Daily Archives: August 19, 2010

Vote DKWAN as Youtube Dance Studio winner

Vote DKWAN as Youtube Dance Studio winner

We spotted this on the homepage of YouTube. DKWAN (aka SilkyDKwan) is one of the four finalists in the Dr Pepper Cherry YouTube Dance Studio contest. Now it’s up to you to decide the winner! You can vote once a day from now until August 23rd. The winner gets a trip for two to LA to hang with director Jon M Chu at a jam session with some of the best hip-hop dancers around. And, they’ll have the opportunity to dance in an Ultra Records music video!

Vote DKWAN as Youtube Dance Studio winner

Say Ahh – Live Asian American Remix

Say Ahh - Live Asian American Remix

Earlier this year, JRA, D-Pryde, Lil Crazed, J.Reyez, and Traphik release a collabo remix of Say Ahh by Trey Songz x Fabolous. The Asian American and Asian Canadian artists quickly followed up with a music video for Say Ahh – Asian American Remix. Collectively, the track/video has over 2 million views on Youtube. Over the weekend at REIGN in Seattle, the group got together for the first time to perform the song. From the video, you can see the crazy response in the audience. And this is just Seattle!

Traphik says it best:

the question of “why are there only asians in the audience and on stage?” the answer is this. major media outlets like television and radio have yet to really embrace asian americans, which is why you see so many of us runnin sh*t on youtube. comedy wise, music wise, we have been forced to do it all ourselves and build our own networks, and the communities support, as you can see in the video. we have to do it ourselves, cuz no one wants to let us in yet.

we actually each have a lot of original songs, multiple albums worth, but this is the only song that we’re ALL on, and it has over 2 million views on youtube, so why not close the show with this?

Also see his previous commentary on race. Also check Youtube for tons of video from the show. We hope to see JRA, D-Pryde, Lil Crazed, J.Reyez, and Traphik perform together again soon.

Say Ahh – Live Asian American Remix (J.Reyez version)

Say Ahh – Live Asian American Remix (Traphik version)

FM SATELLITES – Episode 32

FM Satellites - Episode 32

During the All Hearts Tour, Far East Movement got busy in NYC. They hit up Shake Shack, where J-Splif shows you how to drink Peanut Butter, it might have gotten the first 3 fingers down? Then they finish off the tour strong hittin radio stations along the east coast. Three fingers up for spread the FM love to the East Coast.

FM SATELLITES – Episode 32

BTW – Far East Movement recently completed their upcoming album “Free Wired”. With a release date of late fall 2010, it will be their first official album with Cherrytree / Interscope Records. You can be the first to listen to “Free Wired” in NYC. Get details here. Here’s a sneak peek of the album cover:

GO! OHANA – August 2010

GO! OHANA -  August 2010

If you’re in the SF Bay Area, check out GO! OHANA tonite. GO! OHANA is RAMA’s monthly APA music and art show. Emceed by Ryan Takemiya, the event showcases independent Pan Asian art on a one-of-a-kind stage at La Pena Cultural Center. Here’s this month’s line up:

Cynthia Lin
Singer/songwriter Cynthia Lin captures audiences with a refreshing blend of acoustic jazz and poetic folk to match her soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics. Since 2003, Cynthia has released two albums independently and toured nationally.

Dune Tran
Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, currently residing in the SF bay area of California, this Vietnamese female singer songwriter has been developing her musical skills and honing her songwriting craft since college. Influenced by artists such as Tori Amos, Aimee Mann, Regina Spektor, among others, she’s written a unique collection of pop/alternative songs. Ranging from soothing and melancholy, to upbeat and invigorating and from rich and lush to barren and stark, there is something to inspire and catch the attention of listeners of all backgrounds.

Fuifuilupei Niumeitolu
Fuifuilupe Niumeitolu is a Tongan American scholar, community organizer and poet. Her writing has been published widely in academic journals and family newsletters. She is a co-editor of “USOS On Freeways: An Anthology of Pacific Islander Writers from the Continental U.S.”

Infin8
iNFiN8 is a New York City based dance company whose mission is to create movement to inspire movement. Influenced by various forms of dance, iNFiN8 creates provocative movement to develop a new form of expression. By using dance as a platform to share ideas and provoke thought, iNFiN8 seeks to inspire movement in its audiences with each performance. Two members of iNFiN8 Dance Company are currently living in the Bay Area. They will be performing dance pieces originally choreographed and performed by iNFiN8 NYC at GO!OHANA August 19th.

Joyo Velarde featuring Kat Ouano
If you lived in California in the 90s, chances are you’ve sung Joyo’s refrain in the shower. After the Manila-born NorCal transplant finished studying opera in Rome, she returned to the Bay Area, where she and future husband Lyrics Born recorded what would go on to be Solesides’ greatest hit, a little number called “Balcony Beach.”
Having already appeared twice on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and featured on over 20 albums, including Lyrics Born’s blockbuster indie classics Later That Day (on which she performed and co-wrote 10 songs, including the ubiquitous “Callin’ Out” – featured on commercials for Diet Coke and Motorola), 2005′s Same Sh*%t Different Day, and 2008′s Everywhere at Once, 2010 finally sees Joyo step into the spotlight, with the release of her solo debut, Love and Understanding.

Take You Home by Joyo Velarde

GO!OHANA
Thursday, August 19, 2010
7:30pm
La Pena Cultural Center
3105 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA

Admission $10-$20 sliding scale, cash only (no one turned away)
Doors open at 7:00pm
Food and Drink!
Free Raffle!

Bringing you the finest and most innovative independent Pan Asian artistic talent at exciting concerts and events. Here’s some performances for the last Go! Ohana.

Growing up With Mr. Shen shorts

Growing up With Mr. Shen shorts

Artist Alexander Shen created some short vignettes from some observations growing up in a Chinese family. You might identify with some of these yourself. Here’s the Growing up With Mr. Shen shorts

“Growing up, my parents used to tell me to eat all of my food. They also said that for every grain of rice I didn’t finish, a pimple or scar would appear on my future wife’s face.”

Bowls of rice – Growing up With Mr. Shen

“Growing up, my family always kept a drawer full of pens. The silly thing is that the pens in this drawer never worked. The sillier thing is that we never threw those pens away.”

Pen drawer – Growing up With Mr. Shen

TonyT Sessions

Tony T Sessions

If you’re in the Orange County area on August 29th, you might be interested in checking out the Tony T Sessions. Ever wonder what an artist thinks when they create a song? The Tony T Sessions allows the artist to talk about the songs they created, perform, and interact with a live audience and fans online in real time. Doors open at 3pm, and the concert starts at 4pm. Here’s the artist line up:

Kristine Sa
KRISTINE SA is a singer/songwriter known for her sultry voice and heartfelt lyrics. She is also a beloved Vietnamese American television producer/host known for her young, bilingual, innovative style. Her career began with music in 2000, and now in 2010, includes a wide range of mediums, talents, and languages.

DAVID Applesauce TRAN



GIANA NGUYEN 
GIANA NGUYEN has collaborated and appeared on various albums with artists in the Vietnamese and American music industries. Most recently, her vocals can be heard on Don Ho Production’s “New Wave Nonstop” and Tony T Nguyen’s “Soundtrack to My Life”, released in 2009 and 2008, respectively. Giana is currently working on her debut E.P. as an independent artist, and looks forward to announcing its release later this year.

CONNIE LIM
Connie Lim is one of LA’s best kept secrets… but not for long. Influenced by artists like Imogen Heap, Zero7, Feist, Morcheeba, Portishead, Natalie Merchant, Nina Simone & Bill Withers, Lim creates a blend of what she calls “retrotronica”: a blend of old school songwriting & electronic sentiment. Her highly anticipated EP “The Hunted” is a heart-felt anthem for the underdogs and outcasts. Watch as she shares some of her insights towards the making of her upcoming album.

TONY T NGUYEN
Tony T Nguyen, a native of the southern California area. Through the years has been influenced through many genres of music. Tony recorded and toured with The Living Rocks during the 90’s. At the turn of the century, he recorded and toured with Outta Place. Artists like Clay Cook, and Ricky Lawson, recorded with Tony on his solo album. Tony released his latest album, Soundtrack to My Life, December 2008. He recently collaborated with Kristine Sa on her latest iTunes release, “Lonely Asylum – Demo Collections.”

SUE JIN
Sue Jin is an inspirational figure in the world of Asian American Artists. After graduating in 2005 with a BA degree in Anthropology from UCLA, she decided to pursue her passion for music. Since then, she has performed throughout Los Angeles and Hollywood, been a featured artist for numerous university events, appeared on MTV’s My Own, and was a top 10 finalist for Asian American Popstar. Her originality, sincerity, and soul, are what make her one of the most inspiring upcoming Asian American artists of today.

Tony T Sessions
Sunday, August 29, 2010
White House Event Center
1238 S. Beach Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92804

ADMISSION
ALL TICKETS INCLUDE FOOD AND DRINKS
Presale: $15 General Admission
$20 VIP (Near stage seating and gift bag)

LINK for PRESALE: http://www.tonytmusic.com/tickets

At the door: $10 for High School students with valid ID and under
$18 General Admission
$25 VIP

Opportunity for Sponsors:

Donation of $1000
– 10 VIP tickets
– Gift Bag
– Company advertising on print, web, and video

Donation of $500
– 6 VIP tickets
– Gift Bag
– Company advertising on print, web, and video

Donation of $250
– 4 VIP tickets
– Gift Bag
– Company advertising on print, web, and video

Photoshoot with friends and artists:

$5 per photo. On the spot professional printing!

$10 The Official “The Tony T Sessions” Artist Compilation CD
ONLY 250 copies available! A cd with music from all the artist performing that night! A donation will be made to Sweet Relief Charity.

Artist merchandise will be sold at the event!

TonyT Sessions Concert Announcement