One of my favorite tour memories from 2011 was when I got to sing for Alexander, a 7-year old autistic boy, whose favorite songs are “The Sun” by Tigers Jaw (#PApride) and “Spring Song” by me. My friend Adam works after school with students like Alexander and when he’s not in school himself or working with special needs kids, he’s putting on DIY shows and playing in his hardcore band. It’s difficult to not be inspired on tour because of the amazing people that make up this music community. I can’t tell you how special it was to be invited to participate in the awesome work that a guy like Adam is doing (just hours before the awesome house show he put on for me that night in Reno.) This is just one person out of many in this global arts community making a huge impact. It leads me to wonder what amazing things all of you (reading this) are working on.
I’m beginning the year optimistic and hopeful for what’s to come. Music is where we connect. It’s exciting to know that we’ll be able to continue the conversation. Please reach out to me if you’d be interested in hosting a DIY house or alternative space show in February through April for the taping of Spring Song Vol. 2, which will be coming out on Run For Cover Records later this year. E-mail me at colormake@gmail.com.
Keep working hard, fighting the good fight, singin’ out. We are many, friends. Peace to you.
Love,
KOJI
Koji will be doing a Livestream show today at 1PM EST at the Invisible Children HQ as a part of the last day of their Frontline campaign. You can click here to watch the show and check out more details on Invisible Children’s mission.
TUNE IN AND HELP END AFRICA’S LONGEST RUNNING WAR!
EVERYONE! Today, I’m going to be going back on Livestream at 10am PST/1pm EST at the Invisible Children HQ. I’ll be singing songs to raise money to end Africa’s longest running war, reach their $2 million goal, raise a ton of awareness, and free their intern—and my friend—Timmy, who has locked himself in a cage until the goal is reached. Please tune in and spread the word about #freetimmy.
http://invisiblechildren.com/freetimmy
I’m going to be giving an online show to help Invisible Children raise 2 million dollars and free their intern Timmy. Tune in right now!
Today, I’m releasing a song I call “Hemlock.” I wrote it minutes before leaving for Dublin to start my UK tour with IIOI. While on the road, I worked on it every night during soundcheck. Upon returning to the states, I got together with Will Yip at Studio 4 to record the track I give to you today. Check it out at my BandCamp and there you’ll find the rest of my discography up for free or by donation. Consider it my way of thanking you for making this year my very best. Here’s to all of us, together!
-KOJI
ps. Listed below are my upcoming dates. Make sure to RSVP.
The art was a collaboration between Alvin Carrillo, Doctor Destroyer, and KOJI.
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CMJ MUSIC MARATHON SHOWS
October 21 - Googie’s Lounge at the Living Room - Manhattan, NY
Bigger Brush Media/Gluttony Is The New Black - “Don’t Give a Buzz Showcase”
October 22 - Club Europa - Brooklyn, NY
Run For Cover Records showcase - Koji full band w/ Tigers Jaw, Bridge and Tunnel, Daylight, GDP, Young Statues, The Tower and the Fool, 1 TBA
FALL US DATES
w/ Such Gold, We Are The Union, Last Call
October 24 - Redwood Art Space - Wilkes Barre, PA
October 25 - Boondocks - York Haven, PA
October 26 - Jewish Mother Backstage - Norfolk, VA
October 27 - Oak Grove Civic Club - Lexington, SC
THE FEST 10
October 28 - CMC (433 S. Main St.) - The Fest 10 - Gainesville, FL
Koji’s set time is 11:40 to 12:10
Walk-up tickets are available for $5.00,
or free w/ Fest 10 pass
All ages
FALL US DATES
w/ Former Thieves, We Are The Union, Last Call
October 31 - Warehouse 8B - Jacksonville, FL
November 1 - Sector 7G - Augusta, GA
KOJI HEADLINING SHOWS
November 2 - Lucie Monroe Specialty Coffee - Christiansburg, VA
November 3 - Club Relavent - Virginia Beach, VA
November 4 - UMBC - Baltimore, MD
November 5 - SUNY Oneonta - Oneonta, NY
November 6 - TBA - State College, PA
November 7 - Avenue 209 - Lock Haven, PA
November 8 - The City House - Buffalo, NY
November 9 - Dad Frat - Athens, OH
November 10 - Alma College - Alma, MI
November 11 - It’s a Kling Thing - Akron, OH
November 12 - Smiling Moose - Pittsburgh, PA
November 13 - College of William and Mary - Williamsburg, VA
November 14 - George Mason University - Braddock, VA
Want to fill a TBA date with a show? E-mail natedorough@gmail.com.
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For more info and tour updates please visit http://kojisaysaloha.com and follow @kojisaysaloha on Tumblr and Twitter.
I am a reformed marketer, and I now work in international development. In October, I spent some time in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is the largest country in Africa. In fact, it’s as large as Western Europe, but it only has 300 miles of paved roads. The DRC is a dangerous place. In the past 10 years, five million people have died due to a war in the east. But war isn’t the only reason that life is difficult in the DRC.
There are many health issues as well. In fact, the HIV prevalence rate is 1.3 percent among adults. This might not sound like a large number, but in a country with 76 million people, it means there are 930,000 that are infected. And due to the poor infrastructure, only 25 percent of those are receiving the life-saving drugs that they need. Which is why, in part, donor agencies provide condoms at low or no cost.
(Source: ted.com)
A child soldier (C), known as “Kadogo” meaning “small one” in Swahili, stands at the front line at the Kanyabayonga in eastern Congo, November 17, 2008. Snatched from their homes by armed men who force them to carry ammunition, to fight and kill under the threat of beatings, Congo’s child soldiers are teenage victims of an unforgiving war. (FINBARR O’REILLY/Reuters)
Eastern DR Congo has been named the rape capital of the world.
The UK, as one of the largest donors to DRC has a lot of political influence to help improve the situation for the people of DRC.
WE ASK UK GOVERNMENT TO:
PRESS the Congolese government to end impunity RESPOND by providing adequate health care and psychological support.
SUPPORT programmes working on on the ground to prevent discrimination against women and girls.
PUSH for long term change in DRC and end the increasing epidemic of sexual violence against the nations women and children
WWW.CONGONOW.ORG
Every day former boy soldier Emmanuel Jal makes music is a day he doesn’t have to confront his tortured childhood.As an eight-year-old boy in the 1980s, Jal was a war child, carrying a gun in the service of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army during the country’s civil war.
The horrors he faced as a boy soldier have never left him — nowadays the 31-year-old hip hop artist, writer and activist channels his energy into insuring the children of South Sudan never have to repeat his ordeal.
“Music has become my painkiller,” he said soon after arriving in Sydney to take part in the Festival of Dangerous Ideas at the weekend.
Resolve Tour (+some SEBros)- April 21, 2011
Shitty photos of people I know that I finally uploaded.
