Son Kite - Live In Tokyo

Have you ever used the “angle button” on you DVD-remote for anything else than porn? Well, here’s your chance to put is to some good use, ‘cause this entire first DVD disc has linear duel footage you can switch between whist watching. The live performance and graphics on angle one, and trippy VJ visuals on angle two. The soundtrack is the same – you decide on the visuals! ;o)

DVD#1:
This is the Son Kite live performance on Halloween night 2003 @ the Venusfort venue in Tokyo Japan. The venue is beautiful in its majestic appearance; most of the crowd is dressed up in imaginative costumes and Son Kite has teamed up with highly professional video jockeys to ensure the Japanese will get a breathtaking experience for all senses. And thanks to modern technology we can now get almost the same experiences at home in our living rooms.

First part of show is mainly footage of the guys twisting knobs and people dancing their asses off. Towards the latter part, the producers start incorporating more stock footage into the mix + all kinds of filters and twisted effects – increasing the visual bombardment for maximum enjoyment…

It’s a visual tour de force as much as it is a rendition of Son Kite’s greatest dancefloor bombshells. In this live performance we go beyond the Colours album – some of our fav’e tracks and remixes from the back-catalogue are delivered in smashing live-versions. Furthermore it’s also a welcomed opportunity to get up-close and personal with these sound wizards as they twist and turn their knobs. A cornucopia of close-up knob adjustment – beautifully carried out by Seb & Marcus with immediate response from the audience… It’s almost like being there yourself… Almost!

My personal highlights are definitely On Air, Other Side and The Stars Within Us. But as the Colours album, this DVD should really be enjoyed as a journey… I’m sure it was meant this way… 91 minutes of pure joy!

DVD#2:
‘Backstage Tokyo’ (17 minutes)
Join gorgeous Japanese hostess Junko Niwa as she interviews Son Kite setting up their equipment before the show. We really get an in-depth, close-up feeling on how the guys are mentally preparing and goofing around in the nerve wrecking hours before going on stage. We also get interviews with Masa the organizer, Emok from Iboga Records and Tuff Little Unit (the visual designers). After the live performance, we met the guys again backstage where they are chilling out and drinking champagne.

‘A day at work – a return ticket to New York’ (12 minutes)
Another interesting documentary, where we follow Seb wake up early in the morning, leave his flat and ride his bicycle to High Hat Studios in Malmö where he hooks up with Marcus. They get on a train to Copenhagen airport, and then fly to New York for a live performance. After the live performance they do it all in reverse… All shot by the guys themselves…

‘On the road – dropping down on a few continents’ (11 minutes)
Titbits from Son Kite gigs in Finland, Japan, Germany, Mexico and Greece. The crowd at the Samothraki Dance Festival is going absolutely ballistic at the sound of On Air… Damn, looking at that footage sends shivers down my spine… Why oh why, wasn’t I there?

Music videos:
The Stars Within Us (5 minutes)
Very classy video by Jim Studt. It’s a mixture of urban architecture/graffiti footage and trippy fractal visuals and computer graphics.

Jukebox (4 minutes)
Another classy video – this time by Jonas Gustavsson. It’s pretty simplistic, although it’s riddled with visual trickery. Naïve, yet rich… Kinda art deco really! And we see Son Kite flying kites… Cool!

On Air (4 minutes)
Impressive video put together by David Nord. This whole vid is compiled old stock footage from carnivals, parades, rodeos, rollercoasters, etc. What’s so special about this video is how Nord manages to synchronize audio and visuals – even with the slightest of details done just right… It’s a feast for the eyes watching and listening how everything falls into place… There is not even a hint of computer graphics here – it’s all editing. Very original!

Conclusion:
Phew! These two DVDs are nothing less than brilliant… We get a smashing live performance with stunning visuals and amazing sound + loads of extra goodies… Make sure to check out the different angles on the concert DVD for added value trippy visuals… As always with Son Kite, this whole package reeks quality. From the nice booklet + sticker to the 5.1 surround sound audio-track… I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Seb & Marcus after a fantastic live-gig in Denmark, and they were super nice down-to-earth guys. Respect! I loved the Colours album, and I absolutely love this DVD too… As I’ve said before they continue to distance themselves from the vast majority of trance labels – both production-wise and concept-wise! And you need this DVD in your collection – it gets my highest recommendations! Enjoy!