YMO TO PLAY LIVE IN LONDON

Haruomi Hosono, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi are the founding members of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO), the legendary group whose innovations included the integration of exotic sounds and techno elements in its so-called 'computer music.' YMO have been the leading figures of electronic music in Japan since the late ‘70s, and have influenced countless techno/hiphop/pop/rock musicians throughout the world.

Bristol’s Massive Attack helped define British pop for 20 years. This year they are the curators for the South Bank's influential Meltdown Festival, and have invited Yellow Magic Orchestra for their first UK performance since October 16, 1980 at the (then) Hammersmith Odeon. Yellow Magic Orchestra performs at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday, June 15th.

Yellow Magic Orchestra last stage appearance was at Live Earth’s Kyoto on 7/7/07, a performance hailed by Rolling Stone as the worldwide festival’s best reunion performance. Ren Takada (Pedal Steel/Electronics), Christian Fennesz (Guitar/Electronics), Shoko Ise (visuals), and Tomohiko Gondo (HD Operation/Euphonium) will join Yellow Magic Orchestra for their Meltdown performance.

Massive Attack will perform at the beginning and the end of the festival, as well as mix a live performance of the Blade Runner soundtrack by the Heritage Orchestra. The band's other picks for Meltdown include appearances from Gang of Four, Grace Jones, Johnny Clarke, Stiff Little Fingers performing their 1979 debut Inflammable Material in its entirety, the Tom Tom Club, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, Fleet Foxes, Elbow, Adrian Sherwood, Dälek, the Cool Kids, the Shape of Broad Minds, Flying Lotus and Martina Topley-Bird.

  Meltdown Festival