Shidara Live in Concert at the Aratani

Shidara Live in Concert will be presented by Asano Taiko U.S. and Sacramento Taiko Dan on Wednesday, May 8, at 7 p.m. at the Aratani Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo.

Blending exceptional skill, blinding speed, and vivacious energy, Shidara’s performances defy time and place. Conveying a spirit rooted in ancient times and driven by their fresh, youthful perspective and energy, their pieces come to life with an exquisite flair and musicality practically unmatched by their contemporaries.

Though they performed for sold-out audiences throughout their prior U.S. appearances, this is the first time in nearly a decade that their intense national touring schedule in Japan has opened up enough for them to be able to return for a very limited engagement of just three concerts. With just one performance in L.A., you don’t want to miss this show.

Ticket are $35. For tickets, call (213) 680-3700 or go online to http://jaccc.org or https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/10406281

Shidara is located in Toei, a tiny town in the mountainous region of Japan called Okumikawa. The town is suffering a dramatic population decline as young people all over Japan migrate to the cities in hopes of better employment. Because of this, the old way of life is slowly fading away. Shidara is a professional taiko team preserving the waning folk traditions of Japan through song, music and dance.

Since their inception in 1989, Shidara has toured throughout Japan, with appearances in Europe, the U.S., Korea, Martinique, the Philippines, and Taiwan. In 2002, they entered the first annual International Tokyo Kumi-daiko Contest and were awarded first prize.

The next year, they created a huge stir in the North American taiko communities as guest artists in the sold-out Taiko Jam concert, held in conjunction with the biannual Taiko Conference. Standing ovations at U.S. debuts and ensuing popular demand inspired Shidara’s North American tours in 2006.

They returned to the U.S. in 2008 with a company of 11 performers and over 3,000 pounds of drums, followed by a North American tour in 2010.