Bay Cees Come Alive–The Sun Will Rise Again Part I
 |
Today May 14th, the Shonan-based Bee Gees tribute band Bay Cees will play at Zushi Community Park in an event called "Otona no kyujitsu (Holiday For Grownups)," giving fans of good music the opportunity to hear those unforgettable Bee Gees’ tunes live. If you live anywhere near the area, please make sure to be there!
The Bay Cees are Kiyoshi, Hiroshi, and Atsushi who reside in Zushi City and Kamakura City. They have aptly decided to call themselves Bay Cees because, apart from the obvious Bee Gees connection, all three have names that end with the sound "shi" (pronunced "cee"). A cool name, guys! Zushi-based composer Osamu will also join them onstage.
Assembled with a view to "recreating that beautiful Bee Gees’ harmony as closely as possible," the three are still on the lookout for a good drummer. Japanese Colin Petersen or Dennis Bryon, anyone?
The set today will include a selection from the following Bee Gees’ songs: New York Mining Disaster 1941, To Love Somebody, Massachusetts, Holiday, I Started A Joke, Let There Be Love, I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You, Words. (Personally, I would not miss a live version of "Let There Be Love." )
Atsushi is one of those long-time Bee Gees fans whose soundtrack of life is the Bee Gees. An established Sunday bariton, he recently played the title role in Mozart’s "Don Giovanni" at Yokohama Prefectural Music Hall.
During the event, donations will be welcome for those afflicted by the earthquake. Atsushi speaks for everyone when he says: "I have been feeling terrible about being unable to do anything for those who are still suffering. What I could do was just to make donations. Still, it’s not only material help that counts. We hope we can communicate through music that we care. We want everyone to feel good and stronger." And it is the wish of all of us involved that the music of the Bee Gees that we have always loved will help pave the way for Japan’s restoration.
Another relief project by the joint effort of fans is also getting organized. Spicks & Specks, probably Japan’s oldest tribute band, and Cuban Salsa artist Rojitas, who is also a dedicated fan of the Bee Gees, are appearing together in Shibuya on July 17th. (More about this event soon. For now please check the Official Home of Spicks & Specks.)
Barry and Robin, who sent us heartfelt messages following the earthquake, have also expressed support for these relief movements by fans. We all hope and believe, just as Barry stated in his message, that "the sun will rise again."
So we would like to follow these spontaneous movements in our "The Sun Will Rise Again" series of articles.
