helps in the coming episodes. My concept, for the EMR, I like to see more lively
and cheerful scenes as well as in acting, sometimes acting needed to be improvised, the acting
part is crucial.

What is your goal as Videographer in EMP?

My goal, I would really like to learn shooting in 3D and also looking for a chance shooting a short
film production in the future.

Requests for future projects in the team -

Everything should be working out fine after a few shooting, only have to be more in focus to time
the finish up for the set. A bit over-run might cause a big problem in uploading the footage.
I am really having fun and a good time while working with all the EMP’s teammates.

Wishing Epic Marble Radio will be successful and will be the greatest hit on Youtube and in publicity.

Thank you for your time Anthony, and we look forward to future episodes of EMR!

Post Sonic Breeze

2010-08-11T07:30:00.001-07:00

August 8, 2010. This is the one day I will never forget for many coming years in my life.

To be honest, hosting a bandshow in Vancouver is not easy. Unlike how it is in Asia or Europe, there are absolutely no venues that are readily equipped with the appropriate sound equipment, and although it has been growing incredibly in the past few years, very few people are willing to commit to the price of admission unless they are there for a recognized artist.
For that reason, many bandshows have no choice but to limit themselves with a very small budget, in means of cheaper amplifiers / sound system, uneducated sound technicians, and lack of experimenting with various venues.

Although it has been 2 years since our foundation, it has been the goal of Epic Marble Project to be the leaders in the art of event organization by combining minds of creative yet ambitious artists in challenging the realm of the impossible.
Every single event that we have hosted in the past, have meant just as much as the other, in the way that it is an event that we could take pride in.
Although the result may not be pretty sometimes, I have never regretted our decision in hosting a show, simply because that very event may have been the opportunity for the audience to be inspired, to meet new music, and maybe even result in growing a love for music and to create a band themselves.

The pure motive behind our will to push forward is not money, fame or popularity (although we would always like to achieve that), it's simply because we love music and we love to please those that also share a common passion. Although, this may catch most people by surprise, in most of our shows, we have not been able to earn the money that we have paid in hiring staff, renting the equipment / venue, printing out promotional items, and in all means making the show possible.
Believe it or not, we all have daytime jobs on top of what we do in EMP, and we all have many other commitments. In truth, the time spent on EMP can always be spent on working at a daytime job, which will most likely get us more money, but EMP has always been with us simply because music is our ultimate goal.

In organizing SONIC BREEZE, TRUE ENTERTAINMENT and EPIC MARBLE PROJECT has used 3 full days (yes, we did not sleep) in putting everything together. With Jeremy from TRUE leading us in our choice of sound and lighting, we were able to achieve something we had never imagined.
Although it was strenuous and exhausting, our efforts were well worth it, because we truly felt that the 8 awesome bands we were able to find, were able to squeeze out everything that they could offer at present time.

Using this opportunity, I would like to thank Jeremy from True Entertainment, all staff personnel of Epic Marble Project (especially Mati and Kaila who were always there), all bands (Artificial Polly, BSGE41, Crossing Lions, Daydream, Knights and Queen, Rah Rah Robot, The Right Hook, and White Symphony), Caleb from myJP Scion and all our other sponsors (DS Drum Service, Edo Sushi, Gigi Lui Styling, Golden Boot Cafe, KLIP, Panago Pizza and Quality Circle Lens), Anthony for filming the entire show and the beer, Dale for all the photos, Robin for designing the wicked poster, Gary from CMEV in help with setup, Steve for helping us with loading, Dennis from True Entertainment with lighting, all other TRUE personnel that I couldn't catch the names of, Misaki for help with striking,Tomo who supported Gigi Lui in styling (and for the flowers!) and helping out with the strike, Dennis Law and Horace Lee from Noisyhouse Studios and everyone who attended our show.

On top of that, I would personally like to thank Ralph, Omar, Joseph, and Jun for attending, Julie for the food, Takayuki for lending me the electric pick-up for the guitar, Shintaro for coming up with catch phrase in this event, Gary for giving us free coffee and beer, my parents for supporting me being a stupid child who wasted his university degree in being a hippy, all the members of Knights and Queen, and everyone who came to support Knights and Queen.

I have mentioned a lot of names here but please feel free to blackmail me if I missed you. I'm pretty out of it considering my lack of sleep and food.
Once again, I'd like to thank everyone I have mentioned above. Without you, this show would simply not have been possible.

Best regards,
Daizo Haraguchi
EPIC MARBLE PROJECT

Top 10 reasons to come experience SONIC BREEZE!

2010-08-02T08:34:00.017-07:00

If you're not attending, you're missing out. SONIC BREEZE is not just a challenge that EPIC MARBLE PROJECT has been warming up for years, but also a revolution in the Vancouver music scene! Here are the top 10 reasons for attending SONIC BREEZE on August 8, 2010!

10. SPECIAL DAY-PASS BRACELET

Each attendee will receive a Day Pass in the form of a special bracelet! This bracelet has a unique ID engraved on it, which allows you to come back and forth. Feel free to have lunch or dinner when you want to rest your ears and come back when you're hungry for more!

9. ARTIFICIAL POLLY

Artificial Polly will be appearing LIVE for the first time after their full feature episode in Epic Marble Radio episode 3. Artificial Polly is also the winner in EMP's first Talent Search!

8. BRINGING BACK CLASSIC ARTISTS

The event will bring back great artists that Epic Marble Project has worked with in the past including The Right Hook (originally known as In Like Flynn), and Crossing Lions!

CROSSING LIONS

7. KNIGHTS AND QUEEN

Knights and Queen, composed of members of One Arm Bear and Paris in Tokyo will be performing a full-set for the first time, including an all-new ACOUSTIC set!

6. DOOR PRIZES

We will have door prizes ready for attendees supplied by the sponsors of SONIC BREEZE! If you're lucky enough, not only will you have a great time, you will also have something to bring with you.... that's what you call HITTING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE! Don't miss out!

5. NEW EMERGING ARTISTS

This is your chance to see the debut of new artists working with EMP including RAH RAH ROBOT and BSGE41. There are other artists that will be announced soon over the Facebook group so sign up and keep in touch with EMP!

RAH RAH ROBOT

4. FULL FEATURE IN EPIC MARBLE RADIO

Like it was with SUMMERSPARK 2 (will be uploaded on August 4!), the footage of the show will be uploaded on EPIC MARBLE RADIO's official youtube channel! This is your chance to make a youtube debut!!

3. SONIC BOOZE (?)

SONIC BREEZE will have alcohol sold at the venue! Feel free to really enjoy the groove with an ice-cold beer in hand, or grab your friends and have a shot of tequila to bring up the excitement!!

2. SOUND

EPIC MARBLE PROJECT has collaborated with TRUE ENTERTAINMENT in bringing the best out of the music with top quality sound equipment. Whether you're keen with sound or not, you will notice the DIFFERENCE.

1. 10 HOURS OF LIVE MUSIC!

SONIC BREEZE will feature 10 HOURS of live rock music! Each band will get a full set of 45 minutes so that means you can enjoy it as if it is an one-man show! Remember, your day passes allow you to leave anytime you want so if a band doesn't appeal to you, you're free to leave and come back anytime you want.

SONIC BREEZE
presented by EPIC MARBLE PROJECT and TRUE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Date: August 8, 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 1:00pm-11:00pm
Location: Howard Johnson Hotel Ballroom
395 Kingsway St. Vancouver, BC
Admission: $15 / Advance ; $17 /Door

contact epicmarbleproject@gmail.com for reservations!

Knights and Queen Project

2010-07-02T18:52:00.008-07:00

Daizo here.
It's been a while since my last entry.
Recently, I have been busy working on several new projects including Knights and Queen, which is a new band formed by former members of One Arm Bear and Paris in Tokyo.
The members consist of Misaki on vocals, Edison on guitar, Daizo on bass, and Mati on drums.

Currently, the band is focusing on their first live set for mid-July.
The concept of the live will be slightly different from what EMP had been aiming for, and will be at a more personal level. This will be a new challenge for the band as it will really require a higher level performance and greater unity of the band members.
Hopefully, this live will connect the band with the audience, and not just be entertaining to watch, but to be involved in.

The most recent event news and pics at the photo shoot can be checked out at the Facebook Knights and Queen page.
Interview with Knights and Queen will be uploaded on the coming episode of Epic Marble Radio.
Tune in!

DAIZO

EPIC MARBLE PROJECT PRESENTS: SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION IN CONCERT AT TUNNEL

2010-06-02T21:41:00.003-07:00

Epic Marble Project and True Entertainment are once again proud to present SPARKLE LIVE SERIES at TUNNEL MULTI LOUNGE's SPARKLE every SATURDAY. This week June 5th features EMP's SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION live in concert.

Date: June 5th 2010

Doors @ 9:30pm

Show @ 10:00pm

Advance tickets: $15

At Door: $20

After party from 11pm to 3am featuring DJ Johnny OMEGA, Johnny AWESOME and DJ DIZEE D, Farshad on percussion and Buddha Sax on saxophone.

Sparkle every Saturday brings the best of House, Techno and TOP 40 Smash-ups to town with a twist of old hollywood glitter and glamour, every Saturday at TUNNEL MULTI LOUNGE.

This week first 50 guests to enter TUNNEL will receive a raffle ticket towards the draw for ONE FREE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE SERVICE on June 5th at TUNNEL.

for guestlist and info: www.epicmarbleproject.com, epicmarbleproject@gmail.com

JBT made me do this to embarass myself

2010-06-01T05:30:00.006-07:00

saw john butler trio last night, one of my best shows i've seen in a long long time.
got me so inspired that i had to do a cover today......n i've never recorded myself on vid before.....that's how much JBT got to me.

i caught them 2 yrs ago w/ the old lineup, i thought they were awesome already.
but his new cats r even more spectacular. great energy n great vibe!

D
@ NOISYHOUSE

Next Music from Tokyo!

2010-05-24T11:26:00.010-07:00

Music that cannot be enjoyed is not music.
Getting together with a bunch of music fans and enjoying it as a whole - I think that's what music should be all about.

On May 22, I attended a bandshow at the Biltmore Cabaret located on Main, which involved 5 indie bands touring from Japan. At the show, I was struck by true love for music.
The live was only $10 to get in, and all attendees at the show were welcomed with a variety of Japanese food, including sushi, takoyaki, and junk food, as well as a few prizes.
The bands performing at the show were all high in level, and their performances were very "natural".

I feel that the problem with new bands are that their performances look awkward, despite their technique or skill; it seems like the members have not become "one" with their instruments.
What I felt so natural about the indie bands were that their performances were not limited with their instruments, length of cables, or the sizes of the stages. They literally jumped on speakers, ran across it, and it naturally got the audiences hyped up.
A lot of the bands experimented a lot as well, like putting their voice through an effector, playing unusual instruments (violin, xylophone, etc.) and passing over their guitar to one of their audiences (during a song),
All in all, the live was a huge success. There were mosh pits and people going nuts.
I'm sure alcohol played a big part but I don't think I've ever been to a live that had so much energy and excitement.

Although it seems like I am just stating the positive parts for the show, there were obviously downfalls... such as the lack of excitement from the last band because the band prior to that was so awesome, bad mix for one band (guitar was too loud), and some bands where I just found the vocal to be utterly useless (you would know what I mean if you were there).

However, I really feel that it's an awesome thing to tour around Canada, and I really think the organizer did a great job.
It's also tough for the bands too, considering they need to commit time outside of their jobs and education, as well as a great deal of money too (unless they are fully sponsored, which I doubt).
To be honest, I was a little jealous...
Regardless where, I want to go touring!

DAIZO

EMP and True Entertainment present Sparkle Saturday at Tunnel Multi Lounge Grand Opening May 1st

2010-05-02T14:59:00.006-07:00

First and foremost I would like to thank and congratuate True Entertainment and Tunnel Multi Lounge for the amazing party it was a great success.

A big thank you to In Like Flynn it was an awesome show we all enjoyed your performance very much :)

Thank you Destineak for the amazing after party show.

Hugs and Kisses to all our wonderful friends who came to the Sparkle launch it was one crazy night and I hope you all had a great time :)

To our sponsor Above Wireless, a huge thank you to Kenneth!~

And to all our EMP crew, thank you for the amazing support! Our dear Gigi, the lovely Adrienne, Cynthia and Kaz, dear Mati, and lots of xoxoxoxo to Dennis and Jon for all the hard work the entire day it couldnt have happened without you guys.

And to our amazing president Daizo, thank you^^ thank you^^ thank you^^~

Epic Marble Radio!

2010-04-24T01:48:00.009-07:00

Epic Marble Project's new challenge begins in Spring 2010 with the launch of Epic Marble Radio!
Featuring two charming radio personalities, Adi and Kaz, the team has been filming in various locations over the past few weeks to beef-up on the content and load up the video cameras with raw footage.

Simply put, Epic Marble Radio is a new broadcasting program that will focus on the music/arts scene in Vancouver and connect/reconnect the network to expand and revive the community. With the newest event information, band interviews, live reviews, and the unknown, the program will be the music guide of the indies scene.
EMR will be launched globally (with the help of the internet of course) starting on April 27.
New theme tracks have been produced by singer songwriter, misakii, and composer, Dennis Law. Both pieces are written and recorded exclusively for the program.

The EMR Teaser site has opened at http://www.epicmarbleproject.com/EMR.aspx.
Check out the teaser site for info on the next episode (no information will be disclosed for the pilot episode), band info, and bonus content!

On the other hand, the blog staff will upload some backstage photos and happenings outside the frame.
Tune in!

DAIZO

SPARKLE every Saturday

2010-04-18T22:57:00.004-07:00

Daizo here.
I've been MIA for a while with the blog so I will write about an event coming up soon co-hosted by Epic Marble Project.
This is EMP's collaboration with True Entertainment Inc. on the event, SPARKLE every Saturday.

Venue: Tunnel Multi-Lounge
622 W.Pender St. Vancouver, BC
Participating Band: In Like Flynn
Time: 9:30PM - 3:00AM
Tickets: Advance $15 / Door

This will be a clubbing event with the addition of an upbeat rock band performance by band, In Like Flynn. We have hosted a show with In Like Flynn previously in our event, Azure Reflections and we are very proud to have them again.
In Like Flynn is a very tight band with very creative and inspirational minds. I love Jeffrey's vocals and the stage presence of all the members.
According to an interview with members, Travis and Jeffrey, they will be revamping another track off the Top 40 charts (this interview will be uploaded soon!). They are a very loving band with the mind of surprising the audience at all times.
This is one show you cannot miss. Join us at Tunnel on May 1!!

DAIZO

Locus @ J Lounge

2010-04-05T23:34:00.005-07:00

"Locus" had a performance at "J Lounge" on March 31st,2010. Many friends had came to support and chill with us on that lovely weekday night. "Locus" had performed 3 sets + a 4 songs encore. Good job Kaila, Jason, and Kelvin!! Check out "Locus" at their website www.locus.anniegroup.com

xoxo
Gigi

Ramen Potluck

2010-04-05T22:42:00.006-07:00

Hihi ppl!!~~
Gigi hosted another house party on March 27!! I named it "Gigi's ramen potluck Nomnomnomnomnom party". XDDDDD It was super fun! Thx Q all guests for comming, and thx Q for the awesome foods. Sally and Jono's chicken karaage was great! Akira is a CHEF!!! Good job on the chicken roll Akira! Thx Q Becky for the BBQ skewers and oden. Thx Q Kaila and Moses for the beers. Thx Q Mati and Queenie for the pies, Thx Q Michelle and Elvis for the cream puffs.

xoxo
Gigi

The Gigi's famous hot wings!!

Becky's BBQ skewers

Sally and Jono's chicken karaage

Gigi's ready to cook her ramen!

Cooking

So much foods!!

Chef Akira!

ROCK!!!

Mati and Queenie's pies

Rocking on "Rock Band"

Akira's chicken roll with chopped onion and mushroom

Becky's oden

Kaila and Gigi

Re-Frain's mini concert. XD

Jamming with Sally

Serving ramen

The Gigi's ramen

Show.Love.Show Backstage Photos

2010-03-16T04:09:00.003-07:00

With Cherie Ng ( right)

Photo with Edward Chui of CMEV, and DSC singing contest 2009 champion William

From LOCUS: Eric, Kaila, Jason

Lucy, Kaila, Eric, Jason and Andy. All our love to both of you ^^!~

On March 12th 2010, LOCUS and CMEV artists Edward Chui and Cherie Ng performed for UBC Dragon Seed Connection Student Club's annual singing contest "Show.Love.Show" singing completition. It wasn't just any other contests, because proceeds go to World Vision disasters relief fund, and we were given the chance to give what we could do best to make a difference in the world. The show was a great success, and on behalf of LOCUS I thank you DSC for giving us this chance to contribute to the world. Once again congrats to Clara for winning first runner up, Gerald for winning Champion, and our dear Andy for winning "Most Popular Award". All my love to all contestants you guys were all troopers and all of you are number ONE!~

Speical thanks to Gateway Theatre crew, Jacky, Mandy, Edwin, Vicky of DSC. Love to CMEV's Edward and Cherie, best wishes to LUCY and ANDY, and high five to mc Felix and Ivy :)

Xoxo,

Kaila of LOCUS

"Zero One Sushi"

2010-03-13T14:48:00.007-08:00

Thx to the Olympic, Gigi had found a new favorite place to eat in downtown Vancouver. and the name of that restaurant is ....*drum roll....... "Zero One Sushi"!! I knew about "Zero One Sushi" from facebook, a friend of mine commented on a photo of their "Olympic Chirashi Don" and it got my attention. Durring the Olympic, Gigi traveled around downtown often, and visited "Zero One Sushi" every chance I got. That had added a lot of fun in my Olympic adventure.^^
I highly recommend "Zero One Sushi" to all my friends and blog readers. Check them out at http://www.sushizeroone.com

xoxo
Gigi

The "Olympic Chirashi Don"

Inside the "Olympic Chirashi Don"

Deluxe Chirashi Don with hamachi miso soup

Crab and shrimp roll

Oyako Don

Uni Don

Spicy tuna and shrimp roll and "Olympic Chirashi Don"

Winter Olympic 2010 in Vancouver

2010-03-12T00:55:00.017-08:00

I meant to post this blog earlier, but I had been tooooo busy...
Vanouver hosted the Winter Olympic on Feb 2010. It was super awesome! People around the world gathered in Vancouver. Everywhere were busy and fun. Gigi had some of the BEST times of her life durring the Olympic! and watched some really awesome music performances. Pictures say better than a thousand words. Enjoy the photos!!^^

xoxo
Gigi

Vancouver had never been so crowded.

Gigi and Misaki got to hold the Olympic torch!

Giant Canada flag

The Richmond City Hall

Awesome dancing and music from Africa

"Our Lady Peace" performing.

"Our Lady Peace" performing.

"Mariana's Trench" performing.

"Mariana's Trench" performing.

The Coca-cola house in Yaletown Livecity.

Awesome stage in Livecity

The light-up coke bottle

Jully Black performing.

Jully Black performing.

Fireworks

Richmond Oval

Olympic mascots dance on ice

The stadiums

The cheering fans after Canada won the most Gold medals ever.

Crazy party on the street of downtown Vancouver at the last day of Olympic.

EMP's little drinking party in Yaletown.

Olympic closing ceremony

EMP Staff Interview Series Part 1 : Robin Masashi Oshiro - Graphic Designer

2010-03-06T13:28:00.008-08:00

It is true that Epic Marble Project is a group led by musicians, but it is also a group that continues to progress with the aid and help of artistic individuals. Today, we sat down with graphic designer, Robin Masashi Oshiro, who has designed various posters for our events and business cards that many of our staff members carry in hand. We conducted an interview to learn about his motivations and the secrets behind his creative works.

Tell us how you joined Epic Marble Project

Originally my friend (Shintaro) introduced me to Daizo, who was looking for someone to design a poster for Shockwave, an event he organized. This was my FIRST experience designing for someone having an event at this scale, so it was quite memorable. I still remember the day I met Daizo. At Blenz Coffee across SFU Downtown campus late at night, he told me how he wanted the poster to be designed.

Tell us about yourself

My name is Robin Masashi Oshiro. I started emphasizing my middle name when I introduce myself... because I like it! Currently I am an Emily Carr Design student and my hobbies are graphic design, typography, graphic art, ...and I should be active physically as well.
Some of the people I respect are Josef Muller-Brockmann, and Kenya Hara.

I listen to soul/r&b. My favorite movie is Kofuku no kiiroi hankachi, and my favorite book is soul music lovers only by Eimi Yamada, respectively.

Tell us about your position and the projects you were involved in.
Were there any difficulties?

In a way, the EMP was my first "client" who asked me to design two posters for events Shockwave and Summer Spark. The challenge was to find a point where the client's visual ideas about what they should look like and my graphical style and skills met.

What about concepts and themes?

Concepts and themes were informed every time, such as 'impact', 'neon light'.

What did you think worked out / did not work out?

Both Shockwave and Summer Spark posters captured energetic/active emotions and mood successfully, I believe, but both lacked in typographic excellence, as well as visual sophistication. The business card design showed some progression.

What is your goal as Graphic Designer in EMP?

Since I'm still a student, I'm consistently and actively learning new things. I want to apply my learnings and achievements in whatever I design for EMP.

Thank you for your time Robin. We look forward to your other designs in the future.

Dim Sum with Angus of "io"

2010-02-17T22:31:00.008-08:00

Gigi had seen and worked with many many local bands. but only one band, Gigi's willing to says she's their "die hard fan"!! and that band is.....*drum roll..... "io"!!!!!!! I LOVE io!!!!!! Ever since the first day I met them at "Summer Music Blast 2007"!! Gigi loves io!
"io" went to Taiwan almost 2 years ago to chase their music dream. I wish them all the success. While they r away.. Gigi listens to their musics, and watch their videos almost EVERYDAY(yes.. I'm obsess...but.. come on!! they r "io"!!)!!
Last week, the vocal of "io" Angus Chan, went back to Vancouver to visit his mom for a week and for Chinese New Year. Kaila and I took the chance to ask Angus to find some time to hang out. Since Angus told me on msn how much he misses the dim sum in Vancouver, we decided to go dim sum, and let him order as much as he wants! And end up, Angus broke the record of the most dim sum ever ordered by 3 ppl.. *drum roll..... 14 dishes!!!!! Wow!! This will goes down the history!
Thx for taking time to hang out with us Angus~~ I miss u sooooo much. Good luck in Taiwan!!! I'll pray for you. God bless.

xoxo
Gigi

UBCJA "Shockwave"

2010-02-17T21:34:00.006-08:00

On Feb 4th,2010. UBCJA hosted a Rock concert called "Shockwave". Interestingly, "Shockwave" was also the name of EMP's first big gig. EMP's "Paris in Tokyo" was invited to play with 3 other bands that night. We had a lot of fun. Thx for inviting us UBCJA! Gigi was busy as usual at back stage with "Paris in Tokyo" for hair and makeup, "Re-frian" asked to get some hair and makeup done too, haha XD Sure! line up kids! Let Gigi Mama works her magic on all of u! XD
As usual, we went after party for beers(especially if Hayato is here, Hayato needs beers, always..). We went to "Guu Garden" for after party. That was fun! We need to party more often! XD

xoxo
Gigi

127 birthday with CMEV @ "Chill"

2010-02-17T20:06:00.016-08:00

On Gigi and Kaila's birthday(Jan 27), Gigi and Locus went to "Chill" for a performance with CMEV's Edward Chui(who's also a 127). Many of our dear friends from EMP, local bands, photographers, friends, and fans, came to "Chill" to hang out with us on our special day, it was awesome. Thx guys!!^^

A week after our birthday, CMEV did another show at "Chill" again. Kaila and I went to support.^^

Good job CMEV! Maybe someday we can jam.^^

xoxo
Gigi

Flavour of Glamour Fashion Show backstage by Epic Marble Project

2010-02-13T01:51:00.007-08:00

For several years in my life, fashion show backstages were as normal as being a second home to me. The smell of hairsprays, the usual chaoes on makeup tables, and the habit of hanging clothes up facing left were all once again a reality for me today at the backstage of "Flavour of Glamour" fashion show at Tinseltown International Village. But the rush of nervousness was different for me this time, very different. For the first time in my life, I was my own show's director. And I lived to tell the tale.

With the miracle help from Daizo and Gigi from EMP, the show ran smoothly from beginning to finish. My backstage manager Stanley actually did his 100 runway walks on the side of the stage as he escorts EVERY model, tired and exhausted, but he still did his best to put a smile on his face. I dunno how he could have done that, but he did. I truly thought I had one of the most amazing evenings. Even sleeping just 2 hours on the eve of the show was worth it.

Next challenge: S.L.E.E.P. . . .. . definitely sleep . . ..zzzzzzzZZZZZZZ

love,

Kaila of EMP

Special thank you to :

beloved Dennis and Horace, Jon, the talented mc Ken and Eric, sound by Wilson @ excite, Joanna of Henderson, our sponsors and venders from the show, and most of all, Ms. Chris Lee, for your faith in us and my crew. XOXO

"One World Celebration" Variety Show

2010-02-02T04:03:00.017-08:00

On feb 19th and 20th of 2010, River Rock Casino Theatre of Richmond will present the first of its kind theatre concept variety show "One World Celebration" in welcoming the year of tiger in the Asian tradition. This grand spectular event will feature many state of the art vision and sound effects, combined with a elite selection of performing acts from the mysterious traditional "Magic of Changing Masks" to the electifying performance by Beijing established songwriter/recording artist Mr. Zhang Bo Hong, to local talents Chen Ling Dance Academy and other great performances, united in one not to miss show of year 2010.

Tickets are $28, $38, $58 $88 available at Ticket Master or through us. Tickets are selling fast, please contact us asap to purchase your tickets. I hope to see you there for one magical evening of great talents and wonders :)

Event: "One World Celebration" Variety Show

Date: Feb 19th and 20th 2010

Location: River Rock Casino Theatre

Tickets: $28, $38, $58 and $88

Tickets available though Ticket Master or EMP's Kaila cloverks@hotmail.com

No one sleeps in Tokyo

2010-01-30T21:13:00.016-08:00

Day 7 (Jan. 12)

My morning in Sendai began with a diverse selection of Western, Chinese and Japanese food.
With a line-up of Shumai, meatballs, onsen tamago, tako wasabi, and more, who would say no to refills and seconds? After a filling and hearty meal, I satisfied my cravings for sweets and desserts with cakes, cakes and cakes XD

I checked out of the ryokan after treating my tired and exhausted body to a dip in the onsen. Knowing that there will be a lot to miss, our pack hit the road back to Yokohama.
During the long car ride, I got a chance to catch up on some J-POP trends. It seemed like J-pop duo, Love Psychedelico released their 5th original album, "Abbot Kinney".
Known for their hit single, "Last Smile", the band made their major debut back in the year, 2000. With members Kumi on vocal/guitar and Naoki on guitar, the duo has produced tracks oriented on guitar. For their new album, it seemed like they were rediscovering the acoustic guitar in particular. Personally, I found the track, "Here I am" to stand out the most.
This song is definitely worth a listen so check it out next time you get your hands on their CD.
To be honest, I liked the bridge more than the chorus... but this is coming from a guy that writes a piece from the bridge so... I recommend just following your ears =P

Day 8 (Jan. 13)

Now that I've marked down Kyoto, Sendai and Yokohama on my travel map, there is one location that I still haven't visited. If you haven't guessed already, it's Tokyo!
I hope this is what you were waiting for because Tokyo is the city of entertainment, exotic culture and absolute randomness.
Nothing is really predictable here, because you can be in the middle of a concrete jungle, and still find things like a stone lantern.

In Shibuya, I came across a Taiyaki store (a fish shaped pancake filled with red beans) that sells different variations, such as matcha, chocolate and strawberry cream.
I wasn't adventurous enough to taste the strawberry cream so I selected matcha (green tea).
The taiyaki actually had a soft mochi-like texture (rice cake) and the fillings were hot, so it was perfect for a cold day.

I also made a trip to Akihabara, the so-called electric town.
Known as an area full of electronic appliances, video games, and anime, the city is full of tourists, maids and otakus (Japanese term for nerds).
While drinking cans of Evangelion (robot anime) coffee, I stopped by at numerous video game shops to watch the Final Fantasy XIII trailer being repeatedly played on the monitors (a role-playing game out for the video game console, PlayStation 3). I actually purchased the game myself, but I guess I will talk about that some other time.

After re-discovering the fact that I'm actually an otaku myself, I made stops at Shinjuku and Harajuku to "research" the current fashion trend in Japan.
I really enjoyed looking around the clothing stores in Harajuku because they sold clothes for cheap, and they sell various styles depending on the store.
I personally find my style slightly different from the stores in Harajuku, but I enjoyed looking and trying out different styles. It's never too old to explore... right?

I have a strong image of Shinjuku being a city active at night, so there wasn't much to see in the day. I will talk about Shinjuku in my future blog entry, since I made a visit there once again in the night time. That entry will probably explain why it is more interesting to visit there at night than the day as well.... =)

I ended my day in the city shadowed and towered by the great wall of skyscrapers.

The Next Destination - Sendai

2010-01-28T03:14:00.017-08:00

Day 5 (Jan. 10)

It was my last day in Kyoto.
2 nights and 3 days swung by at the speed of a bullet train.
While looking back at my memories, we concluded our trip in Kyoto by visiting the Arashiyama area, which is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Kyoto, with its many souvenir shops and beautiful scenery. Although the tables of the shops were nicely decorated with loads of snacks and food, we had one objective in mind, and this was to visit the Geinou Jinja.
Geinou Jinja is a shrine or temple that brings good luck to those seeking to succeed as a celebrity, musician, or artist.
Call me superstitious but I'd rather give it a chance than to just say that I don't believe in these things.

As you can see in the picture, the shrine is full of red wood blocks that have names engraved on them. The names that are on the blocks are names of celebrities who have sponsored the shrine.
If you look close enough, you can see names of many successful individuals... famous actors and actresses, artists, celebrities and musicians (I was able to spot some members of EXILE, the Japanese dance group).
I'm pretty sure this is expected but I made another wish at the shrine.
Again, the wish is a secret =)

After a long and productive tour around Arashiyama, we headed back to Yokohama.
On the way to Yokohama, we stopped by at a delicious unagi (broiled eel) restaurant that served only unagi dons (eel on rice) and nothing else.
In other words, their reputation and their life is dependent on unagi.
I'm sure you would say that's crazy, but after a bite of this, I'm sure you would understand.
This unagi don.... is simply the best bowl I've had in my life.
Undoubtedly, it was a taste I would never forget.

Day 6 (Jan. 11)

Continuing with our reckless tour of non-stop entertainment, our next destination was Sendai.
To seek a relaxing stay, we headed towards a ryokan (traditional Japanese-style hotel), that was located in the middle of mountains and lakes. It seemed like it was snowing at Sendai for a while, but fortunately, on the day of our arrival, the snow took mercy on our poor souls with no jackets.

For our stay, we selected a package with dinner, free access to the onsen (hot springs), and a breakfast buffet.
To be honest, I wasn't really expecting much when I first heard the package deal.
8000 yen (approx. $94 CDN) for all this!? It sounded too good to be true.
However, my presumptions were clearly mistaken.

When I first saw the dinner tray, I thought it was for the two of us.
Pork sukiyaki, sashimi, and a few small dishes. Sounded reasonable.
But no, this was actually for one individual.
Although I couldn't fit the other dishes and the dessert in the frame, this was actually only part of it! What a deal!

What surprised me the most was actually the onsen.
The ryokan actually had one big indoor onsen (like the one from Harrison Hot Springs in Canada), as well as a big outdoor onsen with four different types of springs.
I found the outdoor one to be a really good experience because I was able to look at the mountains topped with snow, while relaxing in the warm and cozy onsen.
This is something you can't really experience in Canada, and surely something you can't really experience in big cities like Tokyo.
With all my stress and pain flowing out of my body, my sleep that night was the most comfortable and relaxing one yet.
With high expectations for a delicious and filling breakfast, I called it a day.

Hopes For The New Year

2010-01-26T23:17:00.035-08:00

Day 4 (Jan.9)

It was a nice fine Kyoto morning - quiet, modest, delicate and spiritual.
As I let the alcohol slowly evaporate within my system, the sun slipped through the curtains to shed light upon the tatami and my drowsy life-less eyes.
Knowing that my time here is very little, and that I can only enjoy so much, I hopped on to the bus to the heart of Kyoto city.

After a stroll around Shijo street and Gion, I grabbed myself a Kyo-ramen (Kyoto noodles) for lunch. Unlike the other ramen I've tried, the taste was quite light and it contained a lot of mushrooms (which I don't usually prefer) but it was very refreshing for an intoxicated traveler.
To be honest, I actually preferred more of the Matcha parfait that my partner got, but let's just pretend you never heard that.

As soon as our stomachs were satisfied with a filling lunch, we walked to the shrines to make our wishes for the new coming year.
In Japanese tradition, there is a superstition that our wishes would be granted by making a wish in front of the shrine while putting your hands before you.
It is said that our wishes would not come true if you reveal it to any one other than yourself and the spirit you made your wish upon. So no, I'm not going to be telling you my wish =D

To finish off my tour in Kyoto, I attempted at an Omikuji, which is a box with a hole at the bottom with a bunch of straws inside. After a good shake of the box, one of the straws will come out telling you your fortune for the new year. I was actually fortunate enough to pull out a Daikichi, which is the best fortune you can ever get! Although all the messages that were in the fortune were very vague, I am hoping that everything will work out this year.
With big hopes for a great year I ended Day 4.

In Kyoto

2010-01-25T21:42:00.020-08:00

Day 3 (Jan.8)

Right after the China Town tour, we took the night bus to head to our second destination - Kyoto.
The bus was freezing cold, and the only thing that could really keep us warm was a blanket that was supplied in the bus. As you can see in the picture below, the rest station that the bus stopped at was getting covered with sheets of snow. Fortunately, the inside of the station was fairly warm and there was a small food court with a few souvenir stores... perfect for killing time!

We arrived in Kyoto at 7am in the morning, and after a short coffee break, we headed to Osaka to watch Takarazuka (a musical theatre performed by only females).
It was actually the first musical I've ever watched. I was astonished by the dynamic outfits, and the amazing set. Before the show, I happened to be reading a book about what distinguishes good musicals from the bad, and in the book, it mentioned that good musicals make smooth transitions from the plot to the songs.
I could really see that in the performance. I felt that musicals have a lot of things in common with band shows. Kind of like how successful shows make smooth transitions from one band to another... something that we have constantly been working towards.

At night, I met up with a friend who has taught me a lot about music, over some okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza) and beer in Kyoto.
We only meet and talk every once in two years, but everytime I meet him, we have something to talk about. Currently, he is the vocal/guitar of the band, The Lions, and he also hosts many band shows for other bands in the community.
Recently, their band released their first mini-album on a cassette tape, and has been successful in having their copies sold at local indie shops.

After a brief conversation, I was quite interested to find that success is only a matter of perception and nothing concrete. I have always thought that in order to be successful in music, you have to get your music known. In order to get known, I have thought of many methods, such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and other social networking sites.
However, he mentioned that his dream is to explore various mediums and for his next album, he mentioned that he wanted to release it on vinyl.

Even though he is now married and is a full-time worker in Japan, he still continues to play music to accomplish his dream. On weekdays, he works. On weekends, he hosts band shows, drives his band, writes songs, and leads the band.
For me, I find that a lot of work, and if I was put in the same position, I probably wouldn't be able to last a month. I asked him how he could handle so much work, and why he puts so much time into something he cannot earn money for. He simply answered "the band is what I live for."

I somehow felt that this was the answer I had been waiting for.

After being enlightened for the night, I realized that I had just missed the last bus....
I ended the night having to catch the taxi and being locked out from the hotel for an hour =(

Back from Japan!

2010-01-24T01:01:00.012-08:00

13 days. Japan.

Every day was another day, another city, another feeling.
All the cities I was able to visit had their own unique qualities that was distinctively different from another.
My original purpose for this trip was to expand connections with bands in Japan, as an aspiring musician, a member of Epic Marble Project and as the bassist of Paris in Tokyo.
This is a blog about my 13 days in Japan.

Day 1 (Jan.6)
After a long and dull plane ride (that was spiced up with 2-3 cans of Asahi Beer), I arrived in Japan at 3pm in the afternoon.
Due to the fact that all my trips to Japan were usually during the summer, which are rather disturbingly hot and humid, I was quite surprised to be welcomed this time by dry and piercing cold air. For me, cold is always better than hot... but that's ONLY when you're dressed RIGHT.
But yes, as you can see, I did make it through alive. Thank god Japanese buildings are all over-heated.

On my first day of arrival, I stayed at Yokohama.

Day 2 (Jan. 7)
On the second day of my trip, I woke up early in the morning to get ready for an adventure in Yokohama China Town.
This was actually my second visit to China Town, but on my first time, I ended up only eating a Bento lunch box that I could have purchased anywhere. It was a big waste for me, but since I was alone that time I was reluctant in entering a restaurant.
This time, I wasn't alone so we decided to try out the gourmet "nikuman" (meat bun).

We decided to try out three types of nikuman.
For our first choice, we got an Abalone shark fin bun (Awabi Fukahire man), which we chose for its appealing name and rich combination. For the second choice, we selected a big butaman (pork bun) and for the third, we picked 3 different types of buns - anman (red bean), nikuman (meat), and matchaman (match green tea).
All of them were delicious, but I prefer the Abalone Sharkfin bun.
This was definitely one-of-a-kind!
To top it off, I finished my lunch with my personal favorite, Mabo-Tofu.

After a filling lunch, we visited the Aka Renga Souko (red brick warehouse), which is pretty much a shopping mall that looks like a warehouse.
With its stylish design, you can enjoy shopping for items such as silver accessories, clothing, and hats. Even though it is supposed to look like a "warehouse", most of the shops inside are a little pricy so I recommend putting a lock on your wallet unless you're loaded and ready to spend.
At the same location, I was quite surprised to see Yuko Ogura, who is a Japanese celebrity, trying out the food from the restaurants in the Aka Renga.
It seemed like they were filming her so I guess it was for some food variety program that they show on TV.
What was really surprising was when I exited the mall, she was right in front of my eyes running toward the ocean with a large film crew chasing after her.....

It was certainly an interesting way to start off Day 2 in Japan....

Epic Marble Project's LOCUS helping with the Haiti Relief Effort Fund

2010-01-18T02:31:00.002-08:00

Epic Marble Project's LOCUS is now donating a portion of there CD sales as well as itune downloads to UNICEF for the Haiti Disaster Relief Effort Fund. In hours of dark may music spread help and hope to those in need.

LOCUS itune download link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ambrosiaid336707039

Or donate to UNICEF: www.unicef.org

Best wishes.

Rock Bands Potluck!

2010-01-05T00:20:00.006-08:00

Hey everyone! Yup, pink text, Gigi's here. XD

Jan 2,2010 Gigi had a little potluck at home with a bunch of musician friends. It was awesome fun, good foods, chats about music, and we jammed! .. on Wii "Rock Band". lol Members from 6 different bands joined the party, felt like all types of music mixed together that night, felt like a really cool concert. XD It was really fun to see Kaila(vocal of "Locus") and Misaki(vocal of "Paris in Tokyo") on drums. Mati(drummer of "One Arm Bear) on guitar, Jake(drummer of "X:enders") on vocal. 2 of our greatest bassists Daizo(Paris in Tokyo) and Mike(Cakeshop) were on bass as usual^^. and Moses(guitarist of "Aura"), he fitted in every positions! Vocal, guitar, drum.. Momo was everywhere! XD
Thx Q everyone for joining the party, it was super awesome. and we must do it again! Soon!! XD

xoxo
Gigi

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T21:46:00.015-08:00

I hope you enjoyed your holidays and getting ready for another "exciting" year of school and work =P If you haven't already, I recommend partying it up or hitting the mountain before it's too late!!!

Looking back at 2009, Epic Marble Project has come a long way.
In this one year, we were able to host a total of 6 band shows, promote events over various media (including Radio Nippon, Oops, OMNI, Georgia Straight etc.), and start the Epic Marble Blog (which you are reading now!).

For 2010, EMP will go beyond what we have done in 2009, and venture into fields we have not challenged before. It will be something new for EMP, but also for myself. I hope it will be the same for other members of EMP too.

Here are some things that EMP has in mind for 2010:
1) visual / audio version of the Epic Marble Blog
2) SHOCKWAVE 2
3) Summer Spark 2010
4) collaboration with several big organizations in Vancouver

Details are soon to come so keep checking the EMP website (http://www.epicmarbleproject.com), Epic Marble Blog and the Official EMP Facebook Group!

P.S.
I will be in Japan until mid January to further expand connections with active Japanese bands and organizers! I will try to update info from Japan so check back every once in a while~

DAIZO

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

2009-12-28T09:24:00.006-08:00

I've been watching a lot of movies lately.
This is the list of the movies I've been watching this week:
Bourne Identity, The Day After Tomorrow, Santa Clause, Paris (English subs), Dragon Ball Evolution, Laputa (English dubs), Julie and Julia, Gazon Maudit (English subs), Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Legally Blonde, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

Hard to find a trend here? ^^;

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was a great film, actually.
With a fantastic line-up of incredible actors and actresses, it almost got me into a false assumption that the film is "just" about the "glamorous" casts, and nothing more.
However, I was proved wrong.
I thought the casting and actors were not only brilliant but appropriate.
Although Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell voluntarily showed up in the film to make up for the untimely and unfortunate death of Heath Ledger, it didn't really disrupt the consistency of the film.
The dream worlds that appear ever so often were unique and inspiring too.
I think the design of the balloon that appears in the dream world of the little boy was quite delicious =P
If you are a Vancouverite, you're in for a pleasant surprise at the end.

DAIZO

Seasons Greetings

2009-12-26T00:37:00.005-08:00

Merry Christmas!

I hope you are enjoying your holidays and getting ready for New Years!
I'm kind of glad it's not a white Christmas this year.
Not being unromantic or anything.
I hope you know what I mean.

Anyhow, my Christmas this year wasn't really the best.
Despite the fact that my place is in downtown, the streets weren't filled with the jolly feeling of Christmas, nor were the apartments or houses.
No snow (snow is okay as long as it's not the day I'm working^^). Cold. Cloudy. Rainy. Windy.
Work.
Yes, I worked on Christmas Day.... well, I'm getting paid a fair amount so I guess it's alright.

Well to get back on topic again, on Christmas Eve, I spent the night watching my favorite Christmas movie, "Santa Clause," and heading down to Stanley Park to attend "12th Annual Bright Nights in Stanley Park".
The event is pretty much a park full of Christmas lights. It was great to see all the illumination as it finally got me into the Christmas spirit (so they say).
I was actually quite surprised with the traffic.. I guess the fact it was Christmas Eve wasn't helping much. Anyways it was definitely worth the visit.
Admission is by donation only and the parking lot is free so it's good to visit after dinner in downtown.

Happy Holidays!

http://vancouver.ca/parks/events/brightnights/index.htm

DAIZO

"Outbreak"

2009-12-19T22:38:00.009-08:00

Hihi ppl! Gigi's here!
Last night I went to a Rock concert "Outbreak" hosted by "EVE". First, I wanna congratulate "EVE" on their successful sold out show. Good jobs guys! 4 bands were playing last night, including our beloved "x:Enders". I was excited to hear what "Re-Frain." would sounds like, and they r GOOD! I'll be looking forward to have u guys in our show someday.^^

How to N.O.T miss performing at a gig on a snowing day by LOCUS

2009-12-16T00:34:00.008-08:00

On a snowing day, I would very much like to be a couch potato being roasted by the fireplace with the television on and watching Home Alone 2 and pretend I'm still 10 years old.

But no, not this past Monday night Dec the 14th. Jason, Kelvin and I had a very adventurious day and it felt like we traveled across the Atlantic ocean and back. To make it easier, I have sorted out our very eventful day in a timeline. Our goal was to make it alive and well with all our equipments to the Solace Music Nation show at The Tipper on 2066 Kingsway on the first snowing day this year. To make matters more adventurious, the whole thing started the night before.

Sunday Dec 13th

7:00pm

- It suddenly dawned on us that it will snow on our show night!!!!!!!!We had to figure out how to get to the venue with A.L.L our equipments but without driving in the snow. ( ......we are city people, we don't do snow tires.......)

11:00pm

- Jason and I decided to pack everything ( a car full of guitar, keyboard, stands and . . stuff) and move them to the venue at 8am in the morning, before the snow starts at 4pm in the afternoon.

Monday Dec 14th

6:00am

- Jason got up and packed and double checked we have everything.

- I just got up, and looking very miserable, and raced down hwy 1 to get to Jason's place at 7am

7am

-loaded everything to the car

8am

- unloaded everything at the venue

9am -3pm

- while Jason and Kelvin were working very hard at their job, I hibernated on the couch next to the fireplace

5:00pm

-met Jason and Kelvin in dt by public transit, and began our journey from dt to the venue at the corner of Victoria and Kingsway : The Review Room @ The Tipper 2066 Kingsway, Van.

5:01pm

- it suddenly dawned on us that this is the first time we ever took public transit to perform at a show.......

5:25pm

- arrived at Nanimo skytrain station and pray to God our #25 bus arrives on time because we were in the danger of becoming 3 ice statues as warning to other musicians to not to take public transit on a freezing snowing day. ( We were in our nice performance clothes. . . they tend to be. . thin . . .)

5:30pm

- arrived at the venue safe and sound, just. . couldn't feel all 10 toes, otherwise we were very much alive.

All in all, we had alot of fun performing at The Tipper and got to meet some great musicians like Gina Lily and Owen Lloyd Williams. And I got to try their very delicious Apple pie :) It's definitely all worth it at the end :)

And!!!!! THANK YOU JEREMY FOR PICKING US UP AND SAVING OUR LIVES!!!!!! WE LOVE YOU XOXOXOXOXO!!!!!!!

with love,

Kaila

A trip to EMP

2009-12-13T10:28:00.016-08:00

Yes, you've read correctly.

"A trip to EMP".

I was quite surprised myself when I first saw the big banner in the Seattle Center with the letters "EMP". But no, this is not the Epic Marble Project that's been sneaking around in the Vancouver music scene hosting band shows, it's the Experience Music Project! The Experience Music Project is a museum in Seattle dedicated to music. With exhibitions of rare artifacts from legendary rock bands, such as Nirvana or Jimi Hendrix (no surprise, really), booths that allow you to play with different instruments, and an educational component that teaches you the essence of most music genres, EMP is a great location for you to expand your music knowledge.

It seems like you can watch live shows here as well, and collect goods that are only available at EMP, but I guess I will save that for my next trip, as I was only able to look around the museum for a short hour. I really enjoyed the section where you are able to learn how to play the drums, as I cannot play the drums at all. The effector section where you can play around with the effect pedals were nice as well, except I felt that it could be expanded much more as it was limited to 4 effects. Personally, I felt that we should be able to use effectors of various brands, as it would save our time in going to the music shop and testing out various effects ourselves.

If you really enjoy music and feel like you want to learn more about its history, or if you simply want to learn how to jam, EMP is a great location to get you started!

This really falls off topic, but there is something I must mention!
After a walk around the Pike Place Market, picked up a few books from Kinokuniya Bookstore that's located inside the Uwajimaya (a giant Japanese superstore), and strolled around Starbucks, I came across a great Mexican restaurant that I really really really need to write about. It was on the way home from Seattle, and I was really hungry so I decided to pick up something to eat. I didn't have a mood for any particular type of food at that time... I just wanted to stuff myself with anything that I could find so I walked into this random Mexican restaurant by the name Gorditos.

I got myself a wet steak burrito, thinking it would be one of those small burritos you get at those fast food restaurants. But hola! When the food was delivered to our table, I actually thought the waiter mistook the order with lasagna or something.....

It was HUGE!
The burrito was literally stuffed with chopped up beef steak, Mexican rice, beans, and tomatoes. As you can see, it's also topped with cheese and sour cream as well, which really blended in well with the other ingredients in the burrito.
The meal also came with nachos and salsa. I have to admit this is one of the best burritos I've had in my life! XD
Check it out at: http://gorditoshealthymexicanfood.com/

DAIZO

Music Otaku orz...

2009-12-02T22:01:00.004-08:00

Hi everyone,

This is Jeremy writing here :)

Reading the previous entry, I feel very honored to have Daizo's recognition. I must point out, however, it is not too hard to follow instructions and do what you're told to do :P Actually, it is extremely difficult to be a leader and get the wheels turning. For that, I honestly believe that Daizo is our true benefactor, and I am very lucky to have the opportunity to work with him.

I must apologize for my recent absence. University has finally taken its toll on me, and I have just learned how "a mountain pile of homework" is not a metaphor, but a physical fact lol. A lot of people have asked me, "so you don't have time for music anymore?", I have to say that's not exactly true. Since I am studying music at school, it is actually quite the opposite. I have a "mountain worth" of music studying and practices to do!

Anyways, it's good to see this blog as a new expansion to our network. I hope to write some more interesting entries in the future. There's just...not much life to a nerd hahaha :P Well~not unless you want to hear about my recent exciting discoveries in music theory!

JEREMY

How it all started...

2009-11-30T23:47:00.004-08:00

Every day was a race for us, when EPIC MARBLE PROJECT first came to being, back in the summer of 2008.
It all began from a little conversation on MSN Messenger, while Jeremy and I were discussing the Moo-ve Reunion show.
Ever since I had met Jeremy, I was fascinated by his event hosting skills.
He was not only very coordinated, but he also focused on little details that were necessary in making the shows a success.

At that time, I was the president of a club in Simon Fraser University, but I felt that there were a lot of things I could learn from him.
I felt that the direction he was heading was very similar to mine, and that working with him would be very inspirational.
As a matter of fact, it was.
At our second discussion over dinner, we formulated a plot to host a rock festival here in Vancouver.
This is also the time Jeremy suggested making an event organization team, which is the EPIC MARBLE PROJECT we have here today, and the recruitment of Kaila from LOCUS.

After the three of us got together, we were able to meet and recruit exceptional talents including Gigi, Kaz, Cynthia, Sammy, Dennis, Robin, Horace, Dale, Alex and many others who have supported us.
It's surprising how time passes by so quickly as a year has already passed, and we are working towards our seventh event next year....
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you, and to assure you that our goal is not far. Thanks!

DAIZO

Hitting downtown on a night of all that jazz^^

2009-11-25T22:00:00.018-08:00

Imagine on a cozy not too cold, barely rainy Tuesday night, hanging out with friends in Downtown Vancouver Denman street, having a casual dinner at the very modern yet vintage "Legendary Noodles", and then attended a 8:30pm Jazz and casual plug in night at the hip and chic "Central Bistro", drinking martinis and largers and spending the night being at ease . And that was exactly what Jason and I did this Tues, and had tons of fun. Tons :) Who said entertainment has to wait until the weekends ^^

Where:

Central Bistro on Denman Street

Who:

The talented Tara C Taylor, the sweetheart Kacie Wallace, the rocker Hazen Rice, the glamour diva Matthew Presidente & Special Guest, the hearttrob Matthew Mai

What:

Every Tuesday night Ms. Tara C Taylor and her beautiful musician friends Matthew Presidente, Kacie Wallace and Hazen Rice performs both covers and original songs to audiences at Centro Bistro. For more info: http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=198294909776&ref=mf

KAILA

It Might Get Loud

2009-11-23T10:25:00.000-08:00

A documentary closed-up on three guitar virtuosos from three different bands, three different generations, with three different sounds is the catch of the movie - It Might Get Loud.
Featuring guitarists: The Edge, Jack White and Jimmy Page, the movie rolls on with talk sessions, footages of their past, and close-ups on how they developed their sound and why they sound the way they do today.

The concept really appealed to me. As soon as I watched the trailer, I had this urge to see it, so I took some "precious" time off working on my compositions (it's not an excuse! believe me!) and rushing to the nearest theatre. As I was waiting, my anticipation and adrenaline level was elevating like a thermometer dropped in magma, but I tried to keep it cool as the clock ticked away. However, even though it was past showtime, the theatre lights were still low, and the doors were locked shut. A lady behind me lost her patience and called the phone number on the door of the theatre and after several rings, a man (probably the owner) finally picked up.
My mouth gaped wide open when I heard the lady tell us that the reason for the owner's absence was.... well..... because he was caught in traffic.....
Very "rock star"... that's all I can say.

Anyway, the movie was spectacular. It didn't have that dull, geeky feel that some documentaries have (not that I'm against documentaries or anything) because it was easy to understand for those who weren't familiar with their music and it wasn't a collection of old footage. It was also very delightful how they had mini-sessions, because it's not something that happens very often, and it's very unlikely that it will happen again. I was amazed that their sounds didn't clash despite their differences in characteristics, and instead, blended in beautifully. Moreover, it was great when they talked of pedals because that's one of my biggest fascinations =)

The conversations amongst the three were very inspiring; they talked of their philosophies and how they felt about being an artist. Personally, I felt that their comment about "having the music lead themselves" was really interesting. It never really occurred to me to have the compositions compose on their own. This really helped me with my composition.
Thank god. Urr... guitar god.

Ultimately, what I got from this movie was that success is not really the goal of music, but more of a checkpoint. Jimmy Page, Jack White and The Edge were all very hungry about their music and they were really ambitious about developing their sound. It really made sense to me why they continue to play music despite their successes and why they continue to be successful. It's simple.
It's because they're always eager to make something new and not just more cash for their pockets.

It was also very nice to see Jimmy Page. He's STILL really cool.

DAIZO

First Post!

2009-11-22T11:14:00.000-08:00

It's great to hear local talents being active in the music scene, and it's certainly my honor to be able to introduce them.

Epic Marble Blog is a journal written by members of Epic Marble Project, which will feature interviews with artists, review discs/lives, and inform on the latest news in the scene.... as well as reviewing favorite restaurants (we all like food), talking about our favorite movies, and writing about funky occurrences in our daily lives....
In other words, it's a blog XD

Anyways, I would like to start our first entry by introducing a sensational pop/electronic band that has been one of the leading bands in the Vancouver music scene - Locus! With their fresh new maxi-single, Shine, the band unveils their new direction by producing the CD entirely by themselves. All tracks are written, recorded and mastered by the band alone, showing their exceptional talents as creators, and not just performers.

The feature track, Shooting Star, is a dramatic and warm ballad that blends the beautiful acoustic sound of the piano and guitar, with the cool and engulfing electronic sound of the keyboard.
Packaged with everything that is Locus, the single is a delightful reward for hardcore fans, and a great sampler for those who have yet to hear their music.
Simply put, Shine is another classic from Locus that cannot be missed.

DAIZO

LOCUS - SHINE
Release Date: November 14, 2009

1. 冰園
2. 流星 (Single Edit)
3. Shine (Mind Over Rapture Remix)
4. 向日葵 (Sunflower)
5. Amber Rain

http://locus.anniegroup.com

Order your copies from locus@anniegroup.com or download from http://www.nimbitmusic.com/locus