MUSIC REVIEW: Tribe 25: Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers - The RNCM, Manchester.

This is now the second time I have seen a performance by the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers. It was a few years' ago at close-by theatre The Waterside, in Sale. Their performance at that time was also "Tribe", but here along with some of the titles I remembered from last time, a few interesting new ones had been added to the programme.

This concert also felt a lot more professional and 'complete entertainment' too. Perhaps because it was being performed on a large prosc. arch stage with professional lighting and sound. The theatre was also an excellent 'sound-box' too, as the reverberations of the drumming were sent across the auditorium without even the slightest hint of echo. 

For those who do not know what Taiko drums are, they are traditional Japanese double-sided drums which are usually hit with a bamboo stick, blunted at both ends, not tapered and rounded like our own drum sticks are. They come in various shapes, sizes, timbres and key / note. But it isn't just the drumming but the whole ritual that goes with it that is important. As with all Japanese arts, precision, dedication, and mind-set all contribute to the end product, all having their own gesticulations, moves, (choreography if you like), and even perhaps certain words or ejaculations which accompany a certain piece or rhythmic structure. 

With Mugenkyo, you get even more, as the performrs are not just precision drummers with impeccable rhythm; they also sing and play between them a variety of other traditional Japanese instruments, from tiny cup-shaped bells, to hand-held gongs, to traditional wooden flutes and recorders; as well as clap and stomp inviting the audience to join in on certain pieces too. 

Some of their repertoire is far more traditional than others, and indeed a couple of the items in this evening's programme were just about as far removed from drums and Japan as a Japanese Drumming troupe could get. The last piece in the first half for example was a British folk song, sung in English by the whole company, their only accompaniment being a drum beat.

'Tribe 25' is a wholly theatrical experience with ribbons, UV lighting, and a heartfelt vision that we are all 'one tribe', and we should celebrate that. A percussion ensemble that is hard to beat! (a-hem... sorry.. I'll probably get some stick for that....!)

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 6.2.22